skip to main |
skip to sidebar
If you are from the era of HAL-ITI rivalry and followed Bangalore football, then you should remember names like Rajabaliev Nurlan, Kanatbek Mamatov, Ruslan Sydvov, and Daniar, players from Kyrgyzstan who plied their trade for HAL. They played the then National Football League (NFL), erstwhile I-League in Green colors in 2001-02 season.
Kanatbek and Nurlan are visiting the Garden City when India take on Kyrgyzstan tomorrow 8 pm for AFC Asian Cup Qualifier at Sree Kanterava Stadium. They are serving the Football Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic (FFKR) as the Vice President and Head of the Players Transfer Committee respectively.
Speaking to GCSStars.com, Kanatbek, a dependable central midfielder back then was on a trip down memory lane. He remembers Coach Krishnaji Rao, wanted to meet him, however, saddened after hearing that Krishnaji not in the best of health, and confined at home.
Kanatbek fondly recall the good time he spent his teammates at HAL - Gumpe Rime, Sunil, Kiran, Xavier Vijay Kumar, late Dayanand, so on.
It was the season of 2000-01, HAL was playing the NFL qualifiers when Kanatbek Mamatov, a student pursuing Master’s Degree in Environment from the Bangalore University joined HAL, and helped them to qualify for to the top league for the first time.
“After qualifying for National League my coach asked me to get some players from Kyrgyzstan”, reveals Kanatbek. Next season he got the rest of the gang from his homeland.
“We had a great start to the League, playing for the first time in NFL, we defeated East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Salgaocar. After the first leg, we’re sitting comfortably at top half of the points table”, adds Rajabaliev Nurlan, who scored 7 of the goals for HAL, he was the 6th top scorer in that edition.
The Kyrgyz hold utmost respect for Krishnaji Rao, was later replaced by Chandru, and results started dwindling. HAL finished the season in 8th spot in a 12-team league. Also, Rajabaliev’s injury affected HAL in the league.
“We could have fared much better had Krishnaji coached us for the entire season”, expressed both of them.
They did not pursue football as a career, must have played for more seasons, and then settled in other profession. It was only later they felt the urge to give back to the game and joined football administration. The other Kyrgyz, Ruslan Sydvov, is the coach of country’s top Futsal team.
Nostalgia has gripped them as they spent time at their favorite HAL Sports Complex exploring fond memories of playing days. Meanwhile Rajabaliev is desperately looking for video grabs of his goals.
AIFF Media
Bengaluru FC Media
Bengaluru FC (BFC) start defending the Hero I-League title when they host the highlanders Shillong Lajong FC (SLFC) tomorrow at the Kanteerava Stadium. It has been an astounding 2016 for the club from the Garden City - winning Hero I-League title, soaring at the Asian-level by reaching the AFC Cup final.
It is a beginning of a new I-League season and the Steelmen know the importance to start well. Coach Albert Roca made it clear, “We have to go for three points and you have to play tough from the very first minute if you want to achieve the title again”.
The former Barcelona assistant coach added, “There’s pressure, challenge - that’s football, and we are ready for the moment. The fact that we have achieved in the AFC Cup will help our self-esteem tomorrow. We have to go 100% as the difference between us and them (SLFC) are not that big.”
Mid-fielder, Cameron Watson who stuck a formidable combination with Álvaro Rubio in the AFC Cup, the later will be missed in I-League. “Álvaro brought so much to the game - his footballing knowledge prevailed in the field. It was a privilege to play alongside him”, said Watson.
Coming back to I-League, he added, “This (I-league) is a new experience for me, I haven’t seen any I-League teams playing other than the individual players playing in the ISL. Owing to the success the club achieved last year, it is going to be tougher this season. For now I’m concentrating on the Shillong game.”
BFC have strengthened their squad by signing top Indian players Harmanjot Khabra, Lenny Rodrigues, Mandar Rao Desai, and Arindam Bhattacharya. Roca sounded positive, “It is always difficult to settle down in a new team, but the new players have shown they are up for the challenge. They are experienced, played I-league for many years, and have already played with some of the teammates before. They know the other I-League teams and their style of playing, so it is time for them to show at the level that they deserve.”
Bengaluru FC have been tough for the team from North East, especially in the past three seasons. The only time SLFC won was at home that too a couple of years ago.
Head Coach Thangboi Singto, who has been with the team from the very beginning is appeared positive for tomorrow’s match, “It’s good to start with the best team, might be difficult for us, but helps you to know where you stand. We will come as the best we can.
Thangboi promised a good game and hopeful of taking points away from the home team.
Goals for SLFC came far and few in last season - that should be the primary concern for the SLFC coach. “This year we have strengthened in the scoring department, hopefully the players on board will do the needful. But it is not going to be easy, if you look around the teams, every team has toughened including the new entrants who will try to make a mark in the league.”
Other than their foreigners Dan Ignat, Yuta Kinowaki, Aser Pierrick Dipanda, Fábio Pena and keeper Vishal Kait, SLFC comprise of players from North-East with many U-23 players flourished from their football academy.
Policy of SLFC from the beginning is to promote talents from the North East region. They have done reasonably well in doing that. Players from SLFC have progressed well in the years including Lalthuammawia (GK), Eugeneson, and Chuaante who are in Bengaluru FC.
Keeping the optimism, Thangboi summed up, “At the end of the day, goals win matches, and we need to better that. Hopefully we’ll start doing that from our first match!”
The match is scheduled at 7 Pm tomorrow (January 7, 2017) and it’ll be telecast live on Ten 2.
From the archive, circa June 2009, when Gumpe was just moving on to Lajong after playing several season in the Garden City. After a fruitful stint with Lajong both as a player as well as a mentor/coach, live progresses, and the man from a small town of Aalo (Arunachal Pradesh) is now guiding the talents in Tata Football Academy.
Originally written for www.IndianFootball.com
=================
North-east of India has been a happy hunting ground for the national club recruiters. All the top national clubs have players from this region on their roster. However, you will barely find a player from Arunachal Pradesh. One such rare player who hails from Arunachal Pradesh is custodian Gumpe Rime, playing for the top clubs for almost one and half decade.
After playing for Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL) six successful seasons, Gumpe is all set to keep the goal of the newly promoted first division I-league team, Shillong Lajong FC.
Q: Hi Gumpe, tell me what prompted to take you this decision?
A: I wanted to play for a first division club and Shillong Lajong FC is the first North-east club who will be playing in the I-league first division. I hail from North-east part of India, it will be a privilege for me to play for such a club and part of the history. And If my experience can be of any use then nothing like that.
Q: Tell us something about your childhood?
A: I come from a town named Aalo in Arunachal Pradesh. After my schooling, I was spotted by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Guwahati, and groomed there for a while. I started playing for clubs since 1995.
- 1995-96 to 98-99 - Mahindra United
- 1999-00 - Bengal-Mubai Football Club (BMFC)
- 2000-01 - Vasco Sports Club
- 2003-04 - Salgaonkar Sports Club
- 2009-10 to 2012-13 - Lajong FC
My experience while playing for BMFC has been quite frustrating, it was a mis-managed team where players were not payed regularly.
Some clubs appear all of a sudden and after couple of seasons they literally disappear from the scene; leaving the players in lurch.I would like to bring to the notice of AIFF that they should check the credibility of these clubs before sanctioning their entity. Clubs like Chandni FC, Malabar FC, and Happy Entertainment gets a chance to play in the I-league (second division) and sad to see that HAL being left out.
Q: Goalkeeping is a demanding job, how do you keep yourself fit, that too for so many years?
A: That way I have been fortunate enough, I have never got serious injuries while playing. But I do work on my fitness, during off-season I am regular at the training grounds.
Q: How was the experience playing in HAL?
A: Definitely good. After playing for so many years I am regarded as a home player.However, they need to be more professional in their approach, there are many formalities and protocols to get the budget approved. This becomes frustrating many times.
Team management should stress on retaining talents. Lot of promising players plays for HAL during their formative years and then leaves for better growth. They should look at retaining the best talents.
Also, there is lack of involvement from the management. HAL Sports Club members are high-ranked HAL officials, you would barely find them interacting with the players. Except for sports secretory, Mr. Rajan, I don’t see anyone interacting with the players.
On the contrary, in Salgaoncar the owner himself would take his busy time out to talk and encourage the team.
Q: How is HAL team this year?
A: This current bunch looks good. Management has picked up the core of the Karnataka Santosh Trophy team, including some promising players from BEML. But as I have mentioned before, this is story happens every year, they fail to retain the talents.
Q: And what about your experience playing in Kolkata?
A: I had a short stint with Mohemadan, I’ve never played a full season there. Even during that time they changed coach many times, the management was bad. Players like Odafa and Chidi started their career in India by playing for Mohammedan, pity that they could not retain them and later these players dominated the India football scene.Once, I had got offer from East Bengal, but I had to reject it for some reason. But yes, the media coverage is amazing, you don’t get it anywhere else in India.
Q: How is football played in North-east?
A: The local bodies in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam functions well. They have proper infrastructure, grass root level, and youth development programs.
I am not sure about Arunachal Pradesh, the football association does not have enough funds. There is no local league in Arunachal Pradesh. The players should get proper exposure by participating in the tournaments outside Arunachal Pradesh.
This year the Arunachal Pradesh team participated in the under-21 nationals at Goa and the result was decent. Football should be played throughout the year. We have now two young players from Arunachal Pradesh, Nyamar Loyi and Tassar Techi playing for clubs. Hope they play well and make Arunachal Pradesh proud.
At times discipline becomes as issue among the North-east players. Reaching to a height is not difficult, maintaining is difficult.
We have Baichung Bhutia as our icon, but after that there is a void, there is no one even close to him.
Q: Any disappointment of not making to the national team?
A: I have played for India juniors. However, I was never selected for the senior team. I have attended national camps several times, but failed to make to the final squad. Mainly because our coaches preferred tall keepers.
Q: Who is your favorite goalkeeper?
A: I have always found Jorge Campos, the famous Mexican goalkeeper exciting. Not because of his flashy outfits, but for his agility. He did not have the height, but the kind of saves he made was amazing.
In India, I have seen Ghanaian international Edward Ansah’s keeping. He was playing in India when he was in his 40’s. Even at that age, he was one of the best keepers to have graced Indian football.Currently, Edward Ansah is the goal-keeping coach for Ghana.
Q: How long you want to continue playing football?
A: Another 3 years at the top level. (grins)
Q: Any post-retirement plans?
A: I have not made any plans yet. Definitely something related to football, maybe an instructor. I will leave it to my destiny. (smiles)
Q: Thanks Gumpe for your time and best wishes for your new venture.
A: Thanks and all the best to Indianfootball.com, keep up the good work!
