National Football Icon Carlton Chapman no more

One of Bangalore’s finest football product of last 80s who ruled the Indian football scene for several years, Carlton Chapman breathed his last early morning today at Philomena’s Hospital. He was only 49 years old and left his wife and two children.  

Hailing from the football suburb of Austin Town, Chapman picked up the game in Nandan Ground, then moving to SAI Centre, Bangalore. Just when he started plying his trade for Southern Blues in local BDFA league, he was spotted and joined Tata Football Academy (TFA), Jamsedpur. He was in the first batch graduated from TFA.  

Other than representing India, Chapman played for East Bengal, JCT, FC Kochin in his illustrious career as a player. Notable being a hat-trick that he scored for East Bengal against Al-Zawra, Iraq at the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1993.  

In JCT, along with IM Vijayan and Baichung Bhutia, Chapman made a formidable attacking lineup, which was touted as the best club in India. In the Santosh Trophy, he represented Karnataka, Punjab, and West Bengal. 

After hanging boots, he went to his alma mater and assisted Ranjan Choudhary. His long association with Royal Wahingdoh helped the team from Shillong to be a name to reckon with. Chapman was also associated with Sudeva Academy and Quartz FC in the capacity as a Technical Director. 

“Shocking”, reacted Noel Wilson while talking to GCSStars.com, who is in Goa with Jamsedpur FC preparing for the upcoming edition of ISL. “A person I admired and followed during my early playing days”, added Noel. 

Chapman’s colleague during his playing days in East Bengal and FC Kochin Raman Vijayan sounded emotional while talking to GCSStars.com from Chennai, “My god, hard to believe!’, he added, “Chap was my roommate for many seasons. On the field he was gutsy, always positive, and involved with the team. His never say attitude was infectious and his game was clean and simple."

"If you see most of the goals scored by Baichung, IM, or me are all from his assists. He was the best winger we got in our times. Looking at his speed, Rustam Akramov used him as a right back with much success.” 

“I have never seen him falling sick in his playing days. He was a good coach too, he could have given back more to the game!”, concludes Raman.  

 

Raman Vijayan and Manivannan clears AFC A-Certificate Course

Eleven candidates including former India international and coach of the Bangalore Super Division team South United Raman Vijayan and have passed the AFC A-Certificate Course which was held in Kolkata from March 14 to April 9, 2014. 

In the pro-pass category, coach of another Bangalore Super Division team ADE, Manivannan cleared his course. 


Twenty Candidates had appeared in the course which was conducted by Mr. Vincent Subramanium from Singapore and Lim Kim Chon of Malaysia.

The following is the list of successful Candidates who passed the Course.

Passed Candidates: Raman Vijayan, Langam Chaoba Devi, Prasanta Chakrabarty, Kundan Chandra, Sankarlal Chakraborty, Subroto Dutta, Mridul Kanti Banerjee, Arun Saha, E.S. Shyam, Tarun Dey and Biswajit Bhattacharya.

Pro-Pass Candidate: D. Manivannan

Vignesh, Amoes, and Stephen attending trials for I-League clubs

With South United pulling out of I-League, the players who were earlier contacted or shown interest by the I-League clubs are attending trials in Pune and Mumbai. 

Raman Vijayan, South United’s Coach said that captain for last season, Stephen and talented Amoes are currently attending trial in Pune FC. Medio Vignesh will be going to Kolkata for trial with Mohammedan Sporting. 

South United’s CEO, Loko Char has already reckoned about the talents he has at his disposal, “Several players are good enough at National football scene, they want to play against and with the best. They are looking for new challenges and I’m not going to stop them.” 

Currently, Raman is touring to the footballing pockets of the Garden City to scout talents, “We’re primarily looking for skilled U-19 players who can integrate with our senior team”. 

I believe in Indian Football, but I-League Second Division is the child AIFF never wanted: Loko Char

South United Football Club (SUFC) pulling out from I-League seems to be most inauspicious for Football in Bangalore. Until the recently formed Jindal Group-backed football team, SUFC was the only ray of hope for the Garden City, the city, which has a rich heritage of football. 


With Bangalore-based Public Sector and Institutional teams showing apathy towards the beautiful game, here was one privately owned professional club ventured in Football in Bangalore. 

My association with the young and dynamic owner of the club, Loko Char goes much before the formation of the club. Loko touch based with my Football in Bangalore Facebook page. He was looking to invest in football, and some wise friend advised him that Bangalore is the ideal city for his endeavor! 

He was looking for some guidance, which I tried to provide with my minimal knowledge. Eventually, he acquired a club, hired a group of young local talents and the best possible technical staff. The journey of SUFC began on August 17, 2012. 

South United fared reasonably well in BDFA Super Division, missed championship closely, and came second. The results in local league encouraged them to play in I-League Second Division qualifier. With an average age of their players being 24 and playing without any foreigners, they finished at the middle of the table (7 points from 7 games). 

Loko seems to be annoyed owing to lack of support from AIFF, as he rightly puts, I-League Second Division is the child AIFF never wanted! Bet be still believes in Indian football and working towards it. 

Let us hear from the young entrepreneur, about the latest developments, going forward with SUCF. Bet you don’t want to miss this!

GCSStars.com: Why did you take this decision so late - the fact that the clubs would require to pay for their travel and stay during Second Division qualifying round was one of the items discussed in AIFF's Emergency Committee meeting in New Delhi on May 27?
Loko: Yes, the discussions have taken place. Then again there have been discussions on many-many things, how many of them are actually in place? 
I am not one to take things into account based on discussions. I only react when there is a concrete decision, hence my resulting actions. Furthermore, I am also new to the football world here in India, SUFC is not even a year old and neither am I. So before all I had to go on was people's advice, now I have my experience of the I-League 2, and weighing it with this decision is one thing I got to do which lead to me auditing the value and deciding to look at what I personally think is best.

GCSStars.com: When were these conditions - clubs paying on their own and a participation fee of Rs. 1,00,000 carried to you - immediately after the Emergency Committee meeting or much later? 
Loko: I was informed a little later through verbal and written communication to my team members from the association. 

GCSStars.com: Above reasons look apparent, any other reasons behind this decision?
Loko: As I said, auditing my first season and our investments in the sport, I realized there is a huge demand for the sport, however, very few people actually investing in imparting the sport in the right way to younger kids from various backgrounds.
Grassroots is highly neglected in India and my real drive is to give as many kids as I can the opportunity to play this wonderful sport, no matter where they are. Re-directing funds to this area can have a huge impact in spreading the sport of football to all our kids. 
I have also spent a lot of time with experts from the UK, Germany, and Spain and all have them have told me if you are really serious about making a difference in football start with introducing U-8s to the sport, develop skills once they reach their teens, and work on their footballing brain. This will happen only with competitive exposure, hence we have now committed SUFC to be that vehicle a team of kids and If these kids take us places I will be happy to go along. 

GCSStars.com: Are you still retaining the same team or releasing players having better offers? 
Loko: How can I stop players from developing, as we all know a lot of my players are good enough for National football and they want to play against and with the best? Why should I stop them because of my own philosophies? They are looking for new challenges, however, we’ve kept few of the real raw talents.

GCSStars.com: The focus of SUFC is now shifted to the basics of football - grassroots and investing consciously towards developing youth footballers. Please elaborate your plan? 
Loko: As mentioned earlier, we have committed ourselves to bring the sport of football to as many kids as possible - that is our aim.  We have trained 1000 kids through soccer schools and camps last year, I want that to increase substantially. Also, I want to create an academy system that produces all my first team players. 
We are now in the process of re-structuring our organization towards that goal – India internationals - Raman Vijayan and Noel Wilson along with Gopal Gowda will remain with us to drive towards this goal. Once we complete re-structuring, I can elaborate more on our plans.

GCSStars.com: Do you have a plan or a vision with a number in mind. Like how many wards within a set number of years coming out from soccer schools will be playing for State, Country, so on? 
Loko: I am superstitious, so I don’t like to reveal my dream number! But let’s just say SUFC should solely supply with players from our systems and SUFC should be a national league team ON MERIT!

GCSStars.com: The latest being yesterday - Hindustan FC is pulling out of I-League. Just 4 days after SUFC took this decision. With clubs like Green Valley, Samaleshwari Sporting, Aizwal FC, Luangmual, Kohima Komets coming from the fringe areas without any support from sponsors, do you think the list will go longer? 
Loko: I would not like to comment on other clubs and their decisions, however I will say this, clubs like Laungmual won my heart over! The fans are so passionate, the players so in love with the game. It would be really bad for I-League, for Indian football, if they do pull out. That is the true home of Indian football, as through thick and thin without much support they passionately follow and participate in Indian football. 

GCSStars.com: Supposing AIFF rolls back the decision, will you reconsider your decision?
Loko: No, our focus remains on a bottom up approach!

South United pulls out of I-League

Professional football club from Bangalore, South United has decided to pull out of the I-League 2nd division. This decision was officially taken yesterday. However, South United would still continue playing in BDFA league. 

There are manifold reasons for this decision, primarily being one of the outcomes of the AIFF emergency meeting (held in the last week of May) - Clubs would require paying for their travel and staying for I-League Second Division qualifying round. Also, heard that the club yet to sign any new players officially.  

AIFF’s act of not supporting the I-League Second Division clubs financially didn't go well with the South United club management. Also, all the Second Division clubs were to submit a participating fee of Rs.1,00,000 by July 15. 

First Southern (Samity) and now South (United) – this is the state of I-League Second Division! 
One might remember a couple of weeks back, another Second Division team from Kolkata, Southern Samity, decided to disband their team owing to lack of fund. Their decision was however, rolled back after Samity’s President and current Sports Minister of Bengal, Madan Mitra assured them of getting a sponsor. 

South coach Raman Vijayan showed his annoyance when GCSStars.com spoke to him last week. He was irked by the AIFF’s apathy toward clubs. Their decision came as a surprise and perhaps a backward step. 

South United fared reasonably well in BDFA Super Division, came second, missed championship closely. The results in local league encouraged them to play in I-League Second Division qualifier which was held in Bangalore. With an average age of their players being 24 and playing without any foreigners, they finished at the middle of the table (7 points from 7 games). 

South United plans to go back to the basics – grassroots and plan to invest money consciously towards developing youth footballers.  

Kedari Redekar Football Tournament: South United emerges as the winner

Tuesday, November 20, 2012: 6 pm: After a hard fought battle against  promising Pune FC Academy (PPFCA), South United came out as the champion of the 12th Kedari Redekar Cup.

The match was tied 2-2 at full time. Striker Stephen scored both the goals for South United. They shot all the goals in tie-break and the score went 5-all. Finally,  in sudden-death, PPFCA's failed to score making making South United the worthy champ!    

Individual awards

• Best defender - Jayanta Rajbanshi
• Best midfielder - Manivannan
• Man of the tournament - Amose T

 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 11 am: South United  stormed into the final of Kedari Redekar Cup at Gadhinglaj, Kolhapur. Playing against Pune based DSK Shivajians today morning, the Bangalore-based club shot 3-0. Amoes, Murugappan, and Madhukaran scored a goal each.

The team will now play against Peninsula Pune FC Academy (PPFCA) in the Finals later today. In the other semifinal, PPFCA defeated Gadhinglaj United 1-0.

Monday, November 19, 2012: South United FC defeated a Kolhapur team to reach the semi-final of the 8th edition of Kedari Redekar football tourney played at Gadhinglaj, Kolhapur today morning.

Raman Vijayan’s boys thumped the local team with 4 goals, Amoes scored a hat trick and I-league footballer Vignesh Gunashekar netted the fourth one. 

The tournament got delayed by a day owing to the death of Balasaheb Thakare. South United will be playing their semifinal match tomorrow morning. 

Coming of South United Football Club in Bangalore

Last evening, the city witnessed a new chapter in football - South United Football Club (SUFC), promoted by Lokko Sports India Pvt. Ltd., launched in a city hotel. SUFC will be an out-an-out Bangalore-based football club with a decisive aim to compete in the I-League. 

SUFC’s promoter, Lokko Sports Pvt. Ltd., operates a few soccer schools in India, also, they own a women’s football team in Mumbai. 

Former India international Raman Vijayan has been roped-in as the head coach. Definitely a challenging preposition for Raman, who few months back successfully coached KGF Academy (BEML) for BDFA Super Division title. 

Lokknath, the CEO of the endeavor stressed the importance of enriching local talents and eventual employment. Also, his soccer schools would play a feeder role in this effort. 

He added, “SUFC will hopefully inspire our young players to excel in football and look at sports as a career.”

Coach Raman Vijayan talked about the glorious past of Bangalore and how the city has contributed in Indian football. Also, brought up the plight of how the talented kids finish their career before a start because of a proper platform.
The team currently has 21 players on their roster, with a sizeable number coming from Raman’s previous club KGF Academy.

“This team is a mix of young and experience, we plan to make it a biggest side in future years.” 

“SUFC will be like a platform, conceptualized to identify young talents, who are the future and treasure of football in India. I believe, professionalizing football at the grass root Level is the need of the hour”, Raman adds up.

Team list

Goalkeeper: Harpreet Singh (United Sikkim FC), Kaleel SM (DYSS)

 
Defender: Shiva Kumar (KGF Academy), Rahul Sharma (Green Valley Sports Club), Gourshankar Dutta (Prayag United), Edwin (DYSS), Barun Oraon, Jayanta Rajbansi (KGF Academy) 

 
Midfielder: VR Murugappan (KGF Academy), Amoes (KGF Academy), M Madhukaran (KGF Academy), Manivanan (ADE), Sunil Kumar, Solai Malai, Abubakar (Students Union), Michael (DYSS)

 
Forward: Stephen (KGF Academy), Gopi (Postal), Rajkiran (ADE), Sridhar (ADE), Subhash R

George Hoover Trophy to KGF Academy

The result was already out, Super Division champion KGF Academy (BEML) defeated HAL 2-1 in an exhibition match played top two Super Division teams. 

Attacking medio Dada Khalander gave KGF Academy the lead in 12^th minute. Veteran striker RC Prakash reduced the margin for HAL in the first half. 

Striker Stephen, who has been scoring consistently for KGF Academy netted the winner in the 55^th minute of the match. Top scorer with 11 goals in Super Division, Stephen, also earned the Best Player award. 

Shri  KG Bopaiah, Honorable Speaker of Karnataka State Assembly gave away George Hoover Trophy to KGF Academy. Also, the winning team bagged a cash bonanza of 50,000 rupees given by KSFA. HAL got richer by 30,000 rupees.

• Super Division Winner: KGF Academy
• Runners up: HAL
• Best Player: Stephen (KGF Academy)
• Highest Scorer: Stephen (KGF Academy)
• Promising Player: Raj Kiran (ADE)

Rearrangement of Super and A division matches

The following A division matches will not to be played as per original schedule and will be replaced by the Super division matches. 

These Super division matches could not happen because of unavailability of MEG and ASC. Also, due to BDFA and KSFA annual general body meeting (AGM – July 8 and 15)

BDFA is yet to publish the schedule for the postponed matches.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 3:30 PM

• Postponed A Division: AGORC Vs DYSS
• Super Division: ASC Vs KSP

Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 3:30 PM

• Postponed A Division: CIL Vs MEG
• Super Division: SW Railway Vs LRDE

Thursday, July 19, 2012, 3:30 PM

• Postponed A Division: RWF Vs Dharamaraja Union
• Super Division: ASC Vs MEG

See the updated schedule page

• A Division
• Super Division  

HAL posts a convincing win against BEML

HAL 4 (Ajitkumar Singh-52', 77', RC Prakash-58'[p], 76') defeats BEML 2 (Khalander-22'[p], Stephen-43')

Other than HAL rallying strongly in the second half and scoring 4 goals, there were few highlights in a keenly contested HAL-BEML game:

• National referee Vijaya Kumar, famous for his no-nonsense attitude, churned out as many as 7 yellow and one red card.
  Surely something that didn’t go well with HAL coach Chandrasekhar!
•  BEML coach and former international player Raman Vijayan taking field in the 63^rd minute to a rousing welcome from a decent crowd.

BEML started splendidly scoring two goals via Dada Khalander (penalty) and Stephen in the first half. Ajitkumar pulled one quickly to reduce in the margin in the second half. 

BEML coach went on an attacking mode by bringing himself by replacing a defender. The ploy which did bear any fruit other than conceding 3 goals in quick succession. BEML defense look too feeble and HAL fully utilized the opportunity.

Later Raman explained his rationale of fielding himself as his injury-plagued side is not having enough players fit players. 

With only a match left HAL is leading the pack, BEML's prospect received a major dent after today's loss. 

Super Sunday when HAL take on MEG!

Performance analysis - KGF Academy in I-League II Division Qualifiers

As the I-League II Division Qualifiers comes to the penultimate day and the qualifiers are almost decided, let’s take a look at the performance of the only Bangalore connection this time, KGF Academy. 

KGF Academy might have failed to qualify this time, but they ended their campaign on a high note, especially, after losing first four rounds on a trot.

Coach Raman Vijayan always maintained that his boys were losing, despite of being a better side on the ground. The coach said, "Team is playing well, but we're missing chances, and at the end conceding goals". 

"Everybody is praising our team, but we are losing because of lack of match exposure." added Raman.

KGF Academy lacking big-time match exposure - something I anticipated much before. Conceding late goals proved to be a serious area of concern, and that happened in two matches. 

Well, we all hoped his team will continue playing well and most importantly get some points. 

The last three matches looked a different KGF Academy, winning by big margins – 14 goals in total. Most importantly, Nigerian striker Emmanuel Okoro scoring all seven goals in the last match, making his tally to 10.

Clinical striker, Okoro, who turned out JCT few seasons back is one of the foreign players that KGF Academy have in their ranks. 

Also, Okoro, played for a super division team in Kolkata, is all praise for the KGF coach, “Very nice coach I’ve ever meet in Indian football. He is really nice to everybody, we’re like brothers and friends.” 

“With this coach, the team will can go very far”, adds the Nigerian.

Here’s their I-League II Division campaign for 2011-12:

• R1: KGF Academy (Stephen–36') 1 lost to Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata 4 (Stanley Cyprian–30', Sankar Sil–34', Surabuddin Mullick–54', Alfred K Jaryan–57')
• R2: KGF Academy 0 lost to Simla Youngs, New Delhi 1 (89'-Junya Kato)
• R3: KGF Academy 0 V lost to s Vasco, Goa 3 (Andrew Igago 14', Gerose Oliveria 31', Esha Alihah 77')
• R4: KGF Academy 0 lost to Langsing Sports Club, Meghalaya 1 (Yinka Joel Sunday-22')
• R5: KGF Academy 4 (Stephen-3', Emmanuel Okoro-6', 55', Murugappan-67') defeated Golden Threads, Kerala 2 (Arun KJ-59', Jimmy Abraham-89')
• R6: KGF Academy 3 (Emmanuel Okoro-39', Amoes-41', Monday Ugboji-81') defeated PIFA Colaba, Mumbai 1 (Nagesha Swamy-44')
• R7: KGF Academy 7 (Emmanuel Okoro-8', 23', 26', 43', 45', 47', 67') defeated Luangmual, Mizoram 1 (H Lalthangliana-10')

Year-wise performance of KGF Academy

Year	Pl	W	D	L	GD	P	Position
2009-10*	6	2	3	1	+4	9	3/7
2010-11*	6	1	0	5	-16	3	6/7
2011-12	7	3	0	4	+2	9	4/8

^*Team played as BEML in the 2010-11 and 2009-10 season.