New Delhi (PTI): Buoyed by their progress to the AFC Cup semi-finals, Dempo once again look the team to beat when the second edition of the I-League gets underway on Frida.
The team, which had been playing and preying together for a number of seasons, have risen gradually ever since they went down in 2000. But now that they are at the top, they are not going to let go of that mantle easily.
Armando Colaco's boys have won the title twice in the last two seasons - in 2006 when it was the National Football League and last year after it was re-christened the I-League - and would be now looking for a hat-trick when they start their campaign against JCT in Goa on Sunday.
Earlier, Dempo won the then National Football League consecutively in 2003 and 2004. East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick had also dreamt of a similar feat they could never achieve it. They finished a disappointing sixth last season and at one point had fetched just eight points from the first 12 matches before Manoranjan Bhattacharya turned the tide.
Bhattacharya have been replaced by India assistant coach Stanley Rozario after a third-place finish in the IFA Premier Division League.
With India players like Sunil Chettri, Subrata Pal, Renedy Singh, Mehrajuddin Wadao and Syed Rahim Nabi in the squad, the fans would be hoping for the team to come good this time around. It is the red-and-gold brigade who set the ball rolling when they take on debutantes Chirag United in the opener at the Barasat Stadium.
News Courtsey:HIndu.com
The team, which had been playing and preying together for a number of seasons, have risen gradually ever since they went down in 2000. But now that they are at the top, they are not going to let go of that mantle easily.
Armando Colaco's boys have won the title twice in the last two seasons - in 2006 when it was the National Football League and last year after it was re-christened the I-League - and would be now looking for a hat-trick when they start their campaign against JCT in Goa on Sunday.
Earlier, Dempo won the then National Football League consecutively in 2003 and 2004. East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick had also dreamt of a similar feat they could never achieve it. They finished a disappointing sixth last season and at one point had fetched just eight points from the first 12 matches before Manoranjan Bhattacharya turned the tide.
Bhattacharya have been replaced by India assistant coach Stanley Rozario after a third-place finish in the IFA Premier Division League.
With India players like Sunil Chettri, Subrata Pal, Renedy Singh, Mehrajuddin Wadao and Syed Rahim Nabi in the squad, the fans would be hoping for the team to come good this time around. It is the red-and-gold brigade who set the ball rolling when they take on debutantes Chirag United in the opener at the Barasat Stadium.
News Courtsey:HIndu.com
