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Bembem Devi at the helm

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA MAY 28. Oinam Bembem Devi of Manipur will lead a 20-member Indian women's football team in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) championship to be held at Bangkok from June 10 to 25. Orissa's Sradhanjali Samantaray will be the vice-captain.

India is clubbed with Uzbekistan, Vietnam and China and one team from this group will advance to the next phase. The team is scheduled to leave for Bangkok on June 6. This means the senior National championship, to be held at Chennai from June 8 to 22, will be without the cream of Indian football.

National champion Manipur has provided 11 players, Bengal and Goa three each, Punjab two and Orissa has contributed one. Twenty-five probables were retained for the fourth camp which began early last month. After screening two from Orissa, one each from Goa, Punjab and Tamil Nadu were left out.

The Indian team's record in Asian and other AFC championship is nothing to shout about. According to the chief coach from Manipur, Mr. Moiranthem Ratan Kumar Singh, his first priority is to stop losing heavily.

"Excepting China, which is a world class team, we are very hopeful of winning the other matches against Uzbekistan and Vietnam. We will try and draw with China. That is the only way we can stay in the championship,'' he told The Hindu.

"Bembem Devi is the fulcrum of the side. She is the best mid-fielder we have and she is adept both in defensive and attacking roles. She can take tremendous load and her vision and distribution of balls are outstanding,'' the coach said.

Significantly, Bembem was named the Women Football player of the year last season by the All India Football Federation.

Ratan Singh will also depend heavily on Bengal striker Sujata Kar's dribbling and shooting skills and the aggressive play of stocky striker Thongram Tababi Devi.

The coach's chief concern is the team's defence. "We are working on it. If the defence does a good job, it will obviously help the team to go onto the attacking mode,'' he said.

The team will be accompanied by five officials including coach Ms. Mary Victoria of Karnataka, a manager, a doctor and a leader of the delegation.

The squad: Lourembam Ronibala Chanu, Wangkhem Robita Devi (Manipur), Namita Bag (Bengal), Soibam Ibeyaima Devi, Kangujam Rebika Devi (Mani), Moynol N. Rockey (Goa), Waikhom Sachirani Devi (Mani), Rehana Khatun (Ben), Khundrakpam Maichon Devi (Mani), Uvena Fernandes (Goa), Oinam Bembem Devi, Shadokpam Rani Chanu (Mani), Blanka Barretto (Goa), Shadokpam Shanti Devi, Thongram Tababi Devi (Mani), Sradhanjali Samantaray (Orissa), Sujata Kar (Ben), Nameirakpam Geetarani Chanu (Mani), Rajwant Kaur and Paramjeet Kaur (Punjab). Chief coach: Moiranthem Ratan Singh (Manipur). Coach: Mary Victoria (Karnataka).

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