Santosh Trophy kicks off today

By Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI, OCT. 31. Indian football is running away from reality by expecting the National football championships to be a viable proposition at a time when club football is dominant.

Playing for pride cannot be expected to be the sole motivational factor for the country's leading players when their clubs expect them to go all out in the high-profile National Football League and the recently-revived Federation Cup.

Since there is no question of State associations paying appearance money, even a fraction of the fancy amounts being offered as contracts by clubs, there would have been a chance of leading Indian footballers taking the Santosh Trophy more seriously, despite their professional commitments, if this inter- State tournament had been scheduled as a selection trial to choose Indian probables for an international assignment.

The postponement of the Afro-Asian Games in New Delhi and the cancellation of the South Asian Federation Games in Islamabad due to security problems in the Asian sub-continent has robbed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) of an opportunity to put a premium on participation in the 57th Santosh Trophy championships, commencing in Mumbai on Thursday, with Services taking on Rajasthan in the opener.

The only saving grace for the beleaguered federation, battling with unexpected developments, is that the Santosh Trophy will be immediately followed by the National Games in Punjab, giving the 28 State teams an opportunity to test their mettle and try out combinations at Mumbai before finalising their respective Games squads.

``Critics can say what they want,'' said federation secretary Mr. Albert Colaco, speaking to The Hindu in Mumbai, prior to a managers' meeting. ``For us in the AIFF the Santosh Trophy has its place in the football calendar.''

Mr. Colaco said the States have been given an option of fielding the same teams for the National Games, in which case sides making the final can proceed to Punjab direct from Mumbai, or else send different teams. ``Most of the State associations may not have taken the Santosh Trophy announcement seriously, hoping the tournament will be postponed. Now they know it won't happen and all events scheduled by the federation will be held on allotted dates, the States will have to take a more serious view,'' he said.

The federation is also simultaneously looking at an overall review of the Santosh Trophy, including the format, the payment structure and facilities for teams etc. ``A report on the review of the Santosh Trophy will be ready by the time the Mumbai event ends. We are looking at the whole picture, including the Santosh Trophy format, and will go by the suggestions in the report based on ideas gained from participating States. The federation is not averse to change.''

A switch in the format from centralised to zonal, like in Ranji Trophy cricket or National Hockey where elite sides compete in the main event after progressing through zonal tournaments, will make it easier for clubs to release star players, who will be located closer to base and for shorter periods.

There will also be no shortage of States coming forward to host the final Santosh Trophy phase, featuring eight or 12 select teams studded with stars because sponsors and spectators will be interested.

The winds of change are already being felt in Mumbai, with insurance taken out for the first time on every participating player, 18 per team figuring in the 57th Santosh Trophy. ``The federation already has a policy of insuring players in every tournament organised by the AIFF. Accordingly, the Western India Football Association insured each player for Rs 1 lakh,'' said the AIFF secretary.

Confirming the same, Mr. Wali Mohammed, the WIFA secretary, revealed that apart from the Rs. 1 lakh personal insurance on each State player, the organisers have decided to take out an additional Rs. 25,000 insurance against medical expenses incurred per player, both matters handled by New India Assurance. WIFA will also be bearing the lodging expenses of all 28 teams.

Delighted at this development, the Karnataka team manager Mr. A.D. Nagendra chose to dwell on the football part, prior to his team's first match against Jammu & Kashmir, an unknown factor, at the Cooperage ground on Thursday.

``Internationals like Balaji in goal, Dhanesh in the defence and Sheikh Sanjib in the forwardline, all experienced players, are eager to get going,'' he said. Sanjib and deputy goalkeeper Gumpe Rime are known faces here, having played for Bengal Mumbai Football Club in the Mumbai Super League and Rovers Cup.

Manjit Singh, ex-Mahindras striker and one of the stars in the Indian Telephone Industries line-up this season, is a notable omission, having opted to return to Maharashtra, according to Mr. Nagendra.

Toppers from each of eight clusters join four teams (champion Maharashtra, runner-up Kerala, Bengal and Goa) in the quarterfinals stage which ends on November 12. The semifinals will be held on November 15 and the final on November 17.

lThe Groupings: Cluster I (Services, Rajasthan); Cluster II (Manipur, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh), Cluster III (Railways, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh), Cluster IV (Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura), Cluster V (Assam, Pondicherry, Madhya Pradesh); Cluster VI (Karnataka, Daman & Diu, Jammu & Kashmir); Cluster VII (Delhi, Chandigarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Orissa); Cluster VIII (Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat).

lQuarterfinal groupings: Group A (Kerala, Winner of Cluster V, Winner of Cluster VII); Group B (Bengal, W-VI, W-VIII); Group C (Maharashtra, W-I, W-III); Group D (Goa, W-II, W-IV).

Semifinals: Winner Group A vs Winner Group B; Winner Group C vs Winner Group D.

lThursday's matches: Services vs Rajasthan (I), Manipur vs HP (II), Pondicherry vs MP (V), Karnataka vs J & K (VI).

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Afridi, Younis prop up Pakistan
Next     : In-form Bhandari, a major hurdle for Randhawa