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Sandesh’s move makes us proud, Blue Tigers say in unison

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Wishes poured in from the Blue Tigers as National Team defender Sandesh ‘Ironman’ Jhingan was officially announced as an HNK Sibenik player,

Kolkata: Wishes poured in from the Blue Tigers as National Team defender Sandesh ‘Ironman’ Jhingan was officially announced as an HNK Sibenik player, making him the first Indian defender to sign a professional contract in Europe.

National Team midfielder Pronay Halder, who has been an integral part of the Indian Senior National Team since his International in 2015 recalled his memories of playing with Sandesh – both at the club level, and for India. “Proud of you Sandesh, Good luck,” Pronay stated. “I wish you all the best. I hope you have settled down. Keep rocking.”

Jhingan became the fifth Indian male footballer to sign a professional contract in Europe after Bhaichung Bhutia, Subrata Paul, Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. That apart, Sunil Chhetri was also contracted with MLS club Kansas City.

“Big congratulations Sandesh-paaji,” quipped Anirudh Thapa. “It’s a big achievement for Indian Football – all the best. We understand that when you come back you will be an entirely different player, and it will all transpire on to us. Go out and play your game – have fun,” Anirudh expressed.

The Blue Tigers are currently camping in Kolkata in preparation for the forthcoming International Friendlies against Nepal in September.

Defender Adil Khan, lauded Sandesh on being brave, and taking a very brave decision. “Congratulations Sandesh. It’s a great decision that you have taken. We are all very proud of you. You inspire us all. The youth all over the country will look up to you, try to imitate you and follow your footsteps,” Adil, who has partnered Sandesh as a central defender for the National team, opined.

‘Assist Master’ Brandon Fernandes stressed on this being an extremely “proud moment.”

“I want to wish you all the best of luck in your new journey. This is a proud moment not just for Indian Football but the country overall,” Brandon commented. “I wish you success and hope you do well. I also hope Sandesh’s move opens up a lot of new avenues for aspiring and established Indian footballers.”

“Give your heart out to everything like always when you play,” the soft-spoken Mandar Rao Dessai echoed. “You have made all of us very proud. I wish you the best for your new journey.”

(AIFF Media)

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Transfers

Mumbai City FC confirm arrival of defender Rahul Bheke

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Mumbai City FC sign defender Rahul Bheke

Mumbai: Mumbai City FC announced the arrival of Rahul Bheke. The defender joins the Islanders having put pen to paper on a two-year contract until the end of the 2022-23 campaign with an option to extend for a further season.

The 30-year-old, who can play across the back line, started his career through the youth sides of Mahindra United and went on to play for Air India, Mumbai Tigers and Mumbai FC before moving to East Bengal in 2015. Bheke is also a seasoned campaigner in the Indian Super League having featured for fellow ISL sides Kerala Blasters, FC Pune City and most recently Bengaluru FC, making 92 appearances over the last six seasons. Bheke has also scored five times in the ISL, including an extra-time winner in the 2018-19 ISL Final leading Bengaluru FC to the title.

Currently with the Indian National Team’s preparatory camp in Kolkata ahead of the International Friendlies, Bheke has been capped 13 times since making his debut for the Blue Tigers vs Curaçao in June 2019 during the Kings’ Cup in Thailand and recently featured in the Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

Rahul Bheke said: “It’s a surreal feeling, to have joined Mumbai City. This is my hometown club and of course, the defending champions. The feeling of representing your city and your people is what makes this game more special for me, and I did not have to think twice when the opportunity to join Mumbai City came about. I am aware of the ambitions we have at our club and the expectations that the coach Sergio Lobera has from me, and I’m fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. I’m ready to start this new journey with my new family and make memories with our fans.”

Head Coach, Sergio Lobera: “Rahul is an experienced professional. He’s tremendously versatile in his abilities and he brings the traits of a leader, which is highly regarded in our club. Rahul knows what it takes to be a winner and he has the right mentality. He’s a Mumbai boy and I am sure he knows what it means to be here and what it would take. We are happy to have him here and I am confident that he can contribute positively at Mumbai City.”

(Mumbai City FC Media)

 

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Features

I am working to build up my strength, explains Glan Martins

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Glan Martins Indian Football Team

Kolkata: The monsoon in Goa this season made Glan Martins rediscover an old passion – cycling. In the mornings, even as the rest of Goa hadn’t awakened, Glan was off as early as 5.45 am with his cycle.

The ride from his village Velaso Pale to the nearby mountain top and back took him a little over two hours. “The view from the top of the mountain is pure bliss. During the monsoon, it’s all green. The changing colours of the sky reflecting on the sea made me a bit philosophical at times. I generally used to cycle alone, though on certain days my friends joined me,” Glan says. “Cycling up and down the slope helped me tone myself further. The view was just a bonus.”

“I have understood that I need to build more on my strength — I need to be muscular. Coach Stimac always keeps mentioning it to us. I am working out in the gym and even on my diet to build more muscles and strength.”

Glan made his International debut against Qatar in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers earlier this June. “At the International level, it is played at an extremely fast pace. You don’t get much time on the ball, or shall I say – you don’t get any time at all. Under such circumstances decision-making becomes immensely crucial, your time on the ball, evading your marker and then passing,” Glan quips.

From across the table, you get a view of his hair from close — big, curly, and that wet look. His infectious smile strikes you further.

“As you can see, it’s no more that big. I have trimmed it,” he grins. “I had decided before that I will trim it when I go back home. It will grow to its normal size by the time we go into the bubble again,” he glides his fingers through his hair as he smiles again.

‘From when do you have this hairstyle?’

“In school, it could have never happened. It was during the Academy days that I began to grow it big. I have always had a weakness for big hair,” he murmurs. “But it comes at a price. I need to groom it regularly and apply all the creams and the gel. It takes quite a bit of a time,” Glan informs.

At the ongoing National camp, Glan is an epitome of concentration. “Today, I am more confident as a player but I need to be a bit more attacking in the final third,” he quips, as he looks out of the window and stares at the majestic VYBK Stadium.

“Isn’t the stadium majestic? Or is the view of it from our rooms more majestic?” Glan turns to you. “The facilities here in Kolkata are just awesome. Where else in India can you walk to your training ground from the team hotel. Here we don’t need to cross any road, wait for any traffic. It’s such fun to be walking to the training pitch,” he smiles again.

“The focus among the players has already shifted to not just the Friendlies against Nepal but the bigger aim – gaining a qualification to the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. We are taking it step-by-step, match-by-match.”

(AIFF Media)

 

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AFC Cup

Bengaluru go down 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup opener

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Bengaluru go down 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup opener

Bengaluru: A goal in either half, from Roy Krishna and Subhasish Bose, meant a first defeat for Bengaluru FC under Marco Pezzaiuoli, in the Group D opener of the 2021 AFC Cup, at the National Stadium, in Maldives, on Wednesday.

Marco Pezzaiuoli made two changes to the side that defeated Club Eagles, as Naorem Roshan Singh and Ajay Chhetri replaced Ashique Kuruniyan and Rohit Kumar. The Mariners, who had a busy summer transfer window, handed debuts to Amrinder Singh, Hugo Boumous and Deepak Tangri, while fellow new signings Liston Colaco, Bidyananda Singh, Ashutosh Mehta, Ricky John Shabong, Abhishek Suryavanshi and Kiyan Nassiri found themselves on the bench.

The Blues’ first effort of the game came with just four minutes on the clock when Suresh Wangjam and Roshan combined down the left flank to find Cleiton Silva, who picked out an unmarked Jayesh Rane with space outside the area. The midfielder’s effort, however, sailed wide of the post.

ATK MB’s first real opportunity of the game came midway through the first half when Boumous broke free on a counter-attack, shrugged off a challenge from Wangjam and managed to get a shot on target. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, however, got a strong hand to the strike and parried away.

Just past the half hour mark, the Mariners broke free again through Boumous, who played Krishna through down the left flank. The Fiji international’s attempted pass to David Williams was deflected into the Frenchman’s path, whose effort was blocked away Gurpreet’s outstretched leg. Antonio Habas’ side broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, with three foreign players combining. Carl McHugh’s header from a Boumous corner was diverted goalward from point-blank range by Roy Krishna, past a hapless Gurpreet.

Looking to get back into the game, the Blues made a change at the break as Danish Farooq replaced Ajay Chhetri. However, the Mariners doubled their lead just moments after the restart, when Williams found Subhasish in the middle of the box, who turned to find space and smashed the ball low and into the far corner.

Bengaluru’s first chance of the second period came in the 52nd minute, when Cleiton Silva’s swerving effort from the edge of the box forced Amrinder into a good save after Roshan and Wangjam had combined once again in attack.

Leon Augustine, on as a substitute for skipper Sunil Chhetri, looked to make a mark, but his run in the 77th minute was cut short by Sumit Rathi, who picked up a yellow card for the challenge. Cleiton’s effort from the resulting free-kick sailed off-target, without troubling Amrinder.

With ATK MB happy to sit back and defend their lead, the Blues threw men forward and dominated possession in the closing stages, but couldn’t find a way past the Mariners’ stubborn backline. Habas made further changes to his side as Bidyananda Singh and Liston Colaco made their bows, closing out what was a tough afternoon for the Blues in Asia.

The Blues will be back in action on August 21, when they take on Bashundhara Kings in their next group stage game, at the same venue.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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Transfers

Sandesh Jhingan joins HNK Sibenik in the Top Tier League of Croatia

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Sibenik: Sandesh Jhingan will become the first India international footballer to play in the Croatian top-tier league Prva HNL after completing a move from ATK Mohun Bagan to HNK Sibenik.

The 28-year-old Sandesh will be the flag bearer of India’s top division league, Indian Super League (ISL) to have made the transition to a European top division league.

“We are very happy to have Sandesh with us. We expect good things from him as we have followed him on different platforms where we were able to see his past performances. Although we know the adaptation process might take him a few weeks, we are confident that with his quality and leadership, he will become an important member of the team,” said Francisco Cardona, CEO of HNK Sibenik.

Named India’s footballer of the year last month, the Indian defender is already in Croatia and watched Sunday’s home win against Hrvatski Dragovoljac.

“He made a very good impression on the staff and fans of the club when he was watching the last home game from the stands. He showed passion and energy for the team,” said Cardona.

Jhingan was excited to have the opportunity to move to HNK Sibenik in the Prva HNL in Croatia.

“I think I am at a stage of my career where I really want to test myself in the highest-level possible and I think this is the perfect platform for me.  As I have said, it has been my desire to play in Europe and I have taken up this challenge upon myself.

“A big thank you to the Head Coach Mario Rosas and the owners and management for giving me the opportunity to come here. I cannot wait to get going and look forward to giving 100 percent at every given opportunity,” said Jhingan.

Founded on December 1, 1932, HNK Sibenik returned to the premier division last season under a new management. The club finished sixth in the league, just two positions below qualification to European competitions. The club is located in Sibenik, the Dalmatian region of Croatia, a beautiful touristic city with breath-taking fortresses protecting the city for centuries and a beautiful Cathedral of St. James, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“We are very happy that Sandesh is with us. We know he will help us achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves during the season. His stint here will help him grow as a player and person,” said HNK Sibenik coach Mario Rosas. The Spanish coach was all praise for Jhingan’s decision to move out of his comfort zone.

“We hope that he will continue to be an example for Indian footballers. He has demonstrated his ambition and competitiveness by wanting to get out of his comfort zone and show what Indian footballers are capable of,” said Rosas.

Jhingan started his youth career at St. Stephen’s Football Academy in Chandigarh and got a break in the top division with United Sikkim in 2011. Sandesh, as a young 21-year-old footballer first broke into prominence during the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) when he was adjudged the Emerging Player of the League in 2014. A feat that helped him earn a place in the senior India national team making his debut in 2015 against Nepal at the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

The defender has two ISL runners-up medals with Kerala Blasters FC where he spent six years and moved to ATK Mohun Bagan in 2020 after missing the previous season due to injury.

(ISL Media)

 

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Sandesh Jhingan’s move to Croatia has opened the door for us: Chinglensana Singh

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Sandesh Jhingan's move to Croatia has opened the door for us: Chinglensana Singh

New Delhi: Sandesh Jhingan and Chinglensana Singh have formed a formidable centre-back pairing for the Blue Tigers in recent matches and with the former set to join Croatian top-division side HNK Sibenik, his defensive partner Chinglensana in an AIFF TV chat on Wednesday (August 18, 2021) spoke about how Sandesh’s move has “opened the door” for him, and all other Indian players.

“What Sandesh-paji has done is amazing and it is really good for us as players. We need to look further and explore Europe and other places to improve ourselves, and the National Team. I am really happy for him. He has opened the door for us. He is a great person and partner to play alongside. He players his heart out and words are not enough to describe playing with him. We share a special bond,” Sana expressed.

“I love the mentality and energy he brings on the field, and it rubs off on everyone in the team. It has struck a chord within me as well and I am learning a lot from him.”

The 24-year-old also talked about the impact that Sandesh’s move can have on young players such as him, and how he would like to follow in his footsteps in the near future.

“Earlier it was Bhaichung-bhai, Sunil-bhai and then Gurpreet-paji, who played abroad. And now it is Sandesh-paji, who is a defender. I am 24 now and this is an eye-opener for me. I will have the privilege to learn from him as his defensive partner whenever he comes back, and what he will bring back to the national team will be huge and immense. I would like to follow in his footsteps and his move will encourage us to look beyond Indian football and reach that level.”

“I am a player who is still developing and I want to keep growing. If I get the opportunity to play abroad, I would sure like to take it. It is a dream for any player to play in Europe. The more players will go, the better it will be for the national team as well,” Chinglensana stated.

The young defender, who is currently in Kolkata as part of the ongoing senior national team training camp, spoke about the shift in the composition of the Indian side, with many youngsters now coming in and the average age of the squad going down significantly.

“The credit goes to the clubs, coaches and the national team coach for spotting young talents and giving them opportunities. The majority of players in the team are U-23, which is good for the development of Indian football. The Hero ISL is really competitive and there is a lot of competition for positions in the camp too, which makes us better.”

“It’s a very good atmosphere here. The mentality has changed with regards to our eating habits, fitness, spending our leisure time etc. We have grown and matured a lot and realize the importance of investing in ourselves. The standards are very high and everyone knows that we have the responsibility of the entire nation on us.”

Chinglensana also discussed the impact head coach Igor Stimac has had on the team during his time and what he has absorbed from the former FIFA World Cup bronze medalist.

“I have learned a lot from coach Stimac in a short time. The time we spend with the national team is limited. But the coach makes sure he interacts with all the players and makes sure all details are followed. He ensures I know what I need to improve and work upon, and I appreciate that he is open and has very good communication with the players. He makes sure we are comfortable and confident before a match by taking the pressure off us and allows us to play our natural game,” he averred.

“As a defender, you know you have to look to keep possession of the ball for your team as much as possible and avoid making clearances if you get the opportunity. It is something I have learned from him, along with other aspects like tackling and decision-making – not to dive into a tackle until you are sure, along with being a leader of the team from the back.”

(AIFF Media)

 

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AIFF thanks Government of West Bengal for their support

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AIFF thanks Government of West Bengal for their support

Kolkata: The Government of West Bengal’s Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs and Power Mr. Aroop Biswas on Tuesday (August 17) evening came over to meet and greet the Indian National Team who are currently camping in Kolkata for the forthcoming International Friendlies against Nepal in September.

The session was organised by the All India Football Federation in close coordination with the Indian Football Association, Kolkata.

“It’s my privilege to get invited along with my team to this Friendship dinner. Sports bind us together and nowadays the leadership in both AIFF and the IFA is dynamic. Everybody needs to join hands and work together for us to climb up the FIFA Rankings and get below 50,” Mr. Biswas stated.

Besides, former International cricketer Mr. Manoj Tiwary, currently the Minister of State for Affairs of Sports and Youth, Government of West Bengal; Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF; Mr. Subrata Dutta, Senior Vice-President, AIFF; Mr. Abhishek Yadav, Deputy General Secretary; Mr. Ajit Banerjee, President IFA; Mr. Joydeep Mukherjee, General Secretary, IFA and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The entire Indian National Team contingent including Head Coach Igor Stimac was also present.

The AIFF General Secretary thanked “Aroop-babu for all his help.”

“As Igor told me, they are very happy with the logistics in Kolkata. Bengal is the best footballing state in the country. We had discussions about how the glory of Bengal football can be revived. Bengal can be the model state for others to replicate. I wish all the players, and look forward to the future. We have to qualify to AFC Asian Cup 2023,” Mr. Das averred.

The Indian team was floored by Mr. Biswas’ gesture of opening up the swimming pool of the VYBK for exclusive usage for the Blue Tigers. The Minister has also taken the lead in organising another friendly match with Mohammedan Sporting later next week.

Mr. Tiwary insisted that the State Government’s support for Indian Football will go on. “I firmly believe, and keep following Indian Football. We have a long way to go. I’m pretty sure everyone is putting in hard hours to keep our flag flying high. I wish everyone all the very best. It’s lovely to have you guys out here, and interact,” Mr. Tiwary maintained.

National Team Head Coach Mr. Stimac thanked the State Government for all their help. “Thank you minister for your support for Indian Football. You have been tirelessly providing everything that we wanted. This will surely help us more in achieving the results,” the Coach expressed.

(AIFF Media)

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AFC Cup

Blues lock horns with ATK Mohun Bagan as AFC Cup group stage commences

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Bengaluru FC AFC Cup

Male, Maldives: Blues’ Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli said his side would have to be at their best, with their Group D campaign in the 2021 AFC Cup set to begin with a clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, at the National Stadium, in Maldives, on Wednesday. Bengaluru, who defeated Club Eagles 1-0 in the playoff on Sunday, are grouped alongside ATK Mohun Bagan, Bashundhara Kings and Maziya S&RC, with only one team set to qualify for the Inter-zone playoff semifinals.

“Our last game was only two days ago, so it was a short recovery for the team. It’s not really an advantage, but I can see the glass either as half empty or half full, and I choose to see it half full. There was a good spirit and positive energy in the team after the win. We are happy to be in the Group Stage of this competition. This is a new game, a new start and we have a renewed focus. We need to be very sharp against ATK Mohun Bagan, because I am expecting an aggressive game,” said Pezzaiuoli, speaking at the pre-match press conference.

ATK Mohun Bagan, who qualified for the group stages of the competition by virtue of Mohun Bagan’s victorious 2019-20 I-League campaign, have recruited strongly since their defeat to Mumbai City FC in the 2020-21 Indian Super League final, and Pezzaiuoli believes the Blues will have their task cut out on Wednesday. The Kolkata-based side have added several players to their squad over the summer, including the likes of French midfielder Hugo Boumous, Amrinder Singh, Liston Colaco, Ashutosh Mehta, Bidyananda Singh and Deepak Tangri.

“ATK Mohun Bagan like to play a lot of long passes, go for the second ball and press high up on the pitch, which calls for a different approach from us. But they have also changed things in the summer, by bringing in a French foreigner (Hugo Boumous), among other players. This shows that they want to win the Indian Super League and the AFC Cup. We have to be in good spirit, show good focus and I am certain that we have a chance of winning tomorrow,” Pezzaiuoli added.

Jayesh Rane scored the only goal of the game when the Blues beat Club Eagles, and with only three games to play in the Group Stages, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said the task at hand was one that required focus and commitment from all corners.

“It’s true that things are different this time, because there are fewer games to play in the Group. But it is still difficult, and we have to be focused. It was important for us to get into the Group Stage because we want to do well in Asia, as a club. Now it’s up to us to make sure we put on a good performance and try to do our best in each game,” said Gurpreet.

Kick-off between ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC is scheduled for 4.30 PM IST (4 PM local time) and will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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Kolkata is such a great football place, echoes Igor Stimac

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India XI’s exhibition match with IFA XI at the VYBK

Kolkata: Indian National Team Head Coach Igor Stimac expressed his delight after India XI’s exhibition match with IFA XI at the VYBK on Monday (August 16) evening. India XI rode on a second-half strike from Akash Mishra to win by a solitary goal.

“I am really happy and grateful about the organisation of this game, and we will do our best to have such games like this one,” Stimac stated post-match. “We won’t mind having such matches regularly, and maybe in another 7 days we may think and want another practice game like this,” the coach averred. “Kolkata is a great football place and during the pandemic when it is difficult to find games, this is one of the best places to train.”

The match which was organised to commemorate the ‘Khela Hobe’ Divas in West Bengal was graced by Mr. Arup Biswas, Government of West Bengal’s Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and Power; Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary AIFF; Mr. Subrata Dutta, Senior Vice President, AIFF; Mr. Abhishek Yadav, Assistant General Secretary, AIFF, also Director National Teams; Mr. Joydeep Mukherjee, General Secretary, IFA, and a host of other dignitaries.

“I was cautious about my players not picking up injuries, and wanted to understand how they handled the game. They went into the pitch after a long time, and without much practice,” Stimac opined.

The coach who coached Croatia to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 also hinted that he “may consider releasing Sandesh Jhingan from the ongoing camp.”

Referring to Sandesh’s move to Croatia to play League Football, Stimac expressed: “Having in mind that the Croatian League has already had 5 rounds, and the players are fit, we are thinking as to how we can help Sandesh get into form as soon as possible, and also try to facilitate him get his place in the team. It’s important for him to get into the playing XI. So we may consider releasing him from the camp and bringing him back but allow him to stay with the club,” the coach informed.

India will be travelling to Kathmandu later this month to play Nepal in two International Friendlies in September. “It is very difficult to organise matches under such circumstances. You need to understand that no one is able to come to India, and if we want to go out to play there are quarantine rules. So the options are very limited,” he added.

“We had agreed to first play Libya and Jordan in Istanbul. But the long duration of quarantine in Istanbul didn’t allow us to proceed with the matches. We also looked at other options wherein we agreed to play Nepal and Malaysia in Nepal. But Malaysia couldn’t travel owing to quarantine rules back home in their country,” the coach pronounced.

“Now we need to prepare for the next 12 days before we head to Nepal. We also have the SAFF Championship in October followed by the AFC U-23 Qualifiers — maybe the best option will be to hold on with the U23 team all throughout October.”

(AIFF Media)

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International Friendlies

Indian Senior National team camp kicks-off in Kolkata

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Kolkata: With all players among the initial list of 23 players having arrived in Kolkata, the Indian Men’s Senior National Team preparatory camp kicks-off in Kolkata for the forthcoming International Friendlies against Nepal.

This marks the return of the National Team camp in Kolkata after 15 years with the Blue Tigers last having camped in Kolkata way back in 2006 prior to the FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Saudi Arabia. The sun has been playing hide and seek from behind the dark clouds and weather forecast predicts rain and thundershowers for the next few days in the ‘City of Joy.’

“It’s a nice feeling for all of us to assemble at the National camp. The primary target is to get ready in our quest to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023. There is a roadmap laid down and we are confident of making it to China in 2023,” midfielder Anirudh Thapa stated.

The camp will be conducted under a secured bio bubble adhering to the laid down health parameters in wake of the current pandemic situation. All the players and staff have done their RTPCR testing prior to landing in Kolkata, and the entire contingent will also be undergoing regular testing while during the camp.

“The next few days will be intense and all of us need to be ready to rise up to the challenge. With the Qualifiers having ended, the focus has shifted to our qualification to the AFC Asian Cup, and the journey to our qualification has already begun. There cannot be any shortcuts,” defender Rahul Bheke maintained.

Among the list of 23, Seriton Fernandes, Ashish Rai, Rahul KP and Rahim Ali have been summoned to a Senior National Team camp for the first-time ever. Players from Bengaluru FC and ATK Kolkata will join the camp after completion of their club engagements in the AFC Cup.

Meanwhile, Pronay Halder who didn’t travel to Maldives for ATK Mohun Bagan’s AFC Cup commitments, and was supposed to join the camp later have joined his teammates for the practice sessions.

“Home is where heart is,” Pronay echoed. “The National Team camp is where everyone aspires to be. It’s nice to be back at the camp again. The competition in the camp in recent times has increased manifolds, and it’s no different even this time. There is a new talented bunch who are pushing everyone. We are looking forward to the sessions,” he quipped.

The contingent had a stretching session in the gym in the morning and they will be playing an exhibition match with the Bengal Santosh Trophy squad at the VYBK Stadium later in the evening.

The 24 players who have joined the camp are as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, Vishal Kaith.

DEFENDERS: Ashish Rai, Seriton Fernandes, Rahul Bheke, Adil Khan, Chinglensana Singh, Narender, Akash Mishra, Mandar Rao Dessai.

MIDFIELDERS: Bipin Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Lalengmawia, Glan Martins, Jeakson Singh, Pronay Halder, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Yasir Mohammed, Halicharan Narzary.

FORWARDS: Rahul KP, Farukh Choudhary, Ishan Pandita, Rahim Ali.

The ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC players who will be joining the camp after their AFC Cup duties are as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

DEFENDERS: Pritam Kotal, Ashutosh Mehta, Subhasish Bose.

MIDFIELDERS: Udanta Singh, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Ashqiue Kuruniyan

FORWARDS: Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri.

(AIFF Media)

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