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.
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Ralte, a great prospect for India: Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri. Photo: G.P Sampath Kumar


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
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Mizoram XI play Germans today

ZODIN SANGA
Aizawl, May 12: Mizoram XI are determined not be humbled on their home turf when they meet German football team TSG 1899 Hoffenhein in what is being billed as the biggest football match in Mizoram tomorrow.
“I know that Hoffenheim is a good team. But it’s our home ground. Besides the home advantage, I have the best football players from Mizoram. So, I’m sure of winning the match,” said coach H. Lalthlangliana who has recently coached the Mizoram team to win the coveted Santosh Trophy.
The Mizoram squad includes four of the Indian senior team — S. Malsawmtluanga (Mama) of East Bengal, Lalrindika Ralte of East Bengal, Robert Lalthlamuana of East Bengal and Jeje Lalpekhlua of Dempo SC. The remaining players are drawn from different Mizoram Premier League clubs.
“I have prepared a good game plan which, I believe, is suitable for attacking footballers like Ralte. You will see a beautiful game,” the coach added.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, which currently holds ninth position in the apex German league Bundesliga, will be playing an exhibition match at Aizawl’s Lammual Ground as part of their India tour. In their season-ending tour, the team will also visit Calcutta and Goa, but Aizawl will be the only venue they will play in during the weeklong tour.
The match will be played under floodlights. Tickets of Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 denomination were sold out within two days. Mizoram Football Association secretary Lalnghinglova Hmar said, “It will be the biggest football match in the state. Everyone in the football-crazy state is eagerly looking forward to the match.”
“We would like to thank
Bundesliga, Hoffenheim and Adamant Sports for the India tour and a match in Mizoram,” he added.
“The Mizoram Football Association is teaming up the best players to face the German club and they will put up a tough fight,” he said.
The 2014 India Tour, organised by the Switzerland-based Adamant Sports, will be TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's first visit to India.
The basic objective of Hoffenheim’s tour is not business but to promote football in India.
“As Mizoram is known to be one of the power houses of football in India, which has been proven by the recent success in the Santosh Trophy. So they are organising the match only in Mizoram,” Hmar said.
According to Hmar, the Hoffenheim team will miss only three of their players in the Aizawl match — goalkeeper Koen Casteels due to injury, defender Fabian Johnson and midfielder Sejad Salihovic due to their inclusion in the World Cub squads.
The German squad comprises 41 people and is scheduled to arrive at Lengpui Airport here tomorrow afternoon.
The match to be played under floodlights at Lammual Ground here will be live telecast from Zonet local cable TV and DDK Sports in the entire country.
READ MORE - Mizoram XI play Germans today

Manipur regain title

Golaghat, May 12: Fifteen times champion Manipur regained the title in the 20th Senior National Women’s Football Tournament, beating defending champions Odisha 3-1 in the final at Golaghat District Sports Association ground here today.
Manipur, considered the women’s football powerhouse of the country, maintained dominance throughout the match right from the word go. They took an early lead in the third minute with striker Ng Bala Devi converting a brilliant pass from the midfield. Bembem Devi increased the lead with another goal in the 20th minute. Manipur maintained the lead with the opposition failing to break the ice in the first half.
The lead was consolidated by Ng Bala Devi with her second goal in the 55th minute.
Odisha failed to capitalise on a few opportunities which came their way. Though they managed to invade the Manipur territory on a few occasions, poor finishing let them down.
However, Sakina Nesa finally managed to return one goal to reduce the margin to 1-3 in the final minute of the match.
Bala Devi was adjudged the best player of the match.
Odisha had defeated Jharkhand 3-0 while Manipur crushed Delhi 7-0 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The prize distribution ceremony was attended by president of Assam Football Association Hemendra Nath Brahma, secretary Ankur Dutta, director of the national team, Subhankar Mukherjee, manager of senior women’s national team Indu Choudhury and Golaghat superintendent of police Shiladitya Chetia, among others.
Talking to The Telegraph, Tarun Roy, coach of Indian junior men’s football team-cum-selector for Indian senior women’s team, said six national selectors, deployed in the meet, have selected a total of 50 players from the tournament to select the national team for the Asian Games. The camp of the selected players is likely to be held in Siliguri, he added.
READ MORE - Manipur regain title