The might of Nigerian players awaits football fans of Sikkim during the 30th edition of the All India Governor’s Gold Cup football tournament as most of participating clubs employing their services for the most prestigious football event in North East which kicks off from tomorrow.
Barring the twelve top clubs in the country which is participating in the I-league, most of the other premier teams like Army XI, Tata Football Academy (TFA), New Delhi Heroes and BSF (Jalandar) are participating in this coveted tournament.
There are a total of 15 teams with two international teams of Nepal and Bangladesh. Most of these 15 teams have two or three Nigerian players in their ranks, informed the organizers Sikkim Football Association (SFA).
Indian football star Bhaichung Bhutia’s home team, United Sikkim Sporting Club (USSC) will lock horns with Delhi’s premier football club, Simla Youngs in the lung opener tomorrow afternoon here at Paljor Stadium. USSC coach and former East Bengal player Sherap Lepcha informed that that his team has roped in four Nigerian players for the tournament. Bhaichung Bhutia is the chief patron of USSC and has arranged four players from Kolkatta football league to play for this club in the Gold Cup. He was in Gangtok during the Dusshera break to finalize the USSC team. Our team will be a mixture of local players and the imported players and we will give our best shot, said Mr. Lepcha who ranked his opponent Simla Youngs as a ‘very good side’. The Delhi side is arriving Gangtok today evening. USSC is also trying to get permission to have local lad Asish Chettri for tomorrow’s match. Asish Chettri is the lone Sikkimese player to play regularly for the U-16 national football team and has been selected for final World Cup qualifying rounds in the national team.
Sikkim Police is the other home team which is featuring in this tournament and faces Darjeeling team on October 15.
Though Army XI, BSF (Jalandhar) and Nepal side are the perennial favourites, TFA is touted as the team to watch out during this tournament. TFA had participated in Gold Cup twice and won the 2005 edition. That time, TFA was basically had junior players which now have graduated into senior team and right now nobody knows the condition of TFA team, said SFA spokesperson Shyam Pradhan.
The pre-quarterfinal match between Mohan Bagan SAIL and New Delhi Heroes on October 16 is the most anticipated match as it sees two former football legends, Shyam Thapa and Cheema Ockeri plotting against each other. Mr. Thapa is the coach for Mohan Bagan SAIL while Mr. Ockeri is handling the Delhi team and how they will frame their strategies will be most interesting, SFA said.
Three Star from Nepal which has been given a direct quarterfinal berth along with Army XI, Titanium (Kerela) and Bangladesh XI is one of the crowd favourites. The team had narrowly lost to its arch rival NRT from Nepal in the last year’s final. However, this time most of the NRT players have jumped to Three Star giving it a very good chance in this tournament.
“Each match will be very competitive and entertaining”, said SFA general secretary Menla Ethanpa.
The teams: Simla Youngs (Delhi), United Sikkim Sporting Club, Sikkim Police, DGHC XI, Punjab Police, Railway FC, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Mohan Bagan SAIL, New Delhi Heroes, BSF (Jalandhar), Tata Football Academy, Army XI, Titanium (Kerela), Bangladesh XI and Three Star (Nepal).
Source:Goal.com
Barring the twelve top clubs in the country which is participating in the I-league, most of the other premier teams like Army XI, Tata Football Academy (TFA), New Delhi Heroes and BSF (Jalandar) are participating in this coveted tournament.
There are a total of 15 teams with two international teams of Nepal and Bangladesh. Most of these 15 teams have two or three Nigerian players in their ranks, informed the organizers Sikkim Football Association (SFA).
Indian football star Bhaichung Bhutia’s home team, United Sikkim Sporting Club (USSC) will lock horns with Delhi’s premier football club, Simla Youngs in the lung opener tomorrow afternoon here at Paljor Stadium. USSC coach and former East Bengal player Sherap Lepcha informed that that his team has roped in four Nigerian players for the tournament. Bhaichung Bhutia is the chief patron of USSC and has arranged four players from Kolkatta football league to play for this club in the Gold Cup. He was in Gangtok during the Dusshera break to finalize the USSC team. Our team will be a mixture of local players and the imported players and we will give our best shot, said Mr. Lepcha who ranked his opponent Simla Youngs as a ‘very good side’. The Delhi side is arriving Gangtok today evening. USSC is also trying to get permission to have local lad Asish Chettri for tomorrow’s match. Asish Chettri is the lone Sikkimese player to play regularly for the U-16 national football team and has been selected for final World Cup qualifying rounds in the national team.
Sikkim Police is the other home team which is featuring in this tournament and faces Darjeeling team on October 15.
Though Army XI, BSF (Jalandhar) and Nepal side are the perennial favourites, TFA is touted as the team to watch out during this tournament. TFA had participated in Gold Cup twice and won the 2005 edition. That time, TFA was basically had junior players which now have graduated into senior team and right now nobody knows the condition of TFA team, said SFA spokesperson Shyam Pradhan.
The pre-quarterfinal match between Mohan Bagan SAIL and New Delhi Heroes on October 16 is the most anticipated match as it sees two former football legends, Shyam Thapa and Cheema Ockeri plotting against each other. Mr. Thapa is the coach for Mohan Bagan SAIL while Mr. Ockeri is handling the Delhi team and how they will frame their strategies will be most interesting, SFA said.
Three Star from Nepal which has been given a direct quarterfinal berth along with Army XI, Titanium (Kerela) and Bangladesh XI is one of the crowd favourites. The team had narrowly lost to its arch rival NRT from Nepal in the last year’s final. However, this time most of the NRT players have jumped to Three Star giving it a very good chance in this tournament.
“Each match will be very competitive and entertaining”, said SFA general secretary Menla Ethanpa.
The teams: Simla Youngs (Delhi), United Sikkim Sporting Club, Sikkim Police, DGHC XI, Punjab Police, Railway FC, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Mohan Bagan SAIL, New Delhi Heroes, BSF (Jalandhar), Tata Football Academy, Army XI, Titanium (Kerela), Bangladesh XI and Three Star (Nepal).
Source:Goal.com
