The Hindu : Sport / Football : SBT begins preparation in the right earnest

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Sunday, Oct 07, 2007
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SBT begins preparation in the right earnest

Principal Correspondent

Six Nigerians attended the selection trials last week
Played practice matches against KSEB and Titanium

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State League Champion State Bank of Travancore has started trials to select foreign players to boost the club’s chances of qualifying for the National Football League.

Six Nigerians — Alex Okoro, Jeribe Kelechi, Ebre Chukuu, Yemi Mobolaji, Idika Onwukask and Topward Kelechi — were in Thiruvananthapuram last week to attend the selection trials.

Of the six, Alex Okoro and Jeribe Kelechi were asked to stay back by the team management.

“Though the second division league championship is only in January, we started the process early this year so that the foreign players would get sufficient time to gel with our players.

Moreover, we wanted to avoid last year’s fiasco with the foreigners joining the team just a few days before an important tournament,” said T.P. Ajith Kumar, Sports Officer, SBT.

“We are on the lookout for either a good striker or an attacking midfielder and a defender. We expect a few more players to attend the trials in the next few days and the selection process would be completed at the end of this month,” he said. Meanwhile, after the off-season, the team has started its preparation in right earnest at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium.

It played a few practice matches against local sides KSEB and Titanium and it gave an opportunity for the team management to test the ability of the foreigners and the newcomers in the squad. “The newcomers are shaping well and we hope to do well this season,” said Ajithkumar.

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