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.  

 

Chinta signs for Mohun Bagan

Pic: Mohun Bagan Fanatics/Sandipan Gupta  

Hubli boy Chinta Chandrasekhar Rao signed for Mohun Bagan at the IFA office today. Chinta had a forgetful last season after ending the season with Sporting Clube de Goa in 2013-14 - nothing went as per plan. 

He had a talk with Kalyani Bharat FC, nothing worked out, and then the club winded their operation. So when nothing went in favor for him, he decided to join the Bangalore-based Super Division team Students Union. This club was close Chinta’s, he knew the Ravi and Trimurthy sir, and they were like family members. 

Chinta wanted to play BDFA League primarily to keep himself fit, and then try for I-league clubs later in the second window, however, that did not work out either. Several players from ISL returned to the I-League clubs making my chances difficult to play in the first eleven. 

Bangalore League was postponed, the other thought came to his mind was to try second division. He was heading nowhere but he was hopeful that god will open up the door.

Chinta got a call to join the century-old club from Sanjoy Sen, his former coach during United Sports and junior India days. He was practicing with the team for past few weeks and Chinta’s performance will be evaluated in Kolkata Football League, which has already started, and Mohun Bagan will be playing their first game on this Saturday, August 6. 

He’s determined and up for the big task. Best wishes to Chinta from Football in Bangalore! 

Bengaluru bolster squad with Alwyn George signing

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC have signed midfielder Alwyn George on a one-year deal with the club having the option of extending it by a year, the Blues announced on Wednesday. Ashley Westwood, in his pre-season press conference on Monday, had mentioned about the possibility of filling in three to four slots on the team for the new season and George’s signing marks the beginning of the process.

A product of the Tata Football Academy where he spent a little more than three years, George went on to play for Pailan Arrows before spending two seasons at Dempo who were relegated from the I-League last season. He has also played for the senior and under-23 national teams.

Having caught Westwood’s eye the moment the gaffer saw him train with the national team, George was always on the Blues’ radar. “We’re delighted to have Alwyn on the team. He is the first Indian player who had my attention simply because of the potential and natural ability he put on display. A lot more was expected of him but, for whatever the reasons be, he hasn’t been able to do justice to his potential. He’s certainly a player who we can improve and get him back to his best. I see this signing as an asset to the team,” said Westwood of his latest acquisition.

George was part of the Dempo squad over the last two seasons but struggled to get adequate playing time which even saw him lose his spot in the national team. But the talented youngster believes his stint at BFC will be the perfect springboard he needs. “I am really excited to have signed for Bengaluru FC. No one comes close to them when it comes to running things professionally and I am glad I will get to experience that first-hand. The last couple of years haven’t been my best but I now want to prove that I can force my way into the starting XI of any team,” said George on completing his signing.

Named ‘best young Indian player of the season’ by the Football Players Association of India for two seasons in a row (2012-13 and 2013-14), Nagpur-born George said he was also looking forward to playing in front of the boisterous BFC fans who he had come up against while at Dempo. “I’ve been witness to the kind of support the club enjoys and I am really looking forward to playing in front of those passionate fans. I want to also repay the coaches faith in signing me and I want to play my part in helping the club become champions again.”

George’s first day at training included a session at the gym with the team.