The Hindu : Sport : Federation Cup all set for kick-off

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2005

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Sport

Federation Cup all set for kick-off

S.R. Suryanarayan

ZEE Sports to telecast live the matchesEngland's John Helm and Russell Osman to do the commentaryThe stadium arena gives the impression of the stage for a hi-tech cultural extravaganza

— Photo: R. Ragu

FANFARE AND POMP: JCT's Rennedy Singh rehearsing with models ahead of a glittering opening ceremony slated for Wednesday.

MARGAO: Once a glamour event in the Indian football calendar and then neglected somewhere down the line, even renamed once to suit the sponsor, the Federation Cup is all set to regain polish and glamour, thanks to the plans of ZEE Sports, which is to telecast live the matches, starting on Wednesday.

To that extent the Nehru stadium at Fatorda is flooded with equipment of various sizes and sophistication. In a way the stadium arena on the eve of the tournament gives the impression of the stage for a hi-tech cultural extravaganza in readiness. Surely in this scheme of things football has to be at its best and with the best of Indian clubs in the field — sixteen in fact inclusive of all the NFL sides and the top second division sides — no quarters will be asked and none given in terms of competition.

Big change

The one big change that has come about over the years is the over-stress now on foreign talent and the money-flow to get them from various parts of the world. The talk is mostly on which team has a better pair of foreign shooting legs than any promising Indian talent. That is a pity but then clubs are not any charitable homes but virtual business houses where there is no room for sentiments.

On that score the initial reading was that Mahindra United, Mumbai, which has in the Brazilian Ramirez Baretto, not long ago with Mohun Bagan and the Ghana player Yusuf Yakubu, several times NFL's best player award winner, the best striking power. But Yakubu's registration has caused a dent into Mahindra's strength. Then there is Mohun Bagan boasting of a Togo player (Gley Rodrigues) and a Brazilian defender Eduardo, both claimed to be outstanding. East Bengal has in Nigerian Mike Okoro, another smart forward along with a South African, Sydney.

Dempo confident

The list grows but still holder Dempo SC from Goa, look confident for just one reason: It has been consistent. It has topped the Goan pro-league, won the Goa Police Cup and its players, Nigerians Ranty Martins and Baba Tunde included, have been near flawless. As was seen in the recent Super Series cricket, sometimes a collection of champion players need not necessarily deliver the goods but a consistent bunch can do wonders. Dempo's coach Almando Colaco believes in that theory. .

Vasco, Sporting Clube de Goa, Salgaocar, Fransa Pax, Churchill brothers (all Goa), Mohammedan sporting, Tollyginge, JCT, SBT, Air India, HAL and Punjab Police are the other sides each having its own preferences on foreign blood but this much can be said, clubs do not restrict their search to Africa alone now. Where does that leave our Bhutias, Vijayans and Venkateshs et al will be interesting to see in this championship with Zee going all out to help top Indian talents become familiar names domestically.

Perfect setting

`Lights ready... let action begin' well, this could well be the scene at Nehru stadium with floodlights given a prop up and the arch-lights in position. To add spice, Zee has roped in the services of two of England's top football voices — John Helm and Russell Osman — to enthral the TV audience.

All told there is promise of a bright fare, literally too. There are rewards too: Rs. 12 lakh for the winner, Rs. 7 lakh for the runner-up and more.

Wednesday's matches: Dempo vs HAL; Kingfisher East Bengal vs Air India.

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