Kolkata and Pune firms in the race to own Indian Arrows

NEW DELHI: A day after an inspiring 5-4 win over Mohun Bagan, Indian Arrows received the happy news that at least two sponsors have approached the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to finance the squad.

Pune-based industrialist Vishwajeet Kadam, owner of deemed university Bharati Vidyapeeth University, and Kolkata's Pailan Group are keen on taking over the reins of the team. The offers have come just in time to beat the May 31 deadline set by the federation.

Indian Arrows, meanwhile, released the 15 players taken on lien from various clubs and states.

AIFF officials last week visited Kolkata and Pune to check the facilities and by this weekend the Arrows, formed to prepare the national team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, are expected to get a new owner.

A top AIFF official said that a final decision will be taken by later this week after president Praful Patel and secretary-general Kushal Das return from the FIFA Congress in Zurich.

"The chances of the Arrows playing under a corporate house jersey are bright," the official said.

"Though the team will be owned by an industrial house, the AIFF will provide the technical support like appointing coaches and other back-up staff. The team will be based either Pune or Kolkata depending on which corporate gets ht nod."

The Arrows, comprising mostly under-21 players, was formed last year to prepare them for the 2018 World Cup and as a first step they have been fielded in the elite I-League.

The AIFF was struggling to maintain the team within its Rs 7 crore annual budget as it shells out Rs 11 lakh a month as rent for the self-contained resort where the players are lodged in Gurgaon. And each player gets paid between Rs.20 lakh-Rs 25 lakh a year. Domestic carrier Indigo picks up tabs for air travel of the team for I-League matches.

Despite their inexperience, the club, coached by Englishman Desmond Bulpin, has done reasonably well in their debut season.

Salgaocar clinch I-League

New Delhi: It was a day of mixed feelings for the I-League clubs on Monday. While Salgaocar FC were jubilant after winning the I-League, there was confusion in the camps of three clubs under the threat of relegation. The clubs, all having 24 points, were in a fix and made frantic calls to All India Football Federation (AIFF) to know their fate.

There was a record, too, in the I-League on Monday as Dempo SC slammed 14 goals past hapless Air India in Margao. Although the result raised many eyebrows, Dempo are now firmly placed to take the runners-up spot.

Salgaocar won the title for the second time since tasting success in the 1998-99 season. On Monday, they made short work of JCT 2-0 in Ludhiana to finish at the top of the table on 56 points from 26 matches. Francis Fernandes gave Salgaocar the lead in the 13th minute while Yusif Yakubu added another in the 85th minute.

Salgaocar coach Karim Bencherifa said that his team has succeeded in providing a bunch of talented youngsters to Indian football. “Salgaocar’s success is a triumph of Indian football,” Karim said from Ludhiana.

“Before the start of the season, few people knew about Gilbert (Oliveira), Anthony (Barbosa) or Francis (Fernandes). Yet, these boys worked hard to develop an understanding between themselves and succeeded in realising their dream.

“These are young and talented boys, full of enthusiasm. Indian football has gained from our victory... We have succeeded in expanding the pool of players,” Karim said.

When Karim crossed over to Salgaocar from Mohun Bagan midway through the last season, the Goa team had only 10 points from 13 matches. He not only lifted the morale of the team but also added a whole lot of new faces to the side. He has gradually built the team and the coach said his job is not finished.

“My job is not yet finished,” said the coach. “We have already identified a pool of 30 players for the next season and the work will start at the right earnest. We are not losing many players as most of the footballers are on a two-year contract.”While there was no question about Salgaocar’s superiority, four teams are huddled in the relegation zone.

Air India, JCT and ONGC have 24 points each and HAL are at the bottom with 21 points. “The relegation rule is clear and there is no confusion about it,” said I-League Chief Executive Officer Sunando Dhar.

“Rule says if the points are same, the head to head results between the concerned teams would be taken into account. The final picture will only emerge after the Dempo-HAL match,” he said.

If HAL lose, then they will finish last. And the other team would be ONGC as they got minimum points in head to head battle against JCT and Air India. In case HAL put it across Dempo, then ONGC and JCT would be relegated.

14-0 score, it’s unbelievable

Panjim: Goa football fans expressed big shock and resentment at the big 14-0 victory that Dempo recorded against Air India in an I-League match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Monday.
“Disgrace for Indian football. It’s like match-fixing. It is unethical that for the first time in Indian Premier League such a score has been recorded first of alll,” stated a South Goa club official, who preferred to be anonymous.

“Everyone knew that with Salgaocar and Dempo equal on head-to-head count should the points be equal, the goal difference would come into play if Salgaocar had to lose today against JCT. So, Dempo registered the highest tally, ironically a record of sorts. Was it pre-determined? Is there corruption also in sports?”, remarked a football fan. These are  just doubts, but coming at this critical stage when the final placements are to be decided, these get a different connotation. And hence it becomes a very serious issue.

With news that Salgaocar had already talked to two JCT players as was admitted by JCT’s coach much before the final match and subsequent denial by Salgaocar that they had not signed the players, the trend looks unfair and totally unethical, another club member pointed out.

The news that four Sesa Football Academy defenders were also contacted by Salgaocar  when they were selected for the Goa football team for Santosh Nationals which failed to qualify for the semi-finals,  has also been termed as unsporting as well as unethical. 

Sesa’s coach Clifford was furious that his players had confided in him that Salgaocar had indeed contacted them and that the players had agreed to switch from Sesa.

“Initially, there were rumours that our players were going for Salgaocar. I did not believe in these, as the players had gone for practice matches against the Goa XI team. However, when they were selected, the rumours got confirmed and I was angry,” added Clifford who said that he had confronted the players in question and that the later had admitted to the move.

Then there were rumours doing the rounds in Margao that a club was trying to lure a player of an opposing team with an offer of Rs one and half lakh if the player agreed to commit a serious infringment in the penalty or goal area, leading to award of penalty. The authenticity, however, has to be verified.