Eight IMG-R players to join Kerala football club
Eight IMG-Reliance-contracted players today signed up with Eagles FC of Kerala on loan for the rest of the 2013-14 football season.
New Delhi: Eight IMG-Reliance-contracted players today signed up with Eagles FC of Kerala on loan for the rest of the 2013-14 football season.
Nadong Bhutia, Bijendra Rai, Avinabo Bag, Jagroop Singh, Bisheshwor Singh, Biswajit Saha, Ramandeep Singh and Govin Singh will join the Eagles FC squad in the next few days.
Eagles FC Kerala -- promoted by four of Kerala's top brands Eastern, Eram, Muthoot Pappachan (Fincorp) Group and Mather -- has been in the I-League second division since 2010-11.
The team is being coached by experienced Stanley Rozario who has served as assistant coach of the Indian senior team. He has also coached Indian Army, Mohun Bagan, Shillong Lajong, Salgaocar, East Bengal and United Sikkim FC.
"Eagles FC Kerala is extremely happy to welcome the IMG Reliance players to join the team. IMGR players would indeed strengthen the team considerably in the matches ahead and hopefully set us up for an entry in the I-League Premier Division next year," said Siddeek Ahmed, Director Eagles FC Kerala and Chairman and Managing Director ERAM Group, in a statement.
Moreover, IMG-Reliance, the organisers of the proposed IPL-style football tournament Indian Super League, and Eagles FC will facilitate a two to six week training stint for the eight players with UK based Reading Football Club Academy.
Known as 'The Royals', the Reading FC Academy is considered to be one of the top football academies in UK with Category I status. Reading FC competed in the English Premier League in 2012-13 season and is currently in the Championship League 2013-14 season.
Joining the eight IMGR players for the training stint at Reading FC Academy would be four more players to be selected from the existing set of Eagles FC Kerala squad. Training of all the 12 players at Reading FC Academy is expected at the end of current season.
"We believe in the future of Indian football. We are committed to work with our Partner Eagles FC Kerala and IMG Reliance to build world class footballers from India over the next few years," said Nigel Howe, CEO Reading FC.