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SBT ropes in three Nigerians

Principal Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to qualify for the elite I league, the Thiruvananthapuram-based State Bank of Travancore has recruited three Nigerians to bolster its football team.

The three Nigerians — Okoro Emeke Alex, Dennis Afam Mark and Jeribe Kelechi — were recruited from among 15 foreigners who attended the selection trails conducted during the last five months. Dennis Afam Mark is a forward and Jeribe Kelechi a midfielder while Okoro Emeke Alex is a defender.

The SBT sports officer T.P. Ajith Kumar said that the three have been offered a contract for one full season and their contracts will be renewed on basis of their performance.

Afam Mark was roped in during the all-India tournament in Sambalpur which SBT won in December. His contract with Bengal Nagpur Railways ended during the Sambalpur all-India tournament and the SBT management which was impressed with him, offered him the contract.

Emeke Alex and Kelechi, who were recruited in October, have been training with the team since then.

The duo played in the all-India tournament in Sambalpur and in the Navy Cup at Kochi, the two tournament which SBT won this season.

Sufficient time

“We wanted to avoid the last year’s fiasco when the foreign recruits arrived on the eve of the team’s departure for second division and made no impact in the tournament. This year we were particular that the foreign recruits were given sufficient time to combine with the local players,” said Ajith Kumar.

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