How can AIFF 'secure' ACL Spot? Isn't it comes with merit and better MA ranking. Currently we are in West Zone which pits us against the Iranian clubs. Our clubs can barely beat Bangladeshi clubs. How can we beat the West Asian clubs? Though if AFC changes the format again and puts us in Easy Asia, there can be chances for India getting atleast one ACL group stage slot.
NARENDER CREDITS MAHESH GAWLI FOR ‘MAKING HIM A BETTER PLAYER’
Against the backdrop of the Indian U-19 boys making all dream big, the fact that former Indian defender Mahesh Gawli, currently the Assistant Coach of the squad, has silently been “working on the basics” has almost gone unnoticed.
“The ultimate aim is to develop these players technically,” Gawli states. “Hence, I always focus on the basics. After all, one can only become a better player if the basics are rock solid. I bring them into game situations, and assess their performance and decision-making,” he informs, on the sidelines of the SAFF U-18 Championship.
One of Gawli’s trainees, Narender Gahlot is already with the Senior Team, the icing on the cake being his header against Syria in the Hero Intercontinental Cup in Ahmedabad earlier this year.
“At the senior camp, all players always ask me about my training experience under Mahesh-sir. I am privileged to have him as my coach. He is so patient. I always rush to take help from him. He is always working on my passing, positioning, organizing the defence,” Narender quips.
“Narender is a promising defender. He is talented, and has a good attitude on and off the field. I have been working with him from the Indian Arrows, and he has been developing very fast. Whatever I teach him, he picks up very fast,” Gawli, one of India’s best-ever defender since the 1990s, certifies.
“After going to the National Team, he has raised his level. He understands that he needs to continue improving. The U-19 boys are watching him as he is representing the Senior team. It’s time for Narender to lead by example,” Gawli goes on.
“He has to improve the other players by continuously improving himself. He has learnt a lot being with the Senior team. I hope he keeps doing better and serves as a role model for the others.”
Narender admitted that “Mahesh Sir’s inputs have always proved invaluable.”
“He is such a legend. He won the best defender award 5 times in his career (in the I-League). His precision, and decision making is something I aim to emulate,” Narender comments.
“He is so meticulous. He is so fast to point out our minor errors. He is such a hard taskmaster. He corrects then every training session, and match. We do video analysis of our sessions together, and he explains to us where we need to improve,” Narender explains.
Baichung Bhutia shuts down former I-League club United Sikkim FC after conflict of interest
Former I-League club United Sikkim FC on Sunday decided to shut shop to “focus on grassroots football” and avoid “conflict of interest” issues arising out of its founder Bhaichung Bhutia’s association with the state governing body of the game.
Former Indian football team captain Bhutia said in a statement that his club, founded in 2004, will be closed down after 15 years of existence during which it made it to the country’s top-tier I-League in 2012-’13 season after winning the second division league.
“This has been a very difficult decision for us to take. It is with great pain that we are announcing that United Sikkim Football Club will cease to exist from today,” the club said in the statement.
“We have come to a decision to shut the club after 15 years of existence for two reasons majorly. Firstly, to focus on grassroot football and secondly, there has been a huge conflict of interest since both Bhaichung and Arjun are now part of the Sikkim Football Association,” the statement signed by Bhaichung read.
United Sikkim FC played in the 2012-13 I-League but was relegated from next season. Since then, the club has been playing in the state premier division (S-League), winning four titles.
“United Sikkim was formed in 2004 by three friends, Bhaichung Bhutia, Arjun Rai and Sherap Lepcha and turned into a professional club for a short period of time in 2011.
“We were the first club from Sikkim and only the second from the Northeast to play in the I-League which was the highest league at that time. During that period, 14 to 18 local players were playing in the highest league in the country, compared to three or four players currently,” the club said.
It said quite a few players were also sent for trials to different clubs in India.
“Komal Thatal was sent to Kolkata by USFC to play the Manchester Cup, where he was selected for the U-14 Indian team academy. One of the biggest products of USFC is Sandesh Jhingan, currently Indian national team player.”
Besides four state league titles, United Sikkim won the Independence Cup twice.
It was the only club in India to have been sponsored by Nike in the I-League and by Lotto last year, the club statement said.
Comments
NARENDER CREDITS MAHESH GAWLI FOR ‘MAKING HIM A BETTER PLAYER’
Against the backdrop of the Indian U-19 boys making all dream big, the fact that former Indian defender Mahesh Gawli, currently the Assistant Coach of the squad, has silently been “working on the basics” has almost gone unnoticed.
“The ultimate aim is to develop these players technically,” Gawli states. “Hence, I always focus on the basics. After all, one can only become a better player if the basics are rock solid. I bring them into game situations, and assess their performance and decision-making,” he informs, on the sidelines of the SAFF U-18 Championship.
One of Gawli’s trainees, Narender Gahlot is already with the Senior Team, the icing on the cake being his header against Syria in the Hero Intercontinental Cup in Ahmedabad earlier this year.
“At the senior camp, all players always ask me about my training experience under Mahesh-sir. I am privileged to have him as my coach. He is so patient. I always rush to take help from him. He is always working on my passing, positioning, organizing the defence,” Narender quips.
“Narender is a promising defender. He is talented, and has a good attitude on and off the field. I have been working with him from the Indian Arrows, and he has been developing very fast. Whatever I teach him, he picks up very fast,” Gawli, one of India’s best-ever defender since the 1990s, certifies.
“After going to the National Team, he has raised his level. He understands that he needs to continue improving. The U-19 boys are watching him as he is representing the Senior team. It’s time for Narender to lead by example,” Gawli goes on.
“He has to improve the other players by continuously improving himself. He has learnt a lot being with the Senior team. I hope he keeps doing better and serves as a role model for the others.”
Narender admitted that “Mahesh Sir’s inputs have always proved invaluable.”
“He is such a legend. He won the best defender award 5 times in his career (in the I-League). His precision, and decision making is something I aim to emulate,” Narender comments.
“He is so meticulous. He is so fast to point out our minor errors. He is such a hard taskmaster. He corrects then every training session, and match. We do video analysis of our sessions together, and he explains to us where we need to improve,” Narender explains.
https://the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=9931
Baichung Bhutia shuts down former I-League club United Sikkim FC after conflict of interest
Former I-League club United Sikkim FC on Sunday decided to shut shop to “focus on grassroots football” and avoid “conflict of interest” issues arising out of its founder Bhaichung Bhutia’s association with the state governing body of the game.
Former Indian football team captain Bhutia said in a statement that his club, founded in 2004, will be closed down after 15 years of existence during which it made it to the country’s top-tier I-League in 2012-’13 season after winning the second division league.
“We have come to a decision to shut the club after 15 years of existence for two reasons majorly. Firstly, to focus on grassroot football and secondly, there has been a huge conflict of interest since both Bhaichung and Arjun are now part of the Sikkim Football Association,” the statement signed by Bhaichung read.
United Sikkim FC played in the 2012-13 I-League but was relegated from next season. Since then, the club has been playing in the state premier division (S-League), winning four titles.
“United Sikkim was formed in 2004 by three friends, Bhaichung Bhutia, Arjun Rai and Sherap Lepcha and turned into a professional club for a short period of time in 2011.
It said quite a few players were also sent for trials to different clubs in India.
“Komal Thatal was sent to Kolkata by USFC to play the Manchester Cup, where he was selected for the U-14 Indian team academy. One of the biggest products of USFC is Sandesh Jhingan, currently Indian national team player.”
Besides four state league titles, United Sikkim won the Independence Cup twice.
It was the only club in India to have been sponsored by Nike in the I-League and by Lotto last year, the club statement said.
https://scroll.in/field/938162/baichung-bhutia-shuts-down-former-i-league-club-united-sikkim-fc-after-conflict-of-interest
This trophy used to feature MB EB