INDIAN FOOTBALL NEWS 2020 (OCTOBER)

|| || ||

ANTONIO HABAS ARE ON CLOSE DOOR PRACTICE AT GOA

28.10.20: The footballers of ATK Mohun Bagan are preparing under Spanish coach Antonio Habas at the practice turf of Bambolim ground even in the scorching heat of Goa. Antonio Habas incidentally is the most successful coach in the history of Indian Super League who guided his team (ATK) to win the trophy twice out of the six tournaments played so far.

The Spanish coach is following tradition of preparing his team in close door even in the new normal situations. The surroundings are being covered with thick black sheets so that no one can see what is happening inside the practice ground from near by roads. Antonio Habas wants to keep secret his stategies especially the situation from dead ball moves and comers.

ATK Mohun Bagan are now practicing in two sessions even during Puja, which is likely to change from Thursday in order to avoid the heat and humidity at Goa. ATK Mohun Bagan are maintaining almost the same team except a few like Sandesh Jhingan, Subasish Bose, Glen Martins, Brad Inman. This has helped a lot for Habas while preparing for the seventh edition of the tournament.

The footballers are aware of the style of the Spanish coach, who himself have started situation and Positional practice within a very short time. It is expected that Roy Krishna and Brad Inman will start to train themselves after completing the quarantine period from Saturday onwards.

The footballers have had a memorable time in the evening during Puja. The team management arranged for special Bengali delicacies during the dinner which is enjoyed by the footballers.

FIFA President has tested positive for Coronavirus.

27.10.20: 50 years old FIFA President Gianni Infantino has tested positive for Coronavirus. But the Swiss lawyer had mild symptoms and went to self isolation and to remain for 10 days in quarantine. The Global soccer's governing body FIFA said on Tuesday.

' FIFA wishes president Gianni Infantino a speedy recovery.' Recently, FIFA president visited Qatar's progress for hosting the 2022 World Cup and praised after visiting the 60000 capacity Al Bayt stadium.

MANOLO MARQUEZ JOINED HYDERABAD FC'S PRACTICE SESSION

27.10.20: Hyderabad FC Head Coach Manolo Marquez joined the squad and oversaw his first pre-season training session for the club, at HFC’s Training Ground in Guirim on Tuesday. The Spaniard was joined by his fellow overseas coaching staff who stepped on to the field after completing the necessary quarantine procedures.

Monalo after his first practice session told the club media, “Getting back to training felt really good. We spent a long time away from our passion and we spoke about the same with the staff before the start of the training session. I think everyone who loves football would enjoy getting back on to the fiel. The overseas players will obviously be very important for the team. They trained for the first time but I am really happy with the attitude of all the players, including the local players. I think the players are happy as well, as almost the entire team trained together.”

Apart from the staff, Manolo was also joined by the foreign players in the Hyderabad squad in Joel Chianese, Joao Victor, Lluis Sastre, Odei Onaindia, Fran Sandaza and Aridane Santana.

The practice session attended by Assistant Coach Xavi Gurri, who was the interim coach in the latter half last season, along with Thangboi Singto, Jose Carlos Barroso,Strength and Conditioning Coach and Goalkeeping CoachMarc Gamon .

FOOTBALL IS BACK - A STEP TOWARDS NORMALCY

- BY DERRICK PEREIRA, SOURCE: FC GOA MEDIA
27.10.20 Football – sure, it’s just a game. But isn’t it great to have a sniff of the beautiful game back in our senses? Is this a sign we are getting back to normal? Not overwhelmingly! The pandemic still rages on, but anything that reminds us of the good old days is good.

To believe that these are not unprecedented times would be foolhardy. Thus, a touch of normalcy goes a long way. The I-League qualifiers are a great start and the start of ISL isn’t far behind. We’re entering the month of October and still can’t quite figure out how the past few months went by. It’s been tedious and a struggle for most. We have had to cancel so many things and find out ways to do several other things differently.

Family celebrations and festivals have been tamer. We have had to choose to celebrate so many different occasions with social distancing strictly in the peripheral conscience. All of these things have meant the embracing of something we aren’t used to. They aren’t our ‘normal.’ That’s why the smallest of things that remind us of our lives before this pandemic brought the world to a halt, bring a smile to our faces.

The beautiful game has long been known to be entwined with the fabric that makes up Goa. It starts with the little boy trying to play with the bigger ones in their village and those dreams take deeper roots for so many in the days ahead. It’s a cornerstone of our Goan society. You can look back well over 100 years through its lens and see us. There on the beaches, there in the fields, running with a ball at our feet. That’s what it means to us.

Before and even after the liberation of Goa, through both the ages, football was always there. It has been the reason for some of our most joyous days and the little pick-me-up when things have gone a bit awry. Football matters. So do any of the major sporting events. It’s a sign that we’re OKAY. It might not be the same without the fans in the seats and the noises of sheer exuberance and the loud sighs. There will only be a telling silence. But, even that is now a welcome sight as long as there is on the pitch.

What can be better than football and the bright lights beaming on to the pitch in the evening as 22 men battle on?

No one is following social distancing on the football field — it being difficult to tackle a ball carrier otherwise (although if you had seen Bayern Munich in the Champions League, you might think otherwise as they time and again created the 6-foot distance that’s required in grocery stores; the results were predictable).

Maybe you are not a football fan, but this is much bigger. It’s a sign of a return to normal life, and even if you’re still nervous it might improve your state of mind and trick you out of your anxiety. There is research to suggest that the mere act of smiling — even if you’re not particularly happy or have to force yourself — can trick your mind and make you happier. Maybe the return of football produces the same effect.

To see the teams and players slowly coming to Goa and getting ready for arguably the grandest sporting spectacle on Indian soil this year makes me feel we are indeed heading towards that ‘normal’ which is critical.

I would like to conclude this by saying that I would like to thank God and the thousands of frontline workers working around the world to make things safer for us.

AIFF CONGRATULATE MOHAMMEDAN SPORTING FOR QUALIFYING IN I LEAGUE

22.10.20: The Executive Committee of AIFF in a video conference today headed by Mr Praful Patel announced the venews of ISL and I League and congratulate the I League qualifiers. The conference was attended by Senior Vice President Mr. Subrata Dutta, AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das, Vice Presidents Mr. Manvendra Singh, Mr. Larsing Ming, Mr. KMI Mather and all other Executive Committee members attended the meeting.Mr. Chirag Tanna, General Manager, FSDL attended the meeting as an invitee. AIFF Technical Director Mr. Isac Doru was also present.

The Executive of AIFF congratulated Mohammedan Sporting for winning the Hero I-League Qualifiers 2020 and earning a ticket to the Hero I-League 2020-21. The Committee also felt that under current circumstances hosting the Hero Youth Leagues this season won’t be possible, and the Hero Youth Leagues and the Academy Accreditation procedure would kick-off once again from next season onwards. League Committee shall consider organising an U-20 League next season so that the boys who would have played U-18 league this year get the opportunity to showcase their performance in the U-20 League.

The President of AIFF in his massage said, “Congratulations for the completion of the Hero I-League Qualifiers. The Hero ISL is slated to kick-off on November 20. The Hero I-League will be hosted in Kolkata, while the Hero ISL will be held in Goa. Both the cities have been chosen as they have multiple match and practice venues.” While discussing regarding I League qualifying matches at Kolkata and Kalyani, I League CEO Sunanda Dhar said, “There were quite a few lessons for us during the Hero I-League Qualifiers which will help us immensely when we go on to conduct the Hero I-League 2020-21 later in the season. I need to thank the IFA, Mr. Joydeep Mukherjee (Secretary, IFA), Mr. Subrata Dutta and the Government of West Bengal for their stupendous support.”

AIFF Executive Committee also approved the distribution of the COVID Solidarity Fund to the State FAs to support their activities.

ISL 2020-21 SEASON TO START FROM 20TH NOVEMBER AT GOA

21.20.2020 : It's hardly a less than a month now. The top tier league of the country will going to be flagged off on and from the 20th of November at Goa under the strict health protocol due to Covid 19 pandemic. The eleven participating teams are at Goa preparing for the tournament will fight for a spot in the AFC Champions League .

ELEVEN PARTICIPATING TEAMS:
ATK MOHUN BAGAN, BENGALURU FC, KERALA BLASTERS FC, CHENNAIYIN FC, FC GOA, MUMBAI CITY FC, NORTH EAST UNITED FC, ODISHA FC, HYDERABAD FC, JAMSHEDPUR FC, SC EAST BENGAL



FSDL has changed the format of the tournament in the seventh edition of the tournament. All the matches will be played at three different stadiums of Goa instead of different cities of the country. A limited number of people will be allowed to enter the stadium apart from the participating teams, coaching teams, medical units and officials. No spectators are allowed to enter the stadium . Star Sports have made elaborate arrangements to telecast the matches live in India as well as in abroad from 7.30 PM IST.

The attraction of the tournament has changed radically after the inclusion of the top two teams of the country, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Mohun Bagan merged up with ATK forming a new club ATK Mohun Bagan, while East Bengal tied up with an investor Sree Cements Private Limited forming SC East Bengal.

HABAS JOINED THE PRACTICE SESSION AT BAMBOLIM GROUND

19.10.20: The Head coach of ATK Mohun Bagan, Antonio Habas started to train his team at the Bambolim ground, Goa from today onwards after completing fourteen days quarintine period. The Spanish coaching team and the three footballers Tiri, Xavi Hernandez and Edu Gracia joined the practice session from today morning. The Indian squad alreay under phycical and sequence trainning under the two Indian physical trainners since last week.

Since the time of preparation is very short in Indian Super League, Habas has planned for trainning sessions in two phases. The first session will start at morning after breakfast followed by the second session in the evening.

The festive season is round the corner in India and especially in Bengal. ATK Mohun Bagan squad are having a host of footballers from Bengal who will really miss the flavour and excitement of Durga Puja. Antonio Habas himself are quite aware of the greatest ever festival in Bengal. He himself enjoyed Durga Puja during his stay in Kolkata. While interacting with ATK Mohun Bagan media Antonio Habas, the Head coach said that he will going to continue the hard practice session during festive days in order to build up a truly competetive team in the tournament.

INDIAN FOOTBALLERS OF ODISHA FC START TRAINING AT GOA

ODISHA FC MEDIA: 18.10.20: The Indian contingent of Odisha FC started training in groups adhering to all the health and safety norms laid out by the League on Saturday. The players under the guidance of Indian Assistant Coach and former international midfielder Mr. Steven Dias started training at their designated training pitch at Betalbatim, Goa.

Meanwhile, the foreign players have also started arriving at the team hotel. Experienced Defender Steven Taylor and forward Diego Mauricio have already checked in earlier while Hero ISL star Marcelinho and Goalkeeping Coach Rogerio Ramos arrived today.

Expressing his delight after getting on to the field for training, Stefen Dias said, "I am very excited and delighted that finally we have started training on field and I am sure that the players must have been waiting for the same as well. They have worked hard in their respective rooms following the fitness training guidelines by our Strength and Conditioning Coach Joan (Casanova). We all are looking forward to it."

Odisha FC's Head of Football Operations Mr. Abhik Chatterjee explained, "This training session was a very special one for all the players and the staff because everybody set foot on the pitch after a long period of time. The joy and the enthusiasm that the players had was very visible and it showed in the training session. Everybody was just grateful to be practising and training again. Hopefully, the players can keep this level of commitment and enthusiasm going as we will look to go from strength to strength in our pre-season training window under Head Coach Stuart Baxter soon and prepare and give our best in the Indian Super League season."

AIFF handed over the Hero I-League 2019-20 trophy to the champions Mohun Bagan today

18.10.20: AIFF handed over the Hero I-League 2019-20 trophy to the champions Mohun Bagan today in a ceremony held at Hyaat Rerency Hotel Kolkata.. In this occasion Hon'ble Minister of Public Works and Youth Services & Sports of West Bengal Mr. Shri Aroop Biswas was present. AIFF I-League CEO Mr Sunando Dhar, IFA Secretary Mr Jaydeep Mukherjee, Mr. Swapan Sadhan Basu( TUTU)- President of Mohun Bagan AC also were present alongside Mohun Bagan other officials and players. Mohun Bagan earlier won National Football League for three times and I-League for two times so far.


PIC=AIFF PRESS RELEASE

The trophy would be kept on display in a glass cascade from November 2, 2020 to November 5, 2020 from 12 noon to 5.00 pm at Club Tent for members and supporters to click pictures with the coveted trophy. Glory of India - conic Howrah Bridge will be illuminated with traditional Mohun Bagan colours on Sunday and Monday to commemorate the success of the club.

Sunando Dhar praised Mohun Bagan for winning the 2019-20 I-League addressing the “best brand of football” On behalf of the All India Football Federation congratulated entire Mohun Bagan family. AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das sent his best wishes to Mohun Bagan Team and Fans as he was unable to come in the Ceremony for a personal problem.


PIC=AIFF PRESS RELEASE

Hon'ble Minister of Public Works and Youth Services & Sports of West Bengal Mr. Aroop Biswas told "I would like to congratulate Mohun Bagan from the bottom of my heart for their stupendous success. I would request the century-old club to strengthen their Academy so more Bengali youngsters get the opportunity to represent at the highest stage,” he averred. “For an institution like Mohun Bagan winning a trophy is not the primary target. For a club that has won 200-odd trophies over time, the path-breaking journey is more important”, he said.

Mohun Bagan president Mr. Swapan Sadhan Bose (Tutu) remembered ex- General Cecretary Late Anjan Mitra.

IFA General Secretary Mr. Jaydeep Mukherjee also Congratulated Mohun Bagan. He added that Mohun bagan need to be applauded for their tremendous effort. Their performance speaks volume and their Hero I-League triumph has brought further glory to Bengal Football.

After ending of the ceremony, a procession of Mohun Bagan supporters started from Hyatt Regency to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club with the I-League trophy. four floating sky balloons coloured with Mohun bagan Green and Maroon has been released from Howrah, Dharmatala, Deshapriya Park, and Hedua-Vivekananda Road.

COACHES AND FOOTBALLERS OF SC EAST BENGAL REACHED AT GOA TO PARTICIPATE IN ISL

16.10.20: The British coach of SC East Bengal, Robbie Fowler, the legend of Liverpool and his supporting team reached Goa to paticipate in the seventh edition of forth coming Indian Super League. According to the sources, the newly recruit foreign footballers, Danny Fox, Anthony Pilkington and Aaron Amadi Holloway arrived at Goa with Head Coach Robbie Fowler. The footballers and coaches reached Mumbai Airport early in the morning from where they reached Goa. Robert Mimis, the goalkeeper coach likely to reach Goa early next week.

It is reported that eighteen Indian footballers of SC East Bengal reached Goa this evening from their home town. Seven footballers, Md Rafiq, Samad Ali Mullick, Rafiq Ali Sardar, Sankar Roy, Narayan Das, Debjit Majumdar and Jeje Lalpeklua left Kolkata for Goa this morning. They reached Goa from Mumbai in the evening.

The Coaching team and footballers will now follow the strict rules due to Covit-19 pandemic, implemented by FSDL and local administration from their rooms at Hotel Hilton resorts at North Goa before they start their pre season trainning.

MOHUN BAGAN TO RECEIVE ILEAGUE TROPHY IN A CEREMONIAL FUNCTION

16.10.20: The defending champions Mohun Bagan will receive Hero I-League Trophy at a ceremonial function at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Kolkata on Sunday, October 18, 2020. The Minister of Youth Services and Sports and PWD, Mr Aroop Biswas will be the Chief Guest of the event. The I League CEO, Mr. Sunando Dhar, would be present on behalf of the All India Football Federation on the special day. Mohun Bagan club President Mr Swapan Sadhan Bose and the entire Executive Committee members of the club will observe the function from the ball room of the hotel .

Iconic Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu) will be illuminated with traditional Mohun Bagan colours on 18-Oct-20 & 19-Oct-20 from 6.30 PM to 10.00 PM to commemorate the success of I League champion.

As some of the footballers are busy in ISL camp, the Trophy would be handed over to players and coaches who are available at Kolkata. The coaches and players will not be able to join the program physically due to the current pandemic scenario and commitments with their respective ISL teams. Mohun Bagan have organised to take them on a live Zoom call so they can be part of the event virtually and enjoy the memorable moment . The event would start off with the champion song followed by an audio-visual of the I-League journey for 2019-20 season.

The Mariners were forced to organise the programme in a hotel room instead of the club lawn following the protocols laid down by the Central and State Government due the ongoing Covit 19 pandemic. But the members and supporters can view the programme live on social media and club website.

Post to the ceremonial function a procession is organised with the Hero I-League Trophy from Hotel Hyatt Regency to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club through the street of Kolkata where the fans would have a chance to enjoy the occasion..

KHALID JAMIL ADMITTED AFTER TESTED COVID-19 POSITIVE

15.10.20: North East United, the team of Indian Super League today intimated in a press note that their Assistant Coach, Khalid Jamil is undergoing treatment in a hospital at Goa after he is tested Covid-19 positive. Khalid is admitted as a precautionary measure and he is keeping well.

The press note also states that Khalid cleared all his test before travelling to Goa but tested positive after his arrival.

ROBBIE FOWLER & INDIAN FOOTBALLERS OF SC EAST BENGAL TO REACH GOA TOMORROW

15.10.20: The team members of SC East Bengal will reach Goa from 16th of October to participate in the maiden ISL campaign. Head coach of the Kolkata team, Robbie Fowler, Indian Assistant coach Renedy Singh along with the other support staffs will reach team hotel tomorrow. Robert mimms, the Goal keeping coach are expected to arrive at Goa early next week.

The Indian footballers Sankar Ray, Debjit Majumdar, Rafiq Ali Sardar, Md Rafique, Samad Ali Mallick, Narayan Das, Mirshad, Jeje Lalpeklua, Balwant Singh,Eugeneson Lyngdoh will reach Goa from their home towns. The footballers and coaches will be at quarantine at their team hotel following the strict rules of CoviD 19 adopted by FSDL, AIFF and local administration.

After the signing of Scott Neville, the officials of East Bengal are in a target to sign six more overseas footballers for the forth coming season. Sources reveal that Premier League footballers Danny Fox, Anthony Pilkkington and Brisbane Roar midfielder Aaron Amadi is almost set to finalize the deal with SC East Bengal. The officials are engaged in discussing with the some footballers of A League and Premier League which is expected to finalize soon.

KHALID JAMIL ADMITTED AFTER TESTED COVID-19 POSITIVE

15.10.20: North East United, the team of Indian Super League today intimated in a press note that their Assistant Coach, Khalid Jamil is undergoing treatment in a hospital at Goa after he is tested Covid-19 positive. Khalid is admitted as a precautionary measure and he is keeping well.

The press note also states that Khalid cleared all his test before travelling to Goa but tested positive after his arrival.

HABAS TO START TRAINING AT BAMBOLIM FROM MONDAY

15.10.20: The Spanish coach of ATK Mohun Bagan Antonio Habas will be the the first coach of the forth coming Indian Super League 2020-21 who will start to train his team from Monday at the practice turf of the Bambolim stadium, Goa after completing fourteen days quarantine at Goa.The coaching staffs and the three Spanish footballers Xavi Hernandez, Edu Gracia and Tiri will start field training from Monday onward.

The twenty Indian footballers are busy in their hard schedule at Bambolim under two Indian physical trainers. The coaching style and pattern seems to be much different and harder after Antonio Habas joins hi steam from Monday onward. While interacting, Habas said that they is a lot of difference between online training and practical training on the turf of the practice ground. But we have to respect and abide the rules imposed by FSDL and administration.

Fijian international Roy Krishna, is yet to arrive at Goa. He and Australian midfielder Brad Inman is expected to join the camp within Sunday. The other foreigners David Williams and Carl McHugh are at fourteen days quarantine after reaching on Monday at Goa. The Spanish coach will resume his training with twenty three footballers now, are expecting to get his full squad in the first week of November.

GRADUATES OF RELIANCE FOUNDATION SET TO JOIN ISL CLUBS

14.10.20: The young graduates of Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) academy in Navi Mumbai are now set to join the ISL clubs after they trained at the academy for five years. Nine graduates of the first batch are now set to tied up with the ISL clubs for the forth coming season.

It is intimated that Aritra Das, Muhammed Basith PT & Birendra Singh are headed to Kerala Blasters FC, G Balaji & Aqib Nawab will be at Chennaiyin FC, Muhammed Nemil at FC Goa, Thoi Singh at Bengaluru FC, Ayush Chhikara at Mumbai City FC and Koustav Dutta at Hyderabad FC. G Balaji & Aqib Nawab signs for a two years deal while other seven young stars agreed to three year contracts.

The Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, Mrs Nita Ambani in her massage said, “It is a matter of great pride and joy for us that our young champs from RFYC have embarked on their professional footballing journey with ISL. We started the academy in 2015 to provide a pathway for talented young players across India to build successful professional careers in the sport. These boys arrived at RFYC in their early teens and I am delighted that they step out today as highly skilled players, who have earned a place with the best football clubs in the country.”

The Reliance Academy has earned a Two-Star Academy status by the Asian Football Confederation, the first ever academy to earn such status in India. The recognition came as another feather in the cap after it became the first youth academy in India to be granted a 5-star rating by the AIFF Academy Accreditation process in 2019. AFC grants two-star status only after an academy meets rigorous criteria based on its ability to provide leadership, planning, organisation, staffing, recruitment, finance, facilities, coaching, player health, coaching and fitness among other requirements.

At present the academy has 65 young footballers with 22 full-time staff. RFYC also supports AIFF’s coach education efforts, to help strengthen India’s wider sports knowledge eco-system.

FC GOA PREPARING UNDER CLIFFORD WHILE SPANISH BRIGADE IS UNDER QUARINTINE

FC GOA MEDIA - 14.10.20: The new season of the ISL is well and truly upon us and this week saw the arrival of FC Goa’s Spanish contingent. Head Coach Juan Ferrando was accompanied by Strength and Conditioning Coach Javier Gonzalez along with 5 players - Edu Bedia, Igor Angulo, Jorge Ortiz, Ivan Gonzalez and Alberto Noguera.

The Spaniards will now head into a 14-day quarantine as per protocols. The Indian contingent will meanwhile continue to practice under the watchful eyes of Assistant Coach Clifford Miranda with Juan Ferrando taking note of everything remotely via recordings of the sessions till 14th October, before they enter a seven day quarantine. The entire squad will be in action for the first time by the third week of October.

Ferrando is looking forward to finally interacting with the players on a personal level once the quarantine period is over and is delighted at having landed in India - nearly 6 months after his appointment. “I’m very excited and happy because we are here now. All these days, I have had to interact with the coaching and medical staff on video calls. I am now eager to meet them along with the players face to face,” exclaimed the new FC Goa head coach.

“To be honest, I would have loved to be here even earlier to get a feel of the place, but the circumstances as we all know, were not conducive to that. To be in the office with the coaches and work on the pitch - these are the things I love to do. And finally, I’m an inch closer to doing so. Instead of looking back and looking at the challenges, I would rather look forward to the season ahead of us. We have to factor everything in and make the best out of it.”

The season will be unlike any other season in Indian football, let alone the Indian Super League. With the pandemic raging on, the players will remain isolated whilst the stands will be bereft of fans. However, with the safety of everyone on the top of the list in terms of priorities, the protocols demand stringent checks all over.

“It will surely be very difficult for everyone this season, but that is the same for everyone,” added Ferrando. “We are living in isolation. We’ll be together for 7 months in the same hotel. A number of players will have to spend time away from their families and homes.

It will be a task, no doubt, but this year, we have to do it for our fans and supporters. They won’t be able to be with us in the stands, but we know about the passion that they carry in their hearts. And this is a season, we will look to fight all adversities and dedicate it to them.”

Carlton Chapman always played with a smile on his face, recall former teammates

Amidst India’s first sporting tournament post the COVID-19 Lockdown - the Hero I-League Qualifiers 2020, the nation awoke to a tragic piece of news on Monday (October 12, 2020) as former Indian National Team captain Carlton Chapman had passed away. The former midfielder used to operate in the centre of the park for the Blue Tigers in the late 1990s and the early 2000s and had even donned the captain’s armband, leading icons like IM Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia on the pitch.

PIC=AIFF PRESS RELEASE

CHAMPMAN SCORE RECORD FOR EAST BENGAL - STAT BY NARAYAN DASGUPTA
Carltol Chapman scored 34 Goals in East Bengal Jersey in his two Spell Playing. Additionaly he also score two more goals for Red and Gold Jersey..
. In the year 1993-94 season he scored 10 goals for East Bengal. ( Including a hattrick against Al Zawra of Iraq at the Asian Cup Winners' Cup where East Bengal won that match on 06/08/1993 by 6-2)
In the year 94=95 season he also scored 10 goals for Red and Gold Jersey.
In the year 1998-1999 season he scored 5 goals for East Bengal ( Including 2 goals against Mohun Bagan one in the Final of Federation Cup on 12/09/1998 and other he scored 1 GOAL IN NFL RETURN LEAGUE on 10/3/99)
In the year 1999-2000 he scored 4 goals for East Bengal
In the Year 2000-2001 season Chapman scored 5 goals for East Bengal ( Including Derby score against Mohun Bagan in CFL on 29/07/2000).
Other than these 34 Goals he also scored 2 goals in a 5-a-side Inyernational invitational Tournament for East Bengal in 1993 against Mohun Bagan and Argentina Team.

“He was like a younger brother to me. We were practically family. This is not an easy loss to take,” Chapman’s former teammate IM Vijayan, who had played with the former midfielder for both club (JCT) and India, said to the-aiff.com. “He was a really nice person, both on and off the pitch. Generally, things do get heated at times when you are on the pitch as a footballer, but I do not remember him ever getting angry at anyone.”

Bruno Coutinho, under whose captaincy Chapman had donned the blue jersey for the National Team, felt that Indian football has not only lost one of its great former players, but also a quality coach. “I was shocked to hear such sad news early in the morning when I got a message of his passing away from a mutual friend. This is indeed a great loss for us all. He had been coaching for a long time after he was done with his playing career, and was bringing through some talented players,” said Coutinho. Former India striker Dipendu Biswas, who was a cadet with Chapman at the Tata Football Academy back, revealed how the midfielder had guided him in their earlier years. “Carlton-da was such a nice person. He was a year or two senior to us but he used to take care of us and guide us in various matters. I remember he would even take us out for dinner on the weekends, back when we were at the Academy,” said Biswas. The ex-striker has a rather special memory with his fellow TFA cadet – his first goal in a Kolkata Derby.“I remember we were both in East Bengal at that time and I managed to score my first ever goal in a Kolkata Derby. The cross had in fact come from Carlton-da. I can’t even begin to tell you how special that moment was for me,” Biswas reflected. “I still have that picture with him in my room. That first derby goal is always special, and I am happy to have shared that moment with Carlton-da.”

SHOCKING NEWS: FORMER NATIONAL TEAM CAPTAIN CARLTON CHAPMAN PASSES AWAY

12.10.20: Former India Captain Carlton Chapman passes away today morning after being hospitalised on Sunday night. According to the Bengaluru hospital sources the cause of his death was due to a massive heart attack, he was 49 years old. Carlton Chapman is one of the best midfielders of India has ever seen. Carlton was the captain of the Indian team and played for the Indian national team from 1991 to 2001. He played for NFL teams East Bengal and JCT. As a midfielder, he represented India between 1995- 2001,


Chapman began his club career with Sai Centre, Bangalore in the mid-1980s. He then played for Southern Blues, a Bangalore club, and Tata Football Academy, Jamshedpur, before signing for East Bengal in 1993. In his first season with East Bengal, he scored a hat-trick against the Iraqi club Al-Zawra at the Asian Cup Winners' Cup, a match that Bengal won 6-2.
After one season with Kochi in 1997–98, Chapman returned to East Bengal in 1998. The team won the I-League under his captaincy in 2001, before he announced his retirement from professional football. He decided to hang up boots 2001 season when he played for East Bengal and After 6-7 months he appointed as scout of Tata Football Academy. In 2013, he was signed by Bhawanipore FC, a Kolkata based club, that plays in the I-League 2nd Division.

Carlton Chapman started coaching carrier as a coach, with I-League 2nd Division club Tata Football Academy from 2002 to 2008, After 6 years at TFA, Chapman moved to Royal Wahingdoh FC. Chapman began his club career with Sai Centre, Bangalore in the mid-1980s. He then played for Southern Blues, a Bangalore club, and Tata Football Academy, Jamshedpur, before signing for East Bengal in 1993.

He also made Carlton Chapman Football Academy (CCFA) which was a football academy based in Bangalore. Owned and coached by Carlton Chapman.

Full name	: Carlton Anthony Chapman
Date of birth	: 13 April 1971 (age 49)
Place of birth	: Bangalore, Mysore State, India
Date of death	: 12 October 2020
Height	        : 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Playing         : Midfielder

Years	        Team	 
?–1991	        Southern Blues		
1991–1993	Tata Football Academy		
1993–1995	East Bengal		
1995–1997	JCT Mills		
1997–1998	Kochin		
1998–2001	East Bengal
		
National team
1991–2001	India		
Teams managed
2002–2008	Tata Football Academy
2008	        Royal Rangers
2009–2013	Royal Wahingdoh
2013–2014	Bhawanipore FC
2014–2016	Students Union
2016–2017	Sudeva Moonlight FC
2017–	        Quartz FC

ATK MOHUN BAGAN STARTS THEIR PRACTICE AT BAMBOLIN: JOBBY JUSTIN JOINS CAMP AFTER RECOVERING FROM CORONA

11.10.20: The footballers of ATK Mohun Bagan squad started their practice at the Bambolim stadium at Goa from Saturday evening. Twenty Indian footballers were at outdoor practice session after a fourteen days quarintine at the picturesque Novotel resort which is close to Candolim beach, Goa.

ATK Mohun Bagan's Indian footballers Arindam Bhattacharjee, Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, were dressed from their hotel room instead of the dressing rooms of the stadium following the rules of FSDL and AIFF due to covid pandemic. The hard practice session ends after two hours. The Spanish footballers were absent as they were still in quarintine.

Meanwhile, Jobby Justin joined ATK Mohun Bagan camp at Goa after recovering from Corona virus. Jobby were tested positive twice, had to admitted for ten days at a hospital in Trivandrum. He was in home quarintine for fifteen days are now allowed to join the team's camp at Goa after a round of medical tests.

Jobby Justin attended the virtual physical trainning sessions twice a day which was conducted by the physical trainner of ATK Mohun Bagan from Madrid. Jobby was not rugular in ATK squad in the previous season. He was included in first eleven in three matches and came in as a substitute in seven matches. Jobby had a remarkable season in East Bengal in the year 2018, scored goals in many important matches as well as in the Derby matches against Mohun Bagan. The Keralian striker are confident to prove himself in the forth coming Indian Super League after after securing a place in the first eleven.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMME LAUNCHED BY BENGALURU FC

BFC MEDIA - 10.10.2020: Bengaluru FC, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, announced the launch of Care Around The Corner – the Club’s programme to raise awareness on mental health and provide the players and staff with on-call professional help through the season.

The programme entails bringing on board a professional mental health expert who will conduct regular sessions with the first team and staff, along with sessions for the academy teams. The players and staff will also have access to the mental health expert for one-on-one consults at all times by way of video sessions.

“Mental health in sport is such an important conversation, but it’s also one that we don’t have as much as we should in Indian sport. We felt a definite need to add this aspect to the team for this season, and every season going forward. Care Around The Corner is a very important step we are taking to ensure that our players and staff fully understand the importance of mental wellness as well as have access to professional help whenever they feel the need arise. Also, the circumstances surrounding the season will begin to get harder with every passing day, and we feel the programme can play a big role now, more than ever.

We will continue to grow this programme with small steps,” said club CEO, Mandar Tamhane. Adding solidity to the programme is the knowledge share provided by club partners Rangers FC on the subject. Rangers’ team of mental health experts will be conducting workshops with the team and staff to introduce the subject and create awareness around it.

“We have been in constant touch with our friends at Rangers who have a fantastic player care programme in place. And having them lend their expertise to Care Around The Corner is yet another example of how beneficial our partnership has been,” added Tamhane. Players and staff aside, the club will also use its presence to create awareness about the subject of mental well-being.

Club goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has been vocal about the importance of mental wellness and seeking professional help in the past, said that the Care Around The Corner programme is one the team will benefit from immensely. “I think it'll be great. I want every player and staff member to use this as an opportunity to become better and have a better understanding about your own self, because as men and as football players we are always told to be strong and not feel. I think it is important to have a safe and a non-judgmental space in a professional club so that players can open up and look after themselves and those around them.”

EAST BENGAL OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THEIR ENTRY IN ISL

8.10.20: East Bengal will be the 11th team to participate in the seven edition of Indian Super League.
After the official announcement from the founder and chairperson of FSDL, Mrs Nita Ambani, today the newly formed company Sree Cement East Bengal Foundation informed the club's participation in ISL from 2020-21 in a press note.

East Bengal club management thanked Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and Mrs Nita Ambani for recognising the legacy of century old institution. The Managing Director of Sree Cement Mr Hari Mohan Bangur in his massage thanked the chief minister of West Bengal Smt Mamata Banerjee for her continuous support which ultimately helped East Bengal to get an entry in the top tier league of the country. Mr Bangur also thanked Mrs Nita Ambani for her constant encouragement which helped the dream of the century old club into reality.

Meanwhile, East Bengal will declare the name of their Head coach shortly. Sources reveal the Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler are among the front liners out of the short listed coaches. East Bengal are in close contract with the agent in order recruit the foreign footballers. The declaration regarding the inclusuion of foreign footballers will be announced officially within a day or so.

DERBY IN ISL WILL ADD A NEW FLAVOR : HABAS

7.10.20: The Head coach of ATK Mohun Bagan ,Antonio Habas started his mission within a very short time after his arrival at the camp at Goa. The Spanish coach along with his coaching team reached Goa on Sunday morning after a long thirty hours journey from Madrid.
Antonio Habas is following the guideline adopted by the local administration and FSDL following the pandemic caused by Corona virus since last six months.

Though he himself is in quarantine now but he is closing monitoiring the practice sessions virtually. Apart from Roy Krishna, John Johnson and David Willams all the footballers are at camp, busy in the physical training classes in three session under Alvaro Ross. Habas wants ATK Mohun Bagan to start the field training and match practices only after all the footballers of the squad completes the period of quarantine.

While discussing with the ATK Mohun Bagan Media, the Spanish coach Antonio Habas said that Derby will add a new flavor in the history of Indian Super League. He knows the enthusiasm between the supporters of top two clubs in the most high profile match of the country. Though he will play against East Bengal like the other matches of the competition but he will target for full points and wants to bag the first even Derby in Indian Super League.

Antonio Habas is literally pleased with the beautiful atmosphere and facilities of ATK Mohun Bagan camp at Goa and is optimistic to do a remarkable result in the forth coming tournament.

FOOTBALL TO START IN INDIA WITH I LEAGUE QUALIFIERS

7.10.20: The 2020-21 football season in India will going to start with the I League qualifiers on and from the 8th of November at Yubabharati Kriangan,Kolkata and Kalyani Minicipal Stadium, Kalyani simultaneously. AIFF were forced to called of the season at the end of March 2020, following the pandemic caused by Corona virus world wide. In fact football is first competetive outdoor sport to start in India after a long gap of almost six and a half months.

The I League qualifiers wiil start following the strict protocol adopted by the administration and All India Football Fedaration. The matches will be close door with a limited number of people are allowed to enter the ground apart from the footballers and officials and medical teams. Even the media people are not allowed to enter the stadium to cover the matches and the pre and post match conferences. It is instructed the the Local Organizing Committee along with AIFF will organise the virtual pre and post match press conferences. The footballers and officials involved will be under bio-bubble throughout the tournament.

The champion or the top team in the qualifying round will be allowed to participate in I League which will be played at the end of December. Five teams, Md Sporting Club, Bhawanipore FC, Garhwal FC, Ara FC and FC Bengaluru United will play in round robin league format. The top team will be qualified to participate in Hero I League 2020-21. The opening day will feature Bhawanipore FC and FC Bengaluru FC playing their first match at Kolkata at 12.30pm, while Md Sporting Club will face the challange of Garhwal FC at Kayani at 4.30pm.

FIFA TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ATTENDED BY MEMBERS ASSOCIATION

FIFA MEDIA-6.10.20: Over 200 member associations across all confederations have signed up for FIFA’s first-ever Talent Development Programme, setting a new benchmark for initiatives created by world football’s governing body in the area. The list comprises, among many others, the current men’s and women’s world champions, France and the USA respectively, as well as member associations that have never qualified for a FIFA tournament.

Launched in January 2020 by FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, the programme aims to provide member associations with a thorough analysis of their high‑performance ecosystem in both men’s and women’s football, including all national teams, domestic leagues, scouting projects and academies, in order to ensure that every talented player gets a chance to reach their potential.

“The whole world has signed up for the FIFA Talent Development Programme. We are very proud of the high number of participants and the trust that all member associations have given us. With trust comes responsibility, though: we have to be swift, helpful, knowledgeable and efficient,” said Wenger.

“The success of the programme will be based on good communication and a precise analysis of the needs of every member association so that we can deliver a report and provide tailor‑made support. We also want to create opportunities, for example through best practice models, in which member associations can learn from each other and have the possibility to think outside of the box and their own environment,” he added.

As health remains the main priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, online tools are set to play a key role in the implementation of the Talent Development Programme. A group of 30 FIFA experts, including former USA women’s national team coach April Heinrichs, ex-England manager Steve McClaren and former Premier League Director of Football Development Ged Roddy, have been replacing their on-site visits with remote assessments and – based on online surveys and interviews – will produce a report for each of the member associations, thus mapping their technical ecosystems.

“Thanks to technology, football can stay united despite the distance. We have received positive feedback from the member associations, as they are eager to start. Football has a huge educational responsibility. The FIFA Talent Development Programme is aimed at giving a chance to every child in the world who wants to play football and help him or her to improve and experience positive emotions. I hope the programme can help children to become top-level players, or if not, at least give them the opportunity to follow their dreams and play the game that they love,” concluded Wenger.

In 2021, FIFA will focus on the implementation of tailor-made technical programmes for each member association with a view to tackling potential challenges and maximising the comparative advantages that each association possesses.

MD SPORTING TIED UP WITH BUNKERHILL AS INVESTOR

5.10.20: The 130 years old club of Indian football, MD Sporting are now tied up with Bunkerhill as their prime investor. The deal was officially announced in a media meeting at Kolkata in presence of a host of Md Sporing and Bunkerhill officials.

This is indeed an inspiring news for Indian football as Md Sporting finds an investor when they are about to participate in the I League Qualifiers which will going to start from 8th of October.



Bunkerhill is a Sports Management company will aid for the development MD Sporting in grass root level as well as in the senior team . The main target of Bunkerhill and Md Sporting is to play ISL in near future after being successful mission in I League qualifiers and ultimately in I League.

While addressing in the meeting ex international footballer and Football Secretary of the century old club Dipendu Biswas thanked two officials of Bunkerhill, Aditya Raj and Dipak Kumar Singh for their interest and investment . Dipendu said that we are dreaming for an entry in ISL, hope with the inclusion of our new investor it seems possible now.



Aditya Raj, one of the officials of Bunkerhill is optimistic to keep the legacy of 130 years old club. His company will help in the development of grass root with a target to play Indian Super League in near future.

On loan to Bhawanipore FC, Shilton keen to prove a point

AIFF PRESS RELEASE 03.10.20 : Two-time Hero I-League champion Shilton Paul had moved to his ancestral place Habra in the district of 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal to resume his training regime ahead of the forthcoming Hero I-League qualifier 2020 where he’d don the Bhawanipore FC colours.

He has signed for Churchill Brothers FC Goa for the Hero I-League season but the Goan club have released him on loan to play for Bhawanipore FC for the Hero I-League qualifiers 2020.

The qualifiers which kicks-off on October 8 simultaneously in Kalyani and Kolkata is the first-ever sporting event in India across all sports post the Covid lockdown taking Indian Football Forward Together.


“Amidst the pandemic and lockdown I couldn’t just sit back and keep waiting for the normalcy to come back. As the situation is a bit better in this area, I decided to move to Habra from Kolkata,” Shilton informed in an exclusive interview with www.i-league.org.

“After having a fourteen-year-long career in Mohun Bagan now I have a few fresh challenges in front of me. I am ready to take them head-on. Before joining Churchill Brothers, this Hero I-League qualifier will provide me with a perfect opportunity to assess my abilities and where I do need some fine-tuning. Shifting to Habra certainly laid out more opportunities to train without much fuss,” the 32-year-old goalkeeper maintained.

“This is my ancestral place and I have grown up here. I never hesitate to go there whenever I want to. The Gostha Paul Football Academy, Habra allowed me to use their ground and equipment for training. Moreover, I would like to thank my coach Monotosh Roy who helped me a lot since the lockdown started.”

Shilton, after graduating from Tata Football Academy in 2006, signed with the Mariners and since then he continued his journey with the Green and Maroons until they won their second Hero I-League with Papa Diawara scoring the winner against Aizawl FC at the Kalyani Stadium on March 10, 2020.

“It’s a surreal feeling. You can imagine the amount of emotional connection I could have with the club who I have played for fourteen years. But as a senior professional, I’ll have more responsibility in Bhawanipore FC and I’m ready to accept those fresh challenges,” the recipient of the “Goalkeeper of Hero I-League” in 2017-18 stated.

He feels Shankarlal Chakraborty has built up a team which is “balanced and focused” to break the Hero I-League jinx this time.

“As a professional, every match is equally important for me and now my focus is to help Bhawanipore FC qualify to Hero I-League. There are some promising youngsters alongside the experienced seniors in the mix and the synergy is perfect. If we can play up to our potential and execute the plans, the target can be surely achieved,” Paul sounded confident.

Hero I-League Qualifiers to ‘set the precedent’ for others in ‘safe environment,’ feel players and coaches

AIFF PRESS RELEASE 02.10.20 : Stuck within the four walls of a hotel room a number of players are trying to find different ways to pass their time during the four-day isolation period that they face after they arrived in Kolkata for the Hero I-League Qualifier 2020 - the first sporting tournament that will be held in India post the COVID-19 Pandemic.




Some are in constant touch with their friends and families over the phone, while others go back to the lockdown days trying to engage in different exercises which can be conducted in the rooms, while some have even taken to meditation. Occasionally a knock is heard on the door, and upon opening it, one would find trays of food left at the doorstep by the hotel staff. Once the meal is devoured, the trays are put back outside the door, as the hotel staff clears them up.

“It’s more it feels a bit like a five-star prison, doesn’t it,” joked ARA FC captain Syed Shoaib Ahmed. “But in all seriousness, extreme times call for extreme measures, and the pandemic has brought about such times upon us.” Shoaib and his teammates are a few of the players who have been practising the art of meditation over the course of the four-day buffer period in order to maintain equilibrium of the mind.

“It can get a bit boring stuck inside the four walls for a few days but meditation has really helped us. We obviously do our physical training as well, but a series of breathing meditation routines have helped us stay mentally fresh,” he further said.

Bhawanipore FC goalkeeper Shilton Paul is one of the players who has acclimatised himself to staying indoors during the lockdown. However, even back then the prospect of football starting with the Hero I-League Qualifier 2020 being the first sporting tournament to be held in India seemed to be a distant prospect.

“Ever since the lockdown had started I was doing all my training at home itself. Of course, once the lockdown was over, we could get back to the field, but I never really imagined that the Hero I-League Qualifier will be leading the way for not just football, but all sports in India,” said Paul. Garhwal FC owner Kishore Taid lauded the proactiveness of the tournament organisers to introduce strict measures that would allow everyone within the game to go about their duties in a safe manner, and take Indian football forward together.

“We have seen a lot of proactiveness from the AIFF in terms of putting in place the measures that would ensure the safety of the players and officials. Initially, I did not expect that such a feat could be pulled off,” said Taid. “Even cricket has had to host the Indian Premier League outside the country. But the measures have given us the confidence that this can be done.”

Mohammedan Sporting head coach Yan Law feels that everyone involved in the Hero I-League Qualifier would be setting the precedent as to how a sporting tournament could be held in India in the times of the “new normal.” “We are all finding different ways to cope with the situation. Of course, there are a lot of safety measures put in place, and this is really the first time that any team in our country are going through these measures,” said Law. “As of now, we are all trying to figure out the best way to keep our teams in shape both physically and mentally during this four-day isolation period.”