Sunday, August 31, 2014

দেড়শ-র আশা!

এটা যদি রিও-তে হতে পারে কলকাতায় কেন নয়, যুবভারতীতেও?




Friday, August 29, 2014

UCL 2014-15: group league matches


- http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/Draws/02/13/80/00/2138000_DOWNLOAD.pdf

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Fed Cup in Goa from Dec 28

The Executive Committee of the All India Football Federation welcomed Kalyani Group as the new Member in the forthcoming edition in the I-League and wished them success. “I believe they will bring in more professionalism in the League. Let’s not forget the manner Bengaluru FC came as a breath of fresh air in the I-League last season. The value of the I-League can be gauged from the interest it has generated among top Corporates of India, that too for two years in succession,” Mr. Praful Patel, the president of the AIFF said.

The Committee endorsed Mr. Patel’s decision and discussed at length India’s preparations for the 2017 U-17 FIFA World Cup. It was agreed the Coach of the Indian National Team for the 2017 U-17 FIFA World Cup will be signing a Contract soon for him to have a look and scout probable Indian Players for the World Cup from the final phase of the Coca Cola Cup which is to be held in November-December 2014.

The venue/dates for various upcoming Domestic Tournaments which were finalised in the Meeting stay as follows:

i.             Federation Cup to be held in Goa from December 28 to January 10, 2015.

ii.           Senior Women’s National Championship to be held in Orissa.

iii.          Final Round of the Santosh Trophy to be held in Uttarakhand.

Furthermore, as proposed by Mr. AR Khaleel, the Committee decided to name the Winners Trophy of the proposed U-15 League as Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy.

Meanwhile, the Committee confirmed the minutes of the last AIFF Executive Committee Meeting which was held on May 14, 2014 at Football House.

The President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Mr. Patel chaired All India Football Federation’s Executive Committee Meeting in Mumbai on August 28, 2014 (Thursday).

Besides, AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das, Senior Vice-President Mr. Subrata Dutta, Treasurer Mr. Hardev Jadeja, Vice-Presidents Mr. K.M.I. Mather, Mr. Larsing Ming and all other Members except Vice-Presidents Mr. Shrinivas V. Dempo and Mr. Subhash Chopra; Ms. Sara Pilot and Commodore Pushpendra Kumar Garg, attended the Meeting.

                                                                                                                                                                            - AIFF Media Team

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The First Indian Sports Club to launch a TV Channel

The First Indian Sports Club to launch a Satellite TV Channel’ FC Goa TV’


Goa will now have a home team to cheer for in the inaugural 2014 Hero Indian Super League. FC Goa today announced its launch at a well-attended ceremony at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa in Miramar, Goa.
The club was launched by Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, alongside club owners Mr.Anirudh Dhoot, Director, Videocon; Mr Dattaraj Salgaocar, Managing Director of V M Salgaocar and Company and Mr. Shrinivas Dempo Chairman and Managing Director of Dempo Group of Companies. FC Goa will be one of eight teams due to fight it out in the Hero Indian Super League being held across the country between October 12 and December 20 this year.
In his opening remarks Mr. Shrinivas Dempo said ,“After running a successful Indian Football Club for 40 years it was time for a fresh infusion of the spirit of Goan Football to take it to the next level; and so FC Goa was born.”
Mr.Parrikar unveiled the official club logo, a combination of Goa’s state animal – the gaur or Indian bison – and a shield, which symbolizes strength, attack and defence, all of which epitomize FC Goa.  A presentation on the logo of the club was delivered by Mr. Dattaraj Salgaonkar who said.“The logo personifies the character of Goan  Football and the fundamentals of the team we have put together.  We are certain that our history in Indian football will hold our team in good stead and fight a good fight in the first edition of the Hero Indian Super League.”
In a first for Indian sport, FC Goa is the first Indian Sports Club to launch a satellite TV Channel -FC Goa TV which will be telecast on Videocon d2h with exclusive and innovative programming.   In addition the official Twitter handle, Facebook page, Instagram, Youtube and Google Plus were also launched. Actor Varun Dhawan was also present to interact with the team as the ‘first’ friend of FC Goa. 
Fisheries Minister Mr. Avertano Furtado handed over a token cheque to Velviro Pinto who made the winning suggestion for naming the club.
Commenting on his entry into football with the Hero ISL, Director Videocon, Mr. Anirudh Dhoot said “Videocon has been involved in promoting Indian Sport extensively. We see great potential in Indian Football; to the extent it could very well be the most popular sport in India in time to come. We are proud to partner with Mr. Shrinivas Dempo and Mr. Dattaraj Salgaocar  who run two of the most successful Football teams in India. “
FC Goa, which comprises 14 Indians, two Czechs, two Frenchmen and three Portuguese, will kick off the first game of the Indian Super League against FC Chennai at home on October 13. Other teams in the Indian Super League include Kerala Blasters, Chennai Titans, Mumbai City FC, FC Pune City, Delhi Dynamos, Atletico de Kolkata and North East United.
The FC Goa Squad: LaxmikantKattimani, Debabrata Roy, Gabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Shaikh Jewel Raja, Alwyn George, Narayan Das, Prabir Das, Mandar Rao Dessai, Romeo Fernandes, Peter Carvalho, HolicharanNarzary, PronayHalder, Rowilson Rodrigues, Miguel Pereira Herlien, MiroslavSlepicka, YounessBengelloun, Bruno Pinheiro, Edgar  Marcelino, Gregory Arnoli and Jan Seda
About FC Goa: Launched on August 26, 2014, FC Goa is Goa’s premier football club competing in the Hero Indian Super League, India’s top tier football league. Owned by industrialists MrVenugopalDhoot, MrDattarajSalgaocar, and MrShrinivasDempo, it has its home ground at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, South Goa.
About the Indian Super League: The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) tournament is organized under the aegis of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). It is currently contested by eight teams from across India, played on a league basis (home and away games). The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals and the winners of the double leg semi-finals will play in the finals. There will be 56 league matches and five knock-out matches held between October 13 and December 20, 2014.
The Goa Franchise of the ISL is owned by industrialists Mr. Venugopal Dhoot, Mr. Dattaraj Salgaocar and Mr. Shrinivas Dempo, who all share a passion for the sport.
                                                      
Facebook:www.facebook.com/fcgoaofficial                     
Twitter: @fcgoaofficial 
                                                                                                                                                                      - Release

Monday, August 25, 2014

KALYANI GROUP BAGS I-LEAGUE SPOT


AIFF Media Team
NEW DELHI: Members of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Bid Evaluation Committee met at the AIFF Headquarters in Football House on Monday (August 25, 2014) to take a call on the proposed bids for the upcoming I-League 2014/15 season onwards.
The committee accepted the bid of the Kalyani Group to participate in 2014-15 I-League which commences from January 17, 2015.

The corporate giant will be fielding their team from their base in Pune. The premier league competition of the country will now comprise of 11 teams.

Friday, August 22, 2014

To Madrid on August 25

ADK release says...

Atlético de Kolkata has now added three more players: Basilio Sancho (Goalkeeper), Ofentse Nato (Central Midfielder) and Fikru Teferra (Striker)

Spain Calling:
14 Indian players of Atlético de Kolkata showcased in Kolkata prior to the month long training in Madrid
~ The Team will be training at the Los Angeles de San Rafael training ground in El Espinar, Segovia, Spain, at an altitude of 1240 meters above sea level ~
~ The squad to train for a month under Head Coach Antonio Lopez Habas, leaving for Spain in 25th August 2014 ~
~ Marquee player Luis Garcia and other foreign players will be joining the squad for training ~

Kolkata, 22nd August, 2014: Reiterating the promise of giving a global exposure to the Indian players of the Kolkata franchise, Atlético de Kolkata from Indian Super League showcased the dynamic Indian players chosen during the domestic draft last month. The team also announced today that the 14 domestic players are gearing up for the challenging month long training at Los Angeles de San Rafael ground in El Espinar, Segovia, Spain. The training module has been designed to get the footballers in right physical shape to tackle the demanding season of Indian Super League commencing in October in perfect condition. Atlético de Kolkata would be training with the domestic as well as the international players under Head Coach,Antonio Lopez Habas and Trainer Miguel Martinez.
“This training is our primary measure towards building a team. My role as a coach is to develop the bonding and understanding between the players who come with diverse background and experiences across the world. I am really looking forward to an exciting camaraderie between the footballers prior to the season. The decision to train at a higher altitude would put the abilities of players under scrutiny and in the long run benefit the players to match pace and energy when they play in familiar conditions in India.”
-          Mr. Antonio Lopez HabasHead Coach, Atlético de Kolkata
Atlético de Kolkata will start training in Los Angeles de San Rafael 27th August onwards. The concentration in Segovia will be very important to achieve optimal fitness for the players in the face of the challenges posed by the first season of Indian Super League. The training would consist of specific exercises and players will undergo ball coordination, energy and agility movements to keep the pace up for 90 minutes. Training would also consist of various ball works building up the stamina with working groups and defensive tactical synchronization.
“My job would be getting the players in the right shape prior to the kick off. The technical aspect of the players would be scrutinized for the whole month in order to achieve their optimum potential. The efficiency of the training routine at an altitude would definitely be new to some of the players and they need to acclimatize to the conditions and push the extra mile to reach the targets. I will be setting short and long term targets to make the program realistic yet consistent and moderate specific weaknesses of the players.”
-          Mr. Miguel Martinez, Physical Coach, Atlético de Kolkata
For the league’s inaugural edition Atlético de Kolkata bagged fourteen promising names from Indian football namely - Arnab Mondal, Mohammed RafiMohammed RafiqueRakesh Masih, Cavin Lobo, Biswajit SahaDenzil Franco, Sanju Pradhan, Kingshuk Debnath, Lester Fernandez, Subhasish R Chowdhury, Baljit Sahni, Climax Lawrence and Nallappan Mohanraj. These players will be training with the likes of marquee player Luis Garcia and first signed player, Borja Fernandes. The foreign recruits selected during the draft on 21st of August would also be joining the team for this training program.
“We at Atlético de Kolkata are sure that this program is definitely going to create a difference in the end results for the team. Slowly we are getting into the groove as a team and moving towards the business end. The Indian contingent would benefit from the vast experience of Antonio Lopez Habas and our marquee player Luis Garcia.”
-          Mr. Sanjiv GoenkaChairman RP- Sanjiv Goenka Group, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata
Our endeavour to showcase the finest quality of football in the Indian Super League is taking its first step forward and as promised the players are entitled for the best facilities to ensure their growth and superior performance. What is required at the moment is building up a positive attitude. It will determine how well we perform in the upcoming ISL. I am greatly satisfied with our pool of Indian players and would want them raring to go on the turf. They have the ability and the motivation to win as a team will be provided during this training in Spain.”
-          Mr. Sourav Ganguly, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata, former  captain, Indian Cricket Team
 “The potential of Indian footballers will be tested and we at Atlético de Kolkata would not like to keep any stone unturned in providing the players the best training facilities to ensure top-notch performance during the upcoming Indian Super League.”

-          Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata
“We want the team to develop the never say die attitude by the end of their sojourn in Spain. I am sure the players will be rightly motivated and inspired by our Head Coach Habas. We have a very competitive bunch of players and favourable bench strength. By the end of this camp we are hoping to find these players who will have the potential to match the best in Indian Super League. ” 

-           Mr. Utsav Parekh, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata, Chairman, SMIFS Capital Markets Ltd.

“It is important to make the best effort to play at an optimum level every day you get on the field. We will be up against players who have shown the world their credentials over and over again. To sustain the effort of playing against the best and match their skills it is necessary to group together before the league starts. I believe this camp will surely do a world of good for our Indian players and help them to coordinate better on field.”
-          Mr. Jose Ramirez Barreto, Assistant Coach, Atlético de Kolkata

Atlético de Kolkata will compete against the seven teams in Indian Super League. The franchise’s dedication and commitment towards a sustainable growth of football is on top of its agenda. Atlético de Kolkata will leverage on the over 100-year experience of Atlético de Madrid’s sporting model of academies which enables them recognize and empower talent from the very grassroots.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

ISL - Kolkata to Madrid for football training!


Atletico de Kolkata Press Release

Atletico de Kolkata have drawn up an all-inclusive list of footballers for the inaugural edition of Indian Super League post the international draft of players by strengthening every department of play. It has taken on-board three mid-fielders viz. Borja Fernandez, Jofre Mateu Gonzalez, Jakuv Podany ; two defenders Sylvain Monsoreau, Jose Miguel Gonzalez Rey, goal keeper Apoula Edima Edel Bete and striker Arnal Llibert Conde Cardo. The focus for Atletico de Kolkata has been also on European and in particularly Spanish players to make the team more cohesive in the short month long window before the ISL season kicks off.  The team has been selected in a manner which will be heavily influenced by the Atletico de Madrid’s style of play which is strong on defense early in the game and follows by an aggressive counter attack. The international players would be joining the promising Indian contingent for training in Los Angeles de San Rafael, Madrid. In the month long training focus will be on fitness training on the lines of the La Liga routine alongwith team building.

Mr. Utsav Parekh, Co-owner, Atlético de Kolkata, commented, “Atlético de Kolkata made some prudent choices today at the draft .We are on course towards constructing the team to look out for at the ISL. We are for building a favourable and experienced bench strength which will be an asset in the two month long tournament. The overall experience of the players we have selected through the draft today is a rich blend of experience along with diversity in their styles of playing the game. The team is ready to depart soon for Spain and post the one month training we want to bring back a cohesive and connected team. ” 

For the league’s inaugural edition Atlético de Kolkata bagged fourteen promising names from Indian football namely - Arnab Mondal, Mohammed RafiMohammed RafiqueRakesh Masih, Cavin Lobo, Biswajit SahaDenzil Franco, Sanju Pradhan, Kingshuk Debnath, Lester Fernandez, Subhasish R Chowdhury, Baljit Sahni, Climax Lawrence and Nallappan Mohanraj.

Atlético de Kolkata is the first franchise that will compete against the seven teams in Indian Super League that was launched from amongst the eight city franchisees of the Indian Super League. The franchise has Atlético de Madrid, Prince of Kolkata, Ex-captain, Indian cricket team, Mr. Sourav Ganguly; notable industrialists and luminaries Mr. Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group; Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group and Mr. Utsav Parekh, Chairman, SMIFS Capital Markets Ltd as its co-owners.

The franchise’s dedication and commitment towards a sustainable growth of football is on top of its agenda. Atlético de Kolkata will leverage on the over 100-year experience of Atlético de Madrid’s sporting model of academies which enables them recognize and empower talent from the very grassroots.


AIFF Press Release

Hero Indian Super League’s most anticipated International Player Draft was held today at the Taj Palace, Mumbai with the participating eight clubs going for specific strategies in forming the spine of their respective team line-ups.

With a plethora of International stars and talented youngsters who have excelled in their trade at the highest-level, both for their country and many an elite Premier League of the World, up for grabs, it was perhaps befitting that their entry into Indian Football was crafted at an event held closure to the monumental Gateway of India with the Arabian Sea in the background.

The day marked the completion of players draft, both Indian as well as international, for the inaugural season of Indian Super League which kicks-off on October 12, 2014. Total 56 international players, 49 from today’s draft and seven being contracted by the clubs directly, were drafted among the eight ISL clubs. Earlier, in July 2014 the clubs had selected 112 Indian Players to complete the domestic players’ mandate.

“The 49 players who went into the draft today have had close to 9000 games in between them,” Andy Knee, Vice President, IMG, Football informed. “It only speaks about the experience and the competition they will bring into the Hero Indian Super League,” he maintained.

Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Federation, felt “Indian Football needs a new dose of adrenalin.”

“We are extremely excited and hope the Indian Super League will provide the dose of much-needed visibility to Indian Football. The focus at present is on Youth Development and Grassroots which forms the base of the pyramid. But at the same time, the dose of commerce stays quintessential at the top of the pyramid. Both are interlinked to each other,” he stated. “We hope ISL will be the game changer for Indian Football.”

Anupam Dutta, CEO, Football Sports Development Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between IMG-Reliance and Star India said: “The international player draft today marks an important milestone in the Indian football. A League’s success depends on the Clubs and we are happy to have equally excited and committed partners in this journey. And against the backdrop of the International Player Draft, let’s not forget that we have a very good set of Indian Players in the League as well.”

Nitin Kukreja, President, Star India commented that “a milestone has been achieved.

“We will unleash a sporting revolution in India,” he concluded.

The draft picks from Hero Indian Super League’s International Player Draft stay as follows (Names appear as per the clubs’ picks during the round 1 to 7) :-

FC Pune City: Bruno Cirillo, Emanuele Balardi, Ivan Boaldo Palacios, Saidou Mady Panandetigui, Omar Andres Rodriguez Martinez, Andres Felipe Gonzalez Ramirez, Park Kwang II.

Atletico de Kolkata: Borja Fernandez, Jofre Mateu Gonzalez, Jose Miguel Gonzelez Rey, Arnal Llibert Conde Carbo, Sylvain Monsoreau, Jakub Podany, Apoula Edima Edel Bete. 
Kerala Blasters FC: Michael Chopra, Ian Hume, Victor Herrero Forcada, Erwin Spitzner, Pedro Adriano Veloso Gusmao, Cedric Hengbart, Raphael Romey. 
Team Mumbai: Diego Fernando Nadaya, Jan Stohanzl, Francisco Javier Fernandez Luque, Pavel Cmovs, Johann Letzelter, Andre Matos Dias Pereira, Ilias Pollalis. 
North East United FC: Issac Chansa, Cornell Glenn, Massamba Lo Sambou, Do Dong-Hyun, Guileherme Felipe de Castro, Tomas Josl, Luis Alfredo Yanes Padilla. 
Team Chennai: Bernard Mendy, Cristian Hidalgo Gonzalez, Gennaro Bracigliano, Bojan Djordjic, Bruno Augusto Pelissari de Lima, Jairo Andres Suarez Carvajal, Eduardo Silva Lerma. 
Team Goa: Miroslav Slepicka, Jan Seda, Bruno Filipe Tavares Pinheiro, Youness Bengelloun, Miguel Bruno Pereira Herlein, Gregory Arnolin, Edgar Carvalho Figueira Marcelino. 

Delhi Dynamos FC: Mads Junker, Morten Skoubo, Bruno Herrero Arias, Gustavo Marmentini dos Santos, Marek Cech, Pavel Elias, Henrique Dinis Oliviera Dias.