FOLLOWING THE THREE CONSECUTIVE DEFEATS in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri believes the team should have got much more time for preparations for their match against Turkmenistan which is scheduled on October 8.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Atletico de Kolkata (ATK)'s Arnab Mondal on Thursday almost ruled out the possibility of his teammate and defensive partner Josemi being available for the Indian Super League (ISL) opener against Chennaiyin FC.
IN A PUSH TO OUTDO the balanced performance they put up last year, Zico has sought to create better harmony in the FC Goa squad by bringing in a number of Brazilian players. The team's results from their pre-season promise of a strong display in the upcoming ISL.
BIRLA TYRES, the tyre division of B.K. Birla group-owned Kesoram Industries, on Thursday said it will be the principal sponsor of the Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) football team which will play in the Indian Super League beginning on October 3.
THE CHALLENGE FOR Chennaiyin FC manager Marco Materazzi will be to clamp down on the leaky defence that cost them dearly in the semi-finals last year. The trick will be to do this without taking away from their trigger-happy forward line.
SOURAV GANGULY is excited at the chance of meeting Brazilian legend Pele, but did not want to compare him with Diego Maradona, who is Ganguly's favourite footballer.
NEW KERALA BLASTERS COACH Peter Taylor faces a challenge to replicate the defensive success from last season and vastly improve on how the forward line fared. The veteran coach has made a good start on the right track.
THE PRESSURE IS ON the defending ISL champions to put on an improved show this season and play a brand of football that befits the champions. The retention of coaching staff and facilities provided by Atletico de Madrid has given them the right start towards that direction.