Seven Sisters Love Football: 2014

Haier India teams up with NorthEast United FC

Haier, a renowned home appliances and consumer electronics brands, today announced a strategic partnership with the NorthEast United Football Club for the ongoing inaugural Indian Super League.

The announcement comes just days after the team won its first match of the tournament.

The NorthEast United FC from Guwahati, which is co-owned by actor John Abraham, have received tremendous response with spectators cheering the team during its matches.

As part of the partnership, the team will be wearing the new jersey which features Haier's logo on the front in its capacity of being the official sponsor of the team.

Haier will also gain significant brand exposure around the ground through in-stadium promotional methods such as Perimeter electronic board branding, Stadium Electronic board static branding etc..

Commenting on the partnership, Eric Braganza, President, Haier Appliances (India) said, "We are delighted to be a part of such exciting times where we have an opportunity to be a part of the journey of taking a wonderful sport like football to the masses.

"This partnership allows Haier to conjoin the synergy of being a young and sporty brand with the aggression of a sport like football. We are ecstatic that we can now connect with our audience at a more personal level and enjoy the spirit of football together."

Abraham said, "I am very happy with Haier coming on board to support the NEUFC club in our inaugural year. Our team is built on certain elements that are coherent to the brand's ethos, which makes it a perfect fit. It is good to know that the association with football is strategic; keeping in mind the potential growth of the sport in the country."

To expand the mutually beneficial contours of this partnership, both partners will shortly launch a series of joint marketing initiatives to engage with their respective fans and consumers across India.

In order to celebrate this association, Haier plans a contest on social media where participants stand a chance of winning Haier products personally autographed by the NorthEast United FC players.

Mizo footballer death: ISL says no warning to players on back flips

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-44914864,width-310,resizemode-4/no-isl-diktat-against-back-flips.jpg

Biaksangzuala, 23, died after a celebration went wrong in a Mizoram Premier League match. After scoring, Baiksangzuala performed successive somersaults.

The untimely death of footballer Peter Biaksangzuala in the Mizoram Premier League has shocked the Indian football community, including players from the ongoing ISL ( Indian Super League).

Biaksangzuala, 23, died after a celebration went wrong in a Mizoram Premier League match. After scoring, Baiksangzuala performed successive somersaults, landed wrong and died from spinal injuries.

ISL team owners and spokespersons told ETPanache that the news had registered on the minds of their players.

"They may not have known him (Biaksangzuala) personally, but are definitely upset," says Indranil Blah, CEO, Mumbai City FC. Blah, however, hasn't instructed players to curb such celebrations. "There hasn't been a separate communication that has gone out to the players. They're aware of the pitfalls of such stunts. Anyway, as a team, we are averse to over the top celebrations."

Varun Achreja, spokesperson of Delhi Dynamos FC, also says that it is impractical to ban celebratory stunts. But he said that the team was in a sombre mood after Biaksangzuala's death.

"The football community is a tight knit one," Achreja says. "When something like this happens to a player, it affects everyone. It was a freak incident and at the end of the day a player knows his body better than anyone else."

An IMG Reliance spokesperson said that barring players from doing backf lips is a team decision and one that is not taken by the league. He also said that the players are insured by the ISL, and the insurance covers all injuries, even those suffered during celebration.

"ISL has an overall insurance of Rs 650 crore. The players' salaries are also insured, in case they have to miss a match owing to sickness or injury. All matches and practice sessions have two ambulances on standby, so we have made it a point to be prepared for any situation," the spokesperson says.

ISL coaches among several eyeing India job

Panaji: There is life beyond the din and excitement of the Indian Super league, especially for the coaches on duty.

Most coaches are contracted with their respective franchisees till December 20 but with the India coaching vacancy now up for grabs following confirmation that Wim Koevermans will not continue beyond October when his contract ends, a few ISL coaches have put their hands up, some even throwing their hats in the ring for the job.

"We have got a fair bit of inquiries from coaches around the world. Quite a few coaches from the Indian Super League have applied as well," All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das told TOI on Monday.

Das did not disclose the names of coaches who are among the applicants but sources said NorthEast United coach Ricki Herbert, Kerala Blasters assistant coach Trevor Morgan and even Mumbai City FC coach Peter Reid can be counted among those who have been making inquiries about the vacant post.

"I have a contract with Kerala Blasters at the moment. It would be inappropriate for me to make any comments regarding the position of national team coach," said Morgan, who has plenty of admirers in India after doing some wonderful things with East Bengal in the past.

NorthEast United coach Ricki Herbert has the profile to step into the boots of Koevermans having played in the 1982 World Cup for New Zealand and guiding the Kiwis at the World Cup in South Africa 2010. New Zealand, famously, were the only team which bowed out without losing, having drawn all three games in the group stage.

Reid, formerly coach of the Thailand national team, has enough experience of managing in Asia and his coaching stints with England under-21, Manchester City, Leeds United and Sunderland should hold him in good stead should he decide to formally notify the AIFF.

Even Zico, the Brazilian legend now at FC Goa, could consider an offer from the AIFF if the project is appealing, said a source close to the coach.

The AIFF is in no hurry to finalize Koeverman's successor and will take a decision only towards the year end. India do not have any international assignment till next year giving ambitious ISL coaches plenty to look forward to once their engagement in the cash-rich league culminates on December 20.

John sees hope in football

Shillong, Oct. 16 : Model-turned-actor John Abraham and co-owner of the North East United Football Club today exuded confidence that the journey of the cricket-crazy nation to the FIFA World Cup finals would not be long if everything goes well.

“The Indian Super League is in its incubation period and in my personal view it will grow full-fledged with the sole emphasis at generating interest in football and identifying untapped talent. In FIFA ranking, we are 158th and it will take some time before we go upward,” John said in an interaction with journalists here. According to the Bollywood actor, in another five to six years India might give a good fight to its Southeast Asian counterparts.

John was here along with Shillong Lajong FC owner, Larsing Ming Sawyan, also the co-owner of NEUFC. They sought support from Meghalaya’s soccer-crazy fans for the newly formed franchise club, on the eve of hosting a back-to-back home match against Athletico de Kolkata at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati tomorrow.

He “apologised” for the inconvenience caused to fans who could not get tickets. He, however, promised that from the third match onwards, more ticket counters would be made available in Shillong. “We need more time and the success of ISL is important for the growth of football in the country,” he said.

Ming, who is also the All India Football Federation vice- president, said developing football in the country required a long-term plan. Asked about the youth development programme, John said, “We are following Lajong’s model as we intend to have a strong grassroots programme.”

NorthEast United FC vs Atletico de Kolkata , Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2014 6th Match Preview: Possession vs Counterattack in this battle

NorthEast derby, battle of the winners of the Indian Super League (ISL) are a couple of ways to describe the Indian Super League (ISL) 204 so far. In what is sure to be a cracking battle between two talented teams in the ISL, the packed cauldron of the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Gauwathi promises to bring an interesting spectacle.

If there has been a pattern in the ISL games that have been played so far, it is the fact that the games have predominantly been low-scoring battles. The games have been feisty, filled with tackles flying everywhere, compact defenses and relied on incisive finishing up front. NorthEast United showed that they are in no mood to live with being called the underdog of the competition and proved their mettle in the previous game.

Against an experienced side like Kochi Blasters, NorthEast matched blow for blow and trumped Sachin Tendulkar’s side with a thumping strike from Spanish striker Koke. The deafening noise inside the stadium surely played a part in psyching the opposition out. Every touch from the players out the home side, irrespective of their stature, got loud cheers when the ball landed on their feet. The atmosphere is going to be no different this time around, although with the sizeable Bengal population Assam, allegiances may be divided.

Keeping the aforementioned close battles in mind, Atletico de Kolkata did things their own way in the ISL opener and with a certain doze of panache. Mumbai FC didn’t know what hit them as the red and whites finished runaway winners. Both teams looked balanced and settled and it is highly unlikely that either sides will go for changes in their line-ups.

Unlike the Spanish champions, Atletico are a team who like possession on the ball and we learnt that Northeast are a team that looks to leave the opposition dead with their quick-fire counterattacks. There is no outright favourite in this fixture but Atletico’s powerful midfield scores an edge over their opponents but the power of thousands of vocal cords can never be discounted in this game.

Team News:
Atletico de Kolkata (Probable): Subhashish Roy; Denzil Franco, Josemi, Arnab Mondal, Biswajit Saha; Borja Fernandez, Luis Garcia, Jofre Mateu, Ofentse Nato; Baljit Sahni; Fikru Lemessa
NorthEast United FC (Probable): Alexandros Tzorvas, Alexandros Tzorvas; Aibor Khongjee, Miguel Garcia, Robin Gurung, Johan Capdevilla, David Ngaihte, Felipe, Zohmingliana Ralte, James Keene, Durga Boro; Koke

FC Goa eyeing perfect start against Chennayian FC

Margao: With a vociferous crowd behind them, hosts FC Goa will be eyeing a positive start to their campaign against Chennaiyin FC when the Goa-leg of the much-hyped Indian Super League (ISL) begins at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Wednesday.

Much would depend whether the home team's players take to the field in accordance to the strategy chalked out by their famed tutor and manager Zico.
For the Goan fans it would be their first experience of high-level football after preferring to stay away from the mediocre display dished out at the I-League.
No doubt, the Indian players on either side, who would be brushing shoulders with some top flight foreign footballers, would become richer in experience.
However, a lot would depend on their adaptability and their readiness to learn.
With former French star Robert Pires in their ranks alongside Czech Republic's Jan Seda and Miroslav Slepicka, and Brazilian Andre Santos, who joined the team last week, FC Goa would be looking to get their campaign off to a perfect start.
Frenchmen Gregoy Arnolin and Youness Bengelloun, Portuguese trio of Bruno Pinheiro, Miguel Pereira and Edgar Marcelino are also expected to play a vital role in the fortunes of the Goan franchise.
During the one-and-half month long training camp, Zico was quite happy with the way his wards have responded to his attacking style of football.
"I am happy the way boys are playing, they have done well in the three friendly matches which we have won. Now I am looking forward for tomorrow's match and hoping to collect all three points," stated Zico.
FC Goa's Indian talent comprises of Dempo SC with young Holicharan Narzary, Peter Carvalho and Rowilson Rodrigues managing to catch the attention of Zico.
Czech custodian Jan Seda also has made his presence felt in front of the goal while Debabrata Roy and Carvalho are expected to be employed on the wings in overlapping roles, and assisting them on the flanks will be Narzary and Gabriel Fernandes.
Frenchman and former Arsenal great Robert Pires, who is Goa's marquee, is expected to take charge of the midfield with Portuguese striker Miguel Herlein employed up front.
The Chennaiyin FC squad also throws up an impressive list with the likes of Marco Matterrazi, the Italian, who was a member of the all-conquering 2006 World Cup team being their marque player-cum-manager.
Matterrazi was involved in the most controversial moment of World Cup history when he was headbutted by the talismanic Frenchman Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 final.
Another World Cupper in Chennaiyin's ranks is Brazilian Elano Blummer. Then there is former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre, who despite excelling at club level didn't get much opportunities with the French national team.
The Chennai outfit was boosted by the late entry of Colombian striker John Stiven Mendonza, who would thus join his compatriot Jairo Carvazal. Frenchmen, goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano and Bernard Mendy, Serbian Bojan Djordjic, Spaniards Eduardo Silva and Cristian Gonzalez also make up for an impressive line up for the visitors.
Among the domestic players, Chennaiyin FC has Gourmangi Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Harmanjot Khabra, Denson Devadas, Khelemba Meetei, N P Pradeep as well as Goa's Jaison Vales and Anthony Barbosa up their ranks.

North-east gears up to welcome India’s football festival

North-east India has long been one of India's footballing hotbeds and the excitement ahead of ISL's first match in Guwahati shows that in full light. (@NEUtdFC Image)

Guwahati: North-east India has long been one of India's footballing hotbeds and the excitement here in the city ahead of Indian Super League's first match shows that in full light.

The supporters can be seen flaunting their favourite team jerseys and singing the team's anthem outside the stadium as the excitement in anticipation of a football game hits an all-time high here, and if the Box Office reports are to be believed, it's expected to be a full house when the match kicks off at 1900 IST today.
The home team, NorthEast United FC, will take on Kerala Blasters FC in what would be a tournament opener for both the teams after a gala opening and Atletico de Kolkata's win on Sunday at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Kids in Assam have tremendous enthusiasm for football and surely it's a wonderful opportunity for football fanatics to connect with local and foreign stars and watch the likes of Joan Capdevila, Miguel Garcia, Sergio Pardo and a number of local lads in action together. The team owned and operated by Bollywood actor John Abraham and I-League club Shillong Lajong will hope that fans come right behind their team and give their 100 per cent support.
"Everybody is waiting for the tournament to start in Guwahati. We have decided that we're going to watch all the home matches in the stadiums and party all night. Football is in our blood", a group of few enthusiastic college students said.
Explaining the ISL fever gripping in Assam and other part of north-eastern city these days, a fan said it's an opportunity to watch some really top-class football and some of legends of the game in action.
Shillong has witnessed a packed house each time Shillong Lajong have played at home, and club owners and players have full belief that NorthEast United FC, who play here at the Indira Gandhi Stadium as their home ground, will also draw the same attraction.
"The crowd in Guwahati will be massive and entire north-east will come together to support the team during the match days", an official at the stadium said.
Amid this excitement, a belief floats that some day they will see India in action at the biggest stage and who knows, with India taking initiative of promoting Indian stars in ISL and later on hosting the under-17 junior World Cup in 2017, many players and kids will come of age which may finally put India on the world football map.

ISL fuels hope for return of days of footballing glory

The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati being prepared for the ISL game on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, Oct. 12: We may be eight, but we are “United”.

The soulful Papon-composed and sung anthem of North East United FC, the Guwahati franchise of the high-profile Indian Super League, reiterates this and strikes an instant chord.

For a region that once religiously followed the beautiful game, the premier football league of India is perhaps just what the doctor ordered for football to regain its days of glory.

Ahead of the much-awaited tie between Guwahati franchise North East United FC and Kochi franchise Kerala Blasters at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here tomorrow, the mood here is one filled with expectations.

More importantly, with a football franchise the region can call its own, relate to and rally behind, there is a connect factor in the making.

North East United has 14 foreign recruits and as many from the country, with at least 10 from the Northeast.

The region has traditionally been inclined towards football, even club matches drawing a healthy turnout.

Most leading outstation teams were regular in tournaments such as the Bordoloi Trophy, ATPA Shield, Independence Day Cup and Dugar Shield held across Assam.

Former India captain T. Ao was also from undivided Assam.

Not everything looked hunky dory for the Guwahati franchise till the other day, with a co-owner pulling out for non-inclusion of the venue city in the franchise’s name, apart from other commercial matters. There was some uncertainty among the people here about the league after co-owner John Abraham failed to come out with a clear strategy on its grassroots development programme, a promise he had made while launching the club four months ago. For now, though, the national promos and the hype building up to the event has overshadowed the negativity and the lack of conviction among the fans here, at least for time being.

It was evident from the near-full house ticket sales with serpentine queues noticed at the 35,000-capacity stadium that was built for the 2007 National Games.

Assam Football Association secretary Ankur Dutta said the response was encouraging and augurs well for football here.

The ticket rates have been kept reasonable, from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000, inspiring a good chunk of youngsters to head to the counters.

“I am happy that the rates don’t burn a hole in my pocket. So rest assured, we will all be there tomorrow, cheering for NEUFC,” said Hrishikesh Kalita, a management professional.

A collaborative effort between IMG-Reliance and All India Football Federation, the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League, involves eight franchises locking horns home and away over a 70-day period.

“The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium is now a world-class stadium with state-of-the-art infrastructure created for the league. The officials who had visited the venue have even said the stadium was probably the best in the country. This not only helped the city to host the matches but boosts Guwahati’s chance of playing host to the under-17 World Cup in 2017,” Assam sports minister Ajit Singh told The Telegraph.

The ISL, if properly, run could see a lot of gainful opportunities opening up for promising footballers and businesses alike for Guwahati and the region which is mostly in the news for militancy, strikes and general strikes.

The I-league drew attention towards Shillong Lajong and Shillong, the ISL should do the same for the region provided it is well organised and promoted, many here believe.

It might give a fillip to a region considered to have tremendous potential for tourism in particular and the hospitality industry in general. It is reflected in the sentiments of players, administrators and fans of the beautiful game.

“ISL offers an important platform for young football players of India, especially the Northeast, to showcase their skill and talent and make Indian football popular. Allen Deuri and Durga Boro have become household names and people are looking forward to watching them score for Northeast United,” said Gaurav Gogoi, Kaliabor MP and son of chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Gaurav is said to be associated with Guwahati franchise and had even visited the ground in the run-up to D-day but denied any association with the team to The Telegraph.

North East United and the Kerala Blasters are being put up at the Radisson Blu here, the first five-star hotel in the Northeast.

“This being the first major event for us, we are giving our best,” Vikas Ray, the general manager of Radisson Blu, told The Telegraph today.

Ray said the entire available inventory of the hotel has been dedicated to the event.

“The stadium catering for the hospitality area is being done by us,” he said.

Among the important guests coming tomorrow are Sachin Tendulkar and Nita Ambani (founding chairperson of Football Sports Development, Reliance Group) besides co-owners of the other franchises.

After missing the IPL bus back in 2008 because of infrastructure bottlenecks, Guwahati seems to be back on track to be on the country’s sports map. Let’s football!

Indian Super League: North East United FC register narrow 1-0 victory over Vasco in friendly

Margao, Sep 26 : North East United FC edged past Vasco by a solitary goal in the second friendly match, played at Nagao ground, Verna here today. North East United, who have come here to play friendly matches ahead of the ISL league which commence on Oct 12, once again found the going tough and had to wait in the second half to score the winner against Vasco who put up a stiff resistance in the first half.

North East United today fielded their marquee player Joan Capedevilla but could not get the better of Vasco in the first half before he was replaced in the second half. It was in the second half they showed ascendancy and after probing for most of the time scored the winner midway in the second half after wasting a penalty.

Yesterday they were held to a 1-1 draw by Tuff Laxmi Prasad. New entrant Tuff Laxmi Prasad who put up good performance in the ongoing Goa’s Pro-League stunned the fancy ISL team with a goal in the first half through foreign recruit N D Opara before the visiting team equalised late in the second half through a penalty.

North East United FC will play their last friendly match against the reserves of Salgaocar FC on September 30th at Tilak Stadium, Vasco. Ricki Herbert’s side play their first match of the ISL on October 15 against Kerala Blasters.

Mizoram boys storm into Subroto Cup semis

Defending champions Government Chawngfianga Middle School (CMS) of Mizoram thrashed Assam's Birjhora Higher Secondary School (BHSS) 5-0 to enter the Under-14 semi-finals of the Subroto Cup Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here Sunday.

For the defending champions, J.H. Lallawmima's scored a brace followed by goals from Lalthansanga, Lalnunhlua and Ramhlunchhunga to ensure an easy win.

The defending champions will meet Nagaland's Greenwood High School, who beat National Cadet Corps, Maharashtra, 3-1 after extra time. The semi-final will be played Tuesday.

NCC, Maharashtra, took the lead through Rushikesh More in the 18th minute before Tokavi levelled the scoring. Kito struck a brace in extra time to clinch the match for the Nagaland side in the first quarter-final.

Earlier in a Pool E match, Nilamani English School from Manipur thumped New Delhi's Air Force School 9-0.

Indian Super League: Spanish Striker Koke Signs for NorthEast United FC

Spanish striker Sergio Contreras Pardo, commonly known as Koke, has played for Malaga, Marseille and captained Greek super league team Aris.

Sergio Contreras Pardo started his football career in 2001

Shillong: NorthEast United FC on Monday announced that they have signed Spanish striker Sergio Contreras Pardo, commonly known as Koke, to strengthen the club's attacking frontline.

The 31-year-old striker started his football career in 2001 and signing him means the club will benefit from his 13 years experience, the club announced in a statement here.

"He will be benefiting the NorthEast FC's attack by bringing onboard 13 years of professional football experience," the statement said.

A native of Malaga in Spain, Koke started his career with Malaga before shifting to Marseille in France and then he had a successful run at Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.

He then went on to play for the Greek super league team, Aris for five years. He was the captain for two years, those were clearly was some of the best years of his football career.

"I am very eager to start training with my new teammates and am excited about this new journey. I look forward to a great season and to score some winning goals for my team," Koke was quoted as saying by the club.

NorthEast FC's coach Ricki Herbert said he is looking forward to the new addition to his team.
"The arrival of Koke at NE United FC is one of excitement and anticipation. His experience and pedigree is much awaited and we all look forward to his appearances as a North East United player," he said.

With this signing, the Club has completed signing eight international players of repute, anticipating that the upcoming ISL would boost football in the country.

The club had signed World Cup 2010 and European 2008 Championship winner-- Spanish Defender Joan Capdevila -- as their marquee player for the inaugural season of Indian Super League scheduled to begin October 12.

The team had also signed Zambian international midfielder, Isaac Chansa, who also won the 2012 African Cup of Nations, along with Lajong FC striker Cornell Glen.

Earlier this month, the club signed Portuguese defender Miguel Garcia, Zambian midfielder Kondwani Mtonga and Greek goalkeeper Alexandros Tzvoras.

NorthEast United FC have added three new faces to their squad by signing foreign players Garcia, Mtonga and Tzvoras.

NorthEast United FC have added three new faces to their squad by signing foreign players Garcia, Mtonga and Tzvoras. NorthEast United Football Club have announced the signings of Portuguese defender Miguel Garcia, Zambian midfielder Kondwani Mtonga and Greek goalkeeper Alexandros Tzvoras. The trio will feature in the inaugural edition of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) which kicks off on October 12.

Garcia is a product of Sporting Clube De Portugal's youth academy and made his senior debut in the 2003-04 season. He has also played in The UEFA Cup and appeared in the finals for Sporting Lisbon in 2005, with a final appearance in 2011 for Sporting Club de Braga.
On signing his contract with NorthEast United FC Garcia stated, “I am very happy to be a part of this club. I have been in Shillong for a week now and everyone here is very friendly."
"All the boys are working really hard on their fitness and skill during training sessions. Playing for NorthEast United is a big challenge for me as I need to adapt to how football is played here and I am looking forward to a good season with this club,” he added.
The club have also signed Zambian international Mtonga to bolster the squad. The 30 year-old is a versatile player as he can play either as a centre back or a defensive midfielder and has played for Zamtel Ndola in 2007. He has had a successful long term club career with Zesco United since 2008.
He expressed his delight on signing for the club stating, “I am very happy to be here; meeting all my teammates and club officials. I am very excited to be part of the Hero Indian Super League and I am looking forward to playing in front of the North East United FC fans. I will do my best to help the team win.”
Tzorvas who is a well known goalkeeper, started playing football in The Panathinaikos Football Academy and went on to play for various football clubs in Greece from 2001 to 2011. He also played for Italian clubs, Palermo and Genoa in 2011-12 season and 2012-13 season respectively. Tzorvas was the first choice goalkeeper for Greece in the 2010 World Cup and also during Euro 2012.

Two Shillong-based footballers join Indian Super League team NorthEast United FC

Two footballers from Meghalaya on Tuesday joined NorthEast United FC for the Indian Super League, scheduled to commence in October. Aiborlang Khongjee, along with another rising footballer Redeem Tlang will don NorthEast United FC colours.
"This is a great opportunity for me to feature for NorthEast United in the ISL. I will give my best for the team and look forward to play alongside the best set of foreign players and coaching staff," Khongjee said in a joint statement with Tlang.
"I look forward for a wonderful first season and hope the team gives a memorable debut performance and makes the fans of the North East and rest of India proud," Tlang said. Khongjee, whose father was also a footballer from Shillong, encouraged him during his childhood to play the sport. He continued playing the game and was selected to play his first major tournament which was the Under-17 Subroto Cup and joined SAI Shillong.
The stopper back inked his first professional contract with Shillong Lajong FC in 2005 and after gaining appreciation for his performances he was offered a deal from Kolkata giant East Bengal during the 2007-08 season. Khongjee was offered to come back and play for Lajong in 2008 and remained with the club until 2012. Mohun Bagan came knocking with a good offer which he found difficult to turn down and hence departed to Kolkata.
The 26-year-old re-signed for Lajong FC in the summer this year and has been named one of the domestic players to feature for NorthEast United FC and play alongside top international players. In addition to bolstering the squad, another local lad Redeem Tlang has also landed a place in the ISL team NorthEast United and the rising star is all set to take up this challenge. Tlang started playing football at the age of seven and has played several football tournaments for his school, St Anthony's Shillong including the Subroto Cup.

Indian Super League : High Local Flavor For North East United FC

By Boudhayan Sarbajna

The Guwahati franchise of the Indian Super League owned by Bollywood superstar John Abraham and I-League team Shillong Lajong , was named North East United FC and will play their home matches in the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium , also known as the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati. The stadium is currently under renovation to increase the capacity from 12,000 to 35,000 , it has previously played host to a Indian National team match vs Malaysia.

North East United FC

North East United FC made a policy of signing young players and mostly from the North-Eastern region.They have retained a set of 14 players from their tie-up with I-League club Shillong Lajong and with an average age of 21.32 , is the youngest squad in the Indian Soccer League ,amongst the 8 franchises ,with the international player draft yet to take place. As said by the Owner John Abraham

“We have put success secondary. We are concentrating on grassroots. We know that India would be hosting the U-17 World Cup in 2017. We want to concentrate on the young talent. We have got a very formidable U-19 team in Shillong Lajong,which is our partner.”

On 16th July,2014 it was announced that the club had roped in 2010 Fifa World Cup winner Joan Capdevila .The 36 year old former Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Espanyol player has played more than 400 games in La-Liga. Playing alongside the Spanish veteran will be a great experience for the likes of Robin Gurung, Zohmingliana Ralte and Pritam Kumar.

Goalkeepers -Rehnesh TP and Kunzang Bhutia

Rehenesh Thumbirumbu Paramba , the 21 year old Shillong Lajong Goalkeeper who made a name for himself during the 2012-13 season , playing for ONGC has played for the likes of ONGC ,Mumbai Tigers and Rangdajied United FC. He will be the Clubs first choice goalkeeper . Kunzang Bhutia who has also been roped in by North East United FC , is a 20 year old goalkeeper making his way into the first team at Shillong Lajong. The Sikkimese Goalkeeper is an Shillong Lajong academy product and will add depth to the Goalkeeping position at North East United FC.

Defender – Joan Capdevilla, Zohmingliana Ralte, Aiborlang Khongjee, Robin Gurung and Pritam Kumar Singh.

Joan Capdevilla – The Marquee Player for North East United

The Franchise roped in Joan Capdevilla and the Spanish world cup winner will have a huge impact on the Squad , not only on the pitch but off the pitch as well .On the field we know what to expect from the 36 year old Left back and off the pitch he will be having a major impact in teaching young academy graduates of Shillong Lajong as well as the likes of Zohmingliana Ralte and Aiborlang Khongjee. His vast experience and knowledge will help the players improve their overall game. The Franchise signed Zohmingliana Ralte or Zotea as he is fondly known . The Pune FC central defender and former Mohun Bagan academy and Rangdajeid United FC academy product is someone who gives his 110 % every time he enters the pitch and a brilliant. Zohmingliana will be paired with Aiborlang Khongjee in the centre of defense.

Aiborlang first came into the spotlight playing the Subroto Cup for his school-Raidlaban High School. He Joined SAI in Shillong and then after a year at SAI moved to Shillong Lajong. He was signed by Kingfisher East Bengal in 2007 however an injury hit season saw him move back to former side Shillong Lajong .In 2007 he was made club captain and remained at Shillong Lajong for 5 years before moving to Kolkata once again but this time to East Bengal’s rivals Mohun Bagan.The 2012-13 season saw the defender notch up 40 appearances for the Green and Maroons and then the following season he returned to Shillong. Robin Gurung , the 21 year old defender joins North East United FC after having a successful spell at ONGC and Shillong Lajong and will add depth alongside Shillong Lajong team-mate Pritam Kumar Singh.

Midfielders – Milan Singh, Jibon Singh, Boithang Haokip ,Alen Deory and Isaac Chansa .

North East United FC recruited all its midfielders from Shillong Lajong. The likes of Milan Singh , Jibon Singh and Boithang Haokip all play alongside each other in the I-League and it will be interesting to see them perform in the ISL together. With the understanding expected to be good among them a lot is expected from the young Midfielders . Milan Singh started his career at East Bengal and then moved to Pailan Arrows and remained there for 3 years (2010-2013) .On 2013 he signed for Shillong Lajong and he has had a impressive 2013-14 season playing 19 times and scoring two goals for the Shillong outfit. Jibon Singh followed the same career route as Milan Singh, the 24 year old midfielder was first signed by East Bengal after which the player to moved to the Arrows team and in 2012 season signed for Shillong Lajong.

Zambian midfielder Isaac Chansa

Midfielder Boithang Haokip however has been at Shillong for his entire career , he graduated to the senior squad in the 2011-12 season and has since made 56 senior team appearances scoring 11 goals in the process. Midfielder Alan Deory has been signed by North East United FC from the AIFF U-19 Elite academy in Goa to strengthen the midfield area and add depth to the squad. On 11th August Shillong Lajong officially completed its signing of Zambian midfielder, Isaac Chansa and announced that he would be a part of the North East United contingent. The midfielder who has plied his trade in Sweden,South Africa ,Zambia and China will add more experience to this young squad.The midfielder was also an integral part of the Zambian National team , that won the Africa cup of nations in 2012. He has a habit of scoring goals from midfield and his signing will definitely add more goals to this squad.

Forwards – Seminlen Doungel , Durga Boro and Cornell Glen

North East United FC have signed an attacking trio all from Shillong Lajong, Seminlen Doungel the JCT youth product, who has signed for Shillong for the 2014 season from East Bengal is a gifted attacker and is known for his ability to score goals at regular intervals . Doungel in his 3 years at East Bengal , scored 4 goals in 21 appearances .Durga Boro , a former Mumbai Tigers player who joined Shillong Lajong on February 2014 on loan as Mumbai Tigers closed down and the North East United FC Franchise recruited him as a part of the recruitment process that saw maximum players from the North East play for the Franchise.

Durga Boro and Seminlen Doungel will be joined at North East United FC by Cornell Glen ,their new team-mate at Shillong Lajong; The Trinidad and Tobago striker who is the first foreign player in the ISL to have played in India before the ISL joins North East United FC with a reputation of a prolific goalscorer. The Striker joined Shillong Lajong last year on a 2 year contract and scored 13 goals in the League to finish as the joint second top scorer. Cornell Glen is the all time 5th highest scorer for his country , ahead of Dwight Yorke . He played an important part during his country’s World Cup Campaign in 2006 , in which he earned praises for his performances against Sweden and England .

The North East United FC Franchise’s efforts to play more local youngsters from the North East region and make a team that will help the country, in future has to be applauded .The AIFF planned this tournament so that the Indian Players could get more exposure to play against and with big names and North East United FC have done just that by promoting local youngsters to the big stage. They might just surprise everyone and are surely of the Dark Horses of the ISL .

FIFA World Cup: Five Warnings for Rampant Germans

Germany showcased sublime skills against Brazil during their massive 7-1 win in the semis of FIFA World Cup. The team though will need to avoid complacency.

German fans celebrate their team's win against Brazil.

© AP

Paris: Germany coach Joachim Loew in the wake of the extraordinary 7-1 thrashing of hosts Brazil has moved to calm expectations ahead of Sunday's World Cup final and urged his players to show humility.
Have a look at five previous occasions impressive wins did not lead to further glory but instead defeat:
1954 Magical Magyars dreams shattered by Germans The 1954 final became known as the 'Miracle of Bern'. The 'Magical Magyars' came into the finals as the hot favourites and on a 32 match unbeaten run. They disposed of West Germany -- admittedly not a wholly first choice line-up -- by an astonishing 8-3 scoreline in the group stage and few thought the Germans could redress the balance in the final. It looked as if a similar thrashing was on the cards when the Hungarians went 2-0 up inside the opening 10 minutes with Ferenc Puskas scoring the first. However, the Germans captained by former Soviet Prisoner of War Fritz Walter stormed back and were level 10 minutes later. Helmut Rahn completed the astonishing turnaround when he score the winner six minutes from time.
1958 Swedes World hopes turn sour Sweden have never come as close to getting their hands on the trophy as when they hosted it. They cantered through their group and disposed of the Soviet Union in the quarterfinals. However, facing the defending champions West Germany was an entirely different proposition. The Germans took the lead but the Swedes levelled before half-time. Late goals from Gunnar Gren and Kurt Hamrin secured them a remarkable 3-1 win over a stunned German outfit which had been reduced to 10 men on the hour mark but had more than held their own. In the final they took a fourth minute lead but ended up being overwhelmed 5-2 by Brazil with a young Pele scoring a double.
1986 Spanish bull run blunted by Belgians Spain as ever entered a finals with pundits and players saying alike this will be the one to end the trophy drought dating back to the tarnished win in the 1964 European Championships. Their belief was stoked in a jaw dropping 5-1 thrashing of Denmark in the last 16 clash. The Belgians, though, proved far more resilient as their mix of experienced veterans such as Jan Ceulemans and youngsters like Enzo Scifo held the Spanish line spearheaded by the 'vulture' Emilio Butragueno at bay. The Spaniards cancelled out Ceulemans's 35th minute goal five minutes from time. However it failed to prove to be the spark to victory and the Belgians progrssed 5-4 on penalties.
1998 Thuram puts paid to Croatian fairytale Croatia looked as if they could give their nascent republic born out of the ashes of the Balkan wars in the early 1990's something to be cheerful about as they made steady progress at their first World Cup finals. Dreams turned into belief when they outclassed traditional titan Germany 3-0 in their quarterfinal and prepared to face heavily-criticised hosts France. They looked to be heading towards an historic appearance in the final as star striker Davor Suker gave them the lead in the first minute of the second-half. However, they were pegged back almost immediately as Lilian Thuram popped up for his first ever international goal and took such a liking to it he added another to dash Croat dreams.
2010 Spanish pragmatism too much for German flair-filled youth Several of the present German side will think back to four years ago and heed the words of Loew for they had sauntered through the last 16 and the quarterfinals with eyecatching 4-1 and 4-0 wallopings of England and Argentina respectively. They entered the semifinal with European champions Spain -- who had beaten them in that final in 2008 -- with a lot of confidence. However, 90 minutes later it was the Spaniards who progressed -- and ultimately won the trophy -- after a Carles Puyol goal gave them a 1-0 win while the Germans left the pitch drained.

FIFA: Ghana requests World Cup prize money early

Ghana's Michael Essien, Kevin Prince Boateng and Andre Ayew, from left to centre, challenge for the ball during a training session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ghana will play Portugal in group G of the 2014 soccer World Cup on June 26. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
Ghana players exercise on the pitch during a training session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ghana will play Portugal in group G of the 2014 soccer World Cup on June 26. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
Ghana's head coach James Appiah walks on the pitch during a training session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ghana will play Portugal in group G of the 2014 soccer World Cup on June 26. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
Ghana players practice on the pitch during a training session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ghana will play Portugal in group G of the 2014 soccer World Cup on June 26. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte)
Ghana's Asamoah Gyan, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Germany and Ghana at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Saturday, June 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Ghana's Asamoah Gyan, second right, dances with his teammates as they celebrate after scoring their second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Germany and Ghana at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Saturday, June 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Ghana's head coach Akwasi Appiah arrives for an official training session the day before the group G World Cup soccer match between Germany and Ghana at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Friday, June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Ghana players dance after Asamoah Gyan, right, scored his side's second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Germany and Ghana at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Saturday, June 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Francois Xavier Marit, pool)
Ghana's Asamoah Gyan, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between Germany and Ghana at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Saturday, June 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Ghana's cash-strapped football association has asked for an advance on the $8 million prize money it is guaranteed from the World Cup to pay outstanding debts to players.
FIFA said Wednesday that Ghana's request was "under evaluation."

FIFA's statement appeared to contradict Ghana's deputy sports minister, who said that as much as $3 million in cash would be flown into Brazil from the West African nation to finally pay the bonuses to unhappy players and avert a possible player strike.

It wasn't clear how Ghana would bring such a large amount of cash into the country without declaring it and paying tax on it in line with Brazilian law.
World Cup prize money — which ranges in Brazil from $8 million for being knocked out in the group stage to $35 million for winning the title — is normally paid after the tournament.
The Ghana Football Association insisted that the problem had been resolved after intervention by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who had spoken to players and guaranteed they would get their money by Wednesday afternoon, the GFA said.
Yet FIFA hasn't yet made a decision on handing over any prize money to Ghana in advance.
The bonus row seriously disrupted Ghana's preparations for its decisive Group G game against Portugal on Thursday, although Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu dismissed fears the team would boycott its final group game in Brasilia, which the Ghanaians need to win to stand any chance of reaching the second round.
"We are not going to say we are not going to play because of the money," Atsu said. "We love our nation and we are going to play for our nation."
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah said he had been having "sleepless nights" over the issue which came to a head Tuesday when the players and team management had a meeting instead of conducting a training session. President Mahama "personally spoke to the players" to assure them they would receive the money, the Ghana Football Association said in a statement. Ghana's players trained as scheduled Wednesday in Brasilia.
"The management and the government are trying to sort it out and everything will be sorted out in two or three hours' time," Appiah said. "They should have received it before the start of the competition but it's being solved now and we are really focused on the game now."
Players were going to receive the money in cash because "the practice in Ghana has always been paying the money in cash," Appiah said.
Asked what the players will do with the appearance fees — reportedly between $75,000 and $100,000 each — if they received them in cash, midfielder Atsu said: "I think we will keep it in our bags and we'll just lock them. And we will transfer the money to our accounts."
Coach Appiah wouldn't give an exact figure for the appearance fees owed to the players, saying: "I would be a bad person ... the players would kill me if I said."
Brazilian officials said bringing in $3 million in cash and not declaring it to authorities would be illegal and the entire amount could be confiscated. Individuals cannot bring in more than $4,500 each without having it subject to taxes, said Brazil's Federal Police, who enforce custom and immigration laws.

Spanish World Cup Team’s Plane Struck by Bolt of Lightning

As if the defeated champions' World Cup wasn't bad enough already

The Spanish soccer team had an unfortunate end to an unfortunate World Cup.
On the flight home from an early — and embarrassing — elimination Tuesday, the team’s plane was struck by lightning when it was about to touch down in Madrid. According to Iberia airlines, no one was injured and the aircraft went unharmed.
No word on if the players’ hair was impacted.

Australia v Spain: Group B - 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Santi Cazorla of Spain looks on during the National Anthem prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group B match between Australia and Spain Jeff Gross—Getty Images

American Invasion

The U.S. national team and its rowdy fans have taken over Brazil. The locals are not pleased.

By Jesse Hyde

U.S. fans cheer before the start of the World Cup match between the U.S. and Portugal in Manaus, Brazil, on June 22, 2014.

MANAUS, Brazil—We were down by the port, where the air smelt of cigarette smoke and stale beer, when I realized how much things had changed.

Three men sat at a tiny table playing cards that were stained with splashes of wine and curled at the corners because of the humidity. One had a tattoo of a strand of rosary beads running down his forearm, the other sat shirtless, a thin layer of sweat beading up on his shoulders. His attention drifted between the card game and a World Cup match on his cellphone. Off in the distance, you could hear the sound of a boat motoring into a river’s muddy waters.

It was Saturday afternoon in Manaus, a sweltering, squalid city of close to 2 million in the Amazon rainforest. The next day the U.S. would play Portugal, and it seemed everyone had an opinion on the game. I asked the men at the table who they thought would win. “I think the U.S.,” one of them said, diverting his attention briefly from his cards. “But I’m rooting for Portugal.”

The oddsmakers disagreed with him: Even a Portugal hobbled by injuries would beat the U.S., they said. But I found it surprising how many Brazilians believed a different result likely. Having lived in Brazil years ago, I am used to the word fraca (weak) to describe our national team. But things were different now.

What surprised me even more, considering Manaus had once been a Portuguese colony, were how few fans I saw from Portugal. The city, it seemed, had been taken over by Americans. And that, more than anything else, is why the Brazilians quietly hoped we’d lose.

Being an American fan hadn’t always been this way, of course. A few days before, I had been sitting in a bar in a little surf village on the northeast coast of Brazil, talking with U.S. fans who had spent a decade following the national team from Turkey to Panama. It wasn’t that long ago, they reminded me, that you couldn’t buy a U.S. national team jersey because nobody bothered to carry them. “I remember going to a Gold Cup final in New Jersey, the U.S. against Mexico, and I couldn’t even hear the national anthem because there were so many Mexican fans booing,” a fan named Jason Burak said. “We were this tiny contingent of American fans, just this little cluster. So to go to [the World Cup opener] and see that many Americans, I’m not going to lie, I got a little choked up.”

I had been at that game too, between the U.S. and Ghana, and I’m not going to lie either: I, too, got a little choked up. But I had noticed something else. Midway through the first half, when yet another deafening “U-S-A!” chant drowned out any other sound in the stadium, a bald-pated man wearing the canary-colored jersey of the Brazilian national team rose from his seat and began a chant for Ghana. He did it with a smile, and we all understood: There were so few Ghanaian fans in the stadium, they needed all the help they could get (even though their team was thoroughly outclassing ours at the moment). When he was shouted down by the U.S. fans, with yet another thundering “U-S-A!” chant, his smile turned to a sneer. Soon, Brazilians in our section were chanting for their team, even though they weren’t on the field, with something that was morphing into outright hostility, as if to say: This is our game. In that moment, we were no longer the plucky underdogs we’ve been for so long, the lovable losers giving the world’s game a try with our clumsy passing and horrid first touch. Suddenly, we were a threat on the field, and in the stands at least, we were a bully.

I thought about this as I walked through the grimy streets of Manaus in the days leading up to Sunday night’s game, the heat heavy on my neck like a clammy hand. Everywhere I went, I saw Americans. I saw them in a stone cathedral, kneeling beneath soaring archways built in the 19^th century, in our rocket-pop-inspired home jerseys, perhaps praying for a victory. Down in the market, where the air smelt of roasting fish, I saw them buying the fake weapons of Amazonian warriors to take home to their children. And I listened as two fans from Pittsburgh, out on the river, fishing for piranha with sticks of bamboo, talked about Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey the way they might Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu back home. But I rarely saw anyone wearing the jersey of Portugal.

Hardcore soccer fans in the U.S. (the sort that follow the Premier League) are constantly taking measure of where we stand compared with, say, Mexico, or especially England. Do we travel well? Are our fans sufficiently rowdy? How creative are our chants? (Answer: not very. “U-S-A! U-S-A!”) What’s unsaid is the hope that this is the year soccer finally arrives on our shores. And by arrive, I mean the U.S. at last becoming one of the best teams in the world.

But as I sat in the stadium, in what once again amounted to a home game, I realized what we’ve been waiting for is already here. No, we are not Argentina or Italy or Brazil, and we may never be. We are not one of the best teams in the world. But as the first two games of this World Cup showed, we have become a side that must be respected. No longer do we simply hunker down and hope for goals off counterattacks and set pieces. Now we can dictate the pace and render the world’s best player ineffective and invisible for most of the game.

We can also play beautifully, scoring rocketing goals to the back of the net like Jermaine Jones did, and we can score in slick, even sublime ways, like Clint Dempsey did in the 81^st minute.

Going into the tournament, after our first friendly, one of my friends told me we’d be lucky to score a goal in the World Cup. We had no chance of advancing and would surely be eliminated by the end of the Portugal match. We booked our tickets home accordingly.

But with less than a minute to go, the script had been flipped. We were about to win the group and everyone around us was thinking about extending the trip beyond the group stage.

Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t do jack all game until he did, proving that with one perfectly placed pass, he could change the course of a match, and perhaps our fate (and Portugal’s) in this tournament. It left the American fans gutted, sitting in stunned silence long after the match was over. For everyone in Brazil who isn’t traveling on an American passport, this had to have been a nice turn of events: The American fans had to shut up, at least for a moment.

The fact that the U.S. has never been all that good at soccer has allowed us to cheer for our team in a full-throated, hyper-patriotic, guilt-free way. But as we gain respect on the field, our overbearing presence in the stadium stops being charming. The U.S. has everything else. Can’t the rest of the world just have this? Judging by the past few weeks in Brazil, the U.S. national team and its loudest, proudest fans have this to say in response: U-S-A! U-S-A!

17 members of the Croatian World Cup team are older than the Republic of Croatia

Brazil ole ola

I am the Fifa brand ambassador for India and I’ll be in the panel of analysts on Sony Six from June 12. There will be a lot of well-versed people analysing and I am really excited about it. As a purist I must say no one plays football like the Brazilians. It’s like poetry in motion when they play. It’s beautiful. If I have to put a little money on a team...
Argentina is a very strong team. I hope Lionel Messi will come together when we need him this time. I think Spain has a pretty good chance and Belgium is the dark horse

The Northeast is humming ‘We are one’.

As the world braces for a soccer feast from Samba land, the region, several thousand miles away from Brazil, but with people as crazy for the ‘beautiful game’ as their South American counterparts, is making its own plans to stay glued to the television and be a ‘part of the action’ for most of the matches.

We say most because some matches kick-off from 3.30 in the wee hours of the morning. But it is the World Cup, arguably the biggest and most popular sporting extravaganza on terra firma and it comes once in four years. Then there are the skills of Lionel Messi or Neymar and company, who on their day can weave magic soccer fans can’t afford to miss.

So, the Northeast, which has produced teams such as Gauhati Town Club, Maharana AC, Shillong Lajong FC and may see more brilliance from the John Abraham co-owned North East Union FC later this year, is just getting started. Some are already attired in the familiar yellow (Brazil) jerseys or the blue and white stripes of rivals Argentina. Some might already be swinging to the beats of the official FIFA World Cup 2014 song ‘We are one’, you never know.

The Telegraph caught up with John Abraham, a die-hard soccer fan himself, while he was here and with a host of other fans from across the Northeast who spoke about the event and their aspirations

North East United FC: John Abraham's ISL Guwahati franchise

GUWAHATI: Actor John Abraham, co-owner of Guwahati franchise for the upcoming Indian Super League, on Tuesday announced the name of his team as 'North East United FC', which is under discussion with four overseas clubs to have a "strategic alliance" for the much-anticipated tournament.

"I always had a fascination for football and North East. When ISL process started, we decided to have the team Guwahati or else we would have stayed away. By naming the team after the entire region, we want to project the eight states as a force to reckon with in Indian football," Abraham said.

Addressing a press conference here, the Bollywood star said he will try his best to keep the franchise as the "purest football team".

When asked about association with foreign clubs, Abraham said: "Many foreign clubs expressed interest in co-owning the team, but we do not want to dilute our stake. However, we are interested to have strategic alliance with some of them.

"At present, we are having discussions with four different foreign clubs to have an alliance. In the next couple of weeks, we will announce it. The first step of this will be to finalise the colour of the jersey."

He, however, declined to mention the name of the clubs. On player selection, Abraham said North East United Football Club will have four foreign players from another co-owner's club, Shillong Lajong FC, while the rest will be Indian footballers.

On keeping his team as well as the ISL a controversy free event unlike the IPL, Abraham said: "The first important issue is betting and we all are against it. We have spoken to the players and they have understood our point. We have to keep football absolutely clean."

The actor said ISL has laid down guidelines prohibiting anyone unrelated to the event coming closer to the teams during their practice sessions as well as to dressing rooms.

Talking about the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Abraham said his favourite team is Brazil, which plays the game in "motion" and termed it as "poetry as motion".

The next strong team, according to Abraham, is Argentina and hoped that Lionel Andres Messi will mesmerise the world.

"German team is one of the youngest and is very energetic. Nobody can count out Spain as well. Belgium is the underdog this time," he added.

Why Argentina doesn’t like its best player, Lionel Messi

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/external?url=http://content4.video.news.com.au/foxsports/prod/archive/2014/06/06/DVU_310514_TOP_TEN_WC_PLAYERS_PKG_MIXED__HOLD_FOR_STORY.jpg&width=650&api_key=kq7wnrk4eun47vz9c5xuj3mc

With the 2014 FIFA World Cup almost upon us, here are the ten best players to grace the fields of Brazil, featuring Eden Hazard, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Yaya Toure.

HE’S one of the best players in the world but his own country doesn’t want him.

That’s the burden superstar Lionel Messi has to carry as he bids to take Argentina to World Cup glory in Brazil.
At 26, Messi has already been voted the world’s best player four times.
He has won six league titles with Barcelona, and three Champions Leagues.
But Argentinians don’t like him.
Why? Because he isn’t Argentinian enough.

Argentinians have taken issue with Lionel Messi not singing the national anthem before games. Source: AFP

The New York Times travelled to Buenos Aires and Messi’s hometown in Rosario to get to the bottom of why he had never earned the sort of devotion and admiration that Diego Maradona — the man he is constantly compared to — enjoyed.

According to everyone from local cab drivers, to coaches to professional commentators, the issues with Messi are as follows:

• He left Argentina too soon to play football overseas;
• He doesn’t sing along with the national anthem
• He has no passion
• He has no personality
• He doesn’t “feel” the shirt like the other players

Can a World Cup victory change the perception of Messi in his home country? Source: Getty Images

The only thing that has saved Messi from being despised entirely is that he kept his accent, according to Argentinian football journalist Martin Mazur.

“The greatest gift for Messi during these years is that he never lost the Argentine accent,” Mazur told The Times.

“You can’t imagine what it would have been (like) for him if he hadn’t had it. They probably would have killed him.”

Added cab driver Dario Torrisi: “We’ve always liked how Messi plays, but we don’t know who he is.”

Explaining the difference between Maradona and Messi in the eyes of an Argentinian, local Pablo Rodriguez explained: “Maradona developed his talent in the mud. I don’t identify with Messi, who was born surrounded by cotton.”

Messi grew up in a lower-middle-class neighbourhood, while Maradona was raised in poverty.

Messi on the ball for Argentina. Source: AFP

Argentina’s national team left for Brazil on Monday trying to temper the sky-high expectations that have taken hold among some media, fans and even national football officials.

The hundreds of Argentine fans who cheered the team on as it left Buenos Aires in a chartered jet have good reason to be confident.

Argentina has a more close-knit team than when it got crushed by Germany in the quarter-finals four years ago, and 10 goals in qualifying helped Messi go some way towards shaking off his reputation of underachieving for the national team.

But its full potential is hard to assess because it hasn’t played a major football power since losing to Uruguay in its final World Cup qualifier in October.

“It’s great that people are excited, but we’re taking it step by step. We know the World Cup is difficult and anything can happen,” Messi said after Argentina beat Slovenia 2-0 in its last warm-up game.

Ahead of the team’s arrival, an Argentine federation official had a greeting put up on the gate of the team base in Belo Horizonte saying, “Welcome future champions.”

He acknowledged that some players, including Messi, weren’t thrilled by the triumphalism, and the sign was quickly removed.

After the Slovenia match Messi brushed off a TV reporter who asked whether he should bring a flag saying, “Argentina campeon” to Brazil.

“You bring what you want, we’re taking it easy,” Messi said.

— with AP

Barretto, Beto to turn out for WIFA XI in exhibition match against Mizoram

MUMBAI: The Western Indian Football Association will be hosting an exhibition match between the the Santosh Trophy Championship Winners Mizoram and WIFA XI.under floodlights, at the Cooperage Ground on 5th June 2014 at 6 p.m.

The WIFA XI is a mix of the Maharashtra Santosh Trophy squad that made it to the semi-finals this year and internationals Steven Dias and Raju Gaikwad. Steven Dias will lead the charge for WIFA XI. The coach for the team is Irenio Vaz. Augusto D’Silva and Salim Pathan will be his assistants.

Meanwhile, the WIFA XI will be boosted by the presence of professional footballers, Jose Ramirez Barretto and Roberto ‘Beto’ Mendes da Silva. Freight Express International Cargo (FEI), along with WIFA, will also be felicitating the Mizoram team on June 6 at the ICE awards ceremony at Bandra.

FEI has borne all the expenses for flying down the Mizoram team and hosting them at The Leela.

WIFA XI: Jose Ramirez Barretto and Roberto ‘Beto’ Mendes da Silva, Rohel Shaikh, Floyd Dharmai, Abhishek Ambekar, Mohd. Shabaz Pathan, Linekar Machado, Mohammed Shafique, Paresh Shivalkar, Raju Gaikwad, Dane Pereira, Steven Dias (C), Loukik Jadhav, Praneel Mendon, Kunal Sawant (GK), Somi PT, Ruben D’Souza, Rahul Bheke, Harshad Meher (GK), Deepak Iramalu, Nihal Chandran and Sujit Pandey.

WIFA to play exhibition match against Mizoram

The Western Indian Football Association would be hosting an exhibition match between the Santosh Trophy National Championship winners Mizoram and WIFA XI under floodlights at the refurbished Cooperage ground here on on June 5.

WIFA XI is a mix of the Maharashtra Santosh Trophy squad that made it to the semi-finals this year, and includes Indian internationals Steven Dias and Raju Gaikwad, among others, and is to be led by Steven Dias, a release said today.

Freight Express International Cargo (FEI), along with WIFA, will also be felicitating the Mizoram team on June 6 at the ICE Awards Ceremony at Bandra.

2 teenagers to be picked for Bayern Munich football camp

The East Zone leg to pick two talented teenage footballers for the Bayern Munich football camp in August was launched here today.

Over 15,000 youngsters from across 250 schools and football clubs in nearly 100 places of the eastern part of the country will be screened during the selection process in West Bengal and North East.

India forward Dipendu Biswas, who is part of the jury member for the Eastern leg, said, "It gives a lifetime opportunity for the kids to interact and learn from the best football talent in the world. I hope to see an enthusiastic response."

Overall, six talented footballers from a pool of 40,000 across the country will be screened during the selection process to be held till July for the Zonal leg finale carrying a prize purse of Rs 1.20 lakh.

The selection process is being conducted by the Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance for the fifth year in succession.

Churchill Brothers axed from I-League

United, Rangdajied denied license

Report by:

Agencies

New Delhi

21 May 2014

In a stunning development in Indian football, two-time champions Churchill Brothers were today thrown out of the I-League along with three other teams for failing to fulfill the AIFF's club licensing criteria.

The All India Football Federation's Club Licensing Committee - First Instance Body - took the decision after its meeting here.

Two Kolkata clubs -- United SC and Mohammedan Sporting -- and Rangdajied United of Shillong were the other three teams which failed to clear the licensing criteria. All the four clubs will be out of the I-League for at least a year.

Interestingly, all the four clubs finished at the bottom four in the 13-team I-League (2013-14) which ended last month, with Mohammedan Sporting finishing last and Churchill 11th.

Under the AIFF's Club Licensing Regulations, the clubs are expected to meet several legal, administrative, sporting, infrastructure and financial criteria.

Licensing is an annual process where all clubs eligible to compete based on sporting merit need to have a License under the AIFF's Indian Club Licensing system. Last year, only Pune FC met the requirements with all other clubs being given a once in a lifetime one-year exemption.

Churchill had been one of the top club sides in the country in the last few years. They won the I-League title in 2008-09 and 2012-13 seasons and they are also the reigning Federation Cup champions. Churchill are also one of the few clubs to have played in the AFC Cup.

I-League Chief Executive Officer Sunando Dhar told PTI that the four clubs can come back in the I-League 2015-16 but through the second division league.

"These licensing criteria are on annual basis. They can come back in the 2015-16 season if they fulfil the criteria by then. But they will have to play in the I-League second division and qualify from there," Dhar said.

Bengaluru FC, Dempo SC, Pune FC, Salgaocar SC, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai FC, and Shillong Lajong FC were the nine clubs which passed the licensing criteria.

"Based on the documents provided by all the parties concerned and the Inspection conducted by the AIFF Inspection Team in the month of April/May, the Committee found that nine out of the 14 applicants have made the grade while four have failed," the AIFF said in a statement.

"Bengaluru FC, Dempo SC, Pune FC, Salgaocar SC, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai FC, and Shillong Lajong FC have successfully fulfilled the Licensing Criteria while United SC, Churchill Brothers, Mohammedan Sporting and Rangdajied United have not been up to the mark, thus bringing down the curtains on their participation in the forthcoming Football Season 2014/15 starting with the I-League in December."

Newly promoted Royal Wahingdoh of Shillong, who won the I-League second division, have been given an one-time exemption applicable for a year only to tick all the boxes.

"Wahingdoh have done exceptionally well in several departments of Club Licensing in such a short time since qualifying for the I-League," Committee Chairman Dr Girija Mungali said.

"They deserve a leeway being given to them under the Licensing regulations," he added. Mumbai FC and Shillong Lajong though have been granted only the National License compared to their counterparts who have both National as well as the AFC Certificate.

The two clubs cannot take part in AFC competition and even if they win the I-League or the Federation Cup, they cannot participate in the AFC Cup or the AFC Champions League play-offs.

"Both these clubs do not have AFC A class Stadium, but were fully compliant of the infrastructure requirement for the National License," AIFF's Club Licensing Manager Roma Khanna stated.

Hailing the remarkable progress of the clubs since last year when the committee was formed for the first time, Dr Mungali said, "The nine clubs who have granted the License have come a long way since last year when only Pune FC passed.

"They have all passed with flying colours and it is a heartening sign for Indian Football. Clubs becoming professional is the best thing that can happen.

"They have taken Licensing very seriously and credit goes to AIFF. The Governing Body has played its role to perfection sensitising the issue s very diligently," the chairman added.

FIFA Regional Developmental Officer for South and Central Asia Shaji Prabhakaran, Advocate Ushanath Banerjee, Chartered Accountant Punkaj Jain and Dhar are the other members of the First Instance Body.

"The message has gone across that AIFF is very serious on licensing and I am glad at the progress of the clubs. We have conducted two to three seminars since the First Instance Body met for the first time and gave the clubs a year's exemption," Dhar said.

"We have been there to help the clubs at all time and we are committed to further aiding them in each and every department of Club Licensing. It's nice to see most of them responding so well," he added.

Ralte, a great prospect for India: Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri

"All the under-23 players have looked good for a long, long time now. We have loads of standout talent," said Chhetri. Striker Sunil Chhetri spoke highly of the junior talent coming through the ranks, and added that the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Games is brimming with “loads of standout talent”.

The Indian team consists primarily of under-23 players, while Chettri has been included in the preliminary squad list as one of five senior professionals. The list of under-23 players has not been announced yet.

“All the under-23 players have looked good for a long, long time now. We have loads of standout talent,” said Chhetri.

“(East Bengal’s) Lalrindika Ralte is the one of them. He should make it to the team. He is in great form, and has made huge improvements of late. I believe that he has still reached only 50 per cent of his full potential. He will be a great asset for India in the future. Siam Hangal (also of Bengaluru FC) should be in the team too, given the kind of year that he has had,” Chhetri said on Wednesday on the sidelines of a TCS World 10k function.

“The gaffer (coach Wim Koevermans) told me and (fellow Bengaluru FC striker) Robin Singh that he wanted us in the team. I am very happy to play for India.”

Chhetri, the I-League’s joint highest goal-scorer this season added that the camp would be held over two months, and that a fair assessment of the team’s chances at the Asian Games can be made only after the camp concludes. — Sports Reporter