22.12.2008: S.Mitra:Kareem was overjoyed after the match and he was seen dancing along with his players. This was one of the best tactical games won by Mohun Bagan this year. Kareem said, "This is one of the best matches we played this year and we won a tactical game. I give full credit to Dempo whose defenders did a good job and made our task tougher. We may have slight domination but Dempo also played well but yes after we scored the goal, the match came completely in our grip. We could have scored few more goals. When asked to comment about Marcos, Kareem said "Usually I don't name players but about Man of the Tournament, the first name that comes to my mind is Marcos, he was absolutely brilliant and today did not allow any free space to Beto. Before the match, it was our tactical decision to stop their attacks from wing and to mark Beto properly and the boys did their job brilliantly." About Dipak Kareem said, "Credit goes to him because when playing in stopper position, he being not so tall, have to win aerial battles with some tall strikers like Ranty. Usually when he plays in side back that is not a problem. He has extremely good sense and good anticipation. He is one of the best stoppers in India. " Last but not least, Jose Ramirez Barreto, the best foreigner of all time to have played in Kolkata. Critics sometimes raise questions about his fitness, about his agility, but the man goes on performing. As Veronica laughed about this after match, "Barreto and we don't care about who says what, his job is to perform and he tries to deliver in field." Kareem said, "With Barreto in our team, we always have an extra captain, who is leading the players from front without an arm band." Kareem dedicated the Fed Cup to his wife, his son and to all the fans of Mohun Bagan. It is a nice gesture indeed on part of Kareem who said, "I know how the fans are feeling. We feel happy to bring smile to their face." When asked whether this is an answer to the critics, Kareem said, "No, I have no grudge against anybody. In fact, I don't feel reporters didn't criticize our team that much, they were just pushing us and pointing out our mistakes. You people played like good defenders and didn't commit fully (laughing)." However, Kareem is happy about the team spirit, he said, " “I have no doubt now that we are the best team in the country when it comes to team spirit and solidarity. Look at (NS) Manju. He didn’t play in the tournament but he was celebrating more than those who played today. That’s a good sign. That’s how we have started living like a family. Federation cup and I league are the two most important tournaments of India and our target now is I league and I am happy that team has qualified for AFC Cup. " On their team's participation in IFA Shield, coach said, "We had to pay a heavy price at the initial stages of the I-League for players getting injured in the local league. My focus is on the I-league and I don’t want my boys to go through the grime of another one so soon. I have called for practice on 5th January and the boys need this well-earned vacation." On Baichung, he said, "Yes I missed him in final but such is our team spirit that he stayed with us in finals also crutch in toe." Debasish Dutta said, "This victory is an answer to the critics who only finds fault of our team and criticized when we signed Marcos and continously wrote against our team, Barreto, Baichung, Kareem." Regarding IFA Shield, he wittly said, "Our practice starts from January 5th and our next match is on January 23rd against Mumbai FC." After match Defender Habibur Rahaman said, "With due respect to all players, I enjoy playing with Tulunga. We have good understanding. Whenever I overlap down the right flank, he takes my position and make sure that opponent team don't start overlapping from that side. Of course, it is the final decision of the coach whom he selects in first XI." Red Devils crowned World Club Champions 2008 21.12.2008: Abhishek Bhattacharyya:At last Sir.Alex Ferguson’s dream came true as Manchester United won the FIFA Club World Cup,2008.This is the first time that an English Club has achieved this feat.The Champions of Europe defeated the Champions of South America Liga De Quito from Ecuador with the help of a solitary goal scored by Wayne Rooney in the 73rd minute of the game and in the third-place show down Asian Champions Gamba Osaka defeated CONEMBOL Champions Pahuca(Mexico) 1-0. Manchester United had a good last season where they won the Barclays Premier League and the UEFA Champions League which gave them a place in FIFA Club World Cup. The Red Devils won their Semi-Final clash against Asian Champions Gamba Osaka with a margin 5-3.So the final which was expected to be a one-sided affair with fans predicting that Man Utd would thrash LDU Quito didn’t turned out to be like that.LDU Quito who made their way into the final by defeating Mexican club Pachuca by 2-0 seemed to be a very hard working team.They have some quality players like Goalkeeper Cevallos,quality midfielders like Manso and Calderon and not to forget defenders like Araujo and Campos. Manchester United started well but LDU Quito joined in and as the match progressed they showed the magic of Latin American football we always knew. Man Utd received a huge blow when Nemanja Vidic was red-carded.Down with 10 men the Red Devils faced an uphill task to overcome their opponents as Edwin Van Der Sar made some superb saves from Manso and even in the 70th minute of the match LDU Quito came close of scoring if Manso have supplied the ball to William Arujo who was in a better position to score.The attacking pair of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo kept on disturbing the South American Champions and in the 73rd minute of the game when Carrick passed the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo who assisted Rooney for the goal. Wayne Rooney was awarded with the ADIDAS Golden Ball and the Toyota Award for being the event’s leading goalscorer by netting 3 goals . He later commented: “I'm delighted. It's a great feeling to be crowned champions of the world. It was a difficult game after going down to ten men, so I'm really pleased with the win. It's a great achievement for me and the entire club. I came to Manchester United to win trophies, so to win the Premier League, the Champions League and now to be crowned as world champions in the same year is absolutely great. It's something we're really proud of.” Within a space of 7 months Manchester United have achieved the unique feat of becoming the English Champions,European Champions and World Champions and that’s indeed a job well done. The Club World Cup is an annual tournament that brings together the reigning champions of FIFA's six major continental competitions, all vying to become the world's best club team of 2008. In addition, the fifth place match will return to the tournament following a hiatus during the 2007 edition. The participating club teams this year include: UEFA Champions League winner ::: Manchester United (England), Copa Libertadores winner ::: LDU Quito (Ecuador) AFC Champions League title-holder ::: Gamba Osaka (Japan) CAF Champions League winner::: Al Ahly (Egypt) CONCACAF Champions Cup titlist::: Pachuca (Mexico) OFC Champions League winner::: Waitakere United (New Zealand) AFC Champions League runners-up ::: and “host” team Adelaide United (Australia) 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final Sun., Dec. 21 ::Liga de Quito 0 - 1 Manchester United MU: Wayne Roonie 72' Third-Place Match Sun., Dec. 21 :;Pachuca VS Gamba Osaka Fifth-Place Match Thurs., Dec. 18 ::Al Ahly 0 - 1 Adelaide Utd Semifinals Wed., Dec. 17 ::Liga de Quito 2 - 0 Pachuca Thu., Dec. 18 :: Manchester United 5 - 3 Gamba Osaka Quarterfinals Sat., Dec. 13 ::Pachuca 4 - 2 Al Ahly Sun., Dec. 14 ::Gamba Osaka 1 - 0 Adelaide Utd Playoff Round Thu., Dec. 11 :: Waitakere Utd 1 - 2 Adelaide Utd No Foreign Team In 114th Historical IFA Shield 20.12.2008 :The 114th edition of Historical IFA Shield may be started from 4th January 2009.Final of the Shield may be held on 18th January - 2009. There will be eight Indian Teams. Defending Champion Mahindra United of Mumbai alongwith Delhi based New Delhi Heros, Pune based Pune F.C, and Oil India Limited Team from Assam would be the Guest teams. Kolkata based East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan S.C and Chirag United will be the other participants. Bhutia out of Fed Cup Final 19.12.2008 : Abhishek Bhattacharyya :Mohun Bagan received a massive blow on Friday when their skipper Bhaichung Bhutia was ruled out for 3 weeks due to knee and ankle injury.This means that the star striker will be missing out the Fed Cup Final against Dempo this Sunday at Salt Lake Stadium. The India and Mohun Bagan captain was stretchered off the field in the first session of extratime against East Bengal in the second semi-final, raising doubts over his availability. Mohun Bagan Club sources commented that this a huge setback and a double blow for them as Bhaichung suffered a knee and ankle injury.Baichung may come back before the IFA Shield or just before the commencement of 2nd half of I-League from 23rd January. Indian Magic in Canadian Style 15.12.2008 - Abhishek Bhattacharyya:Sikh Temple U-15 ,an Indo- Canadian youth level defeated Mohun Bagan U-15 team 1-0 in MB Ground today. Sikh Temple is an U-15 level team run by the Indian NRI’s.It is based on Vancouver, Canada.They are on a month long tour here in India.They kicked off their tour in Delhi a week ago where they have won their three encounters against Mordern High School and their other opponents.In Jamsedhpur they had some tough time as they lost both of their encounters.Kolkata seems to be a very lucky place for them as they have beaten the National Club of India with a goal in the dying minutes of the game. From here there caravan will move on to Goa and will end in Punjab at the end of this month.The players of the team are all of India Origin and are accompanied by their parents.The young players are all big fans of English Premier League,SeriaA, Spanish La Liga and not to forget the Bundesliga. They seems to be a very fiery team and also not to forget that they are among the top5 teams in their home league.The club mainly promotes young players with their U-15 team. Their tour is sponsored by the parents,coaches and Gurudwara’s based in Vancouver.Their Head coach Sukhi Sandhu and asst.coach Peter Leobenski are delighted to be here as they presented a memento to Debashish Dutta,Secretary of Mohun Bagan and Sohini Chaubey,the Head of Bagan-Sail Academy after the conclusion of the match. I have got a chance to see “ Football God ” in flesh and blood with my own eyes ... Guest Column : Prince Rufus - Operations Manager , Mohun Bagan A.C 8.12.2008 :The Prince of Football, Diego Armando Maradona visited the Mohun Bagan Ground in the Maidan on 7th December. He was invited by the Club to encourage the trainees of the Club Academy at a Football Clinic and to witness a football match between junior teams of Mohun Bagan AC and Bhawanipore Club. I had started taking an interest in Football since 1985 and so the FIFA World Cup of 1986 remains in my memory as fresh as if the Event took place a year ago! The 1986 World Cup will always be remembered as “Maradona’s World Cup”. The striker inspired a bunch of average footballers and single-handedly won the Cup for Argentina at a time when other nations like France, Italy and Brazil were teeming with star and superstars. I can never ever forget the Argentina –England semi-final match set up in the backdrop of Falkland Island hostility. Maradona scored a cheeky “Hand of God” Goal and then scored another, which remains the “Goal of the Century”. Who can ever forget that magical moment when he dribbled his way from the midfield past a baffled bunch of defenders before slotting the ball past a hapless Peter Shilton, one of the best goalkeepers of that period? Since then, I along with millions of youngsters and football buffs all over the world acknowledged his class, exuberance and temperament. He was the best ever in the field of football and yet he was no different from us, he was a part of us. Maradona became the “God of football”. In 1986 I was overjoyed when he held up the World Cup. In 1990 I wept bitterly along with him when Argentina lost the finals to Germany by a controversial penalty. As a teenager I used to play football in my para and I used to don an Argentina blue striped replica jersey with the No. 10 on the back with matching shorts and socks. I too used to have a lethal left foot, much to the awe of my friends and peers. I grew up and the attire no longer fitted but it was kept much even after I stopped playing para football. Maradona had by then finished his chequered career, which had a fair share of glories and controversies. In the yesteryear he led an undisciplined life, got jostled in brawls, took to drugs, grew fatter and fatter. The Cuban President, Fidel Castro called Maradona to Havana and under his care Maradona was rehabilitated a few years ago. After 1997 when Maradona hang his boots, the world produced several Ronaldos, Rivaldos, Zidanes but none had brilliance and adamancy of Maradona. Only Pele came close to matching Maradona and though the Pele vs Maradona debate goes on forever; for my generation Maradona will always be the best ever! Years had passed and I became associated with Sports and Football in particular since 2004. When I first got the news that Maradona would visit Kolkata and that too the Mohun Bagan Club Ground, I was overjoyed beyond words. Here was a chance to see “God” in flesh and blood with my own eyes. Thousands of other devotees like me, many of them ladies, thronged the Club Ground on Sunday, 7th December and the much-awaited moment arrived just some time before 4 pm with the crowd roaring and greeting him with chants of “Diego Diego”. He obliged his fans with his trademark chest-pumping and hand raising acts. Then he displayed his jugglery and the football just seemed to cling to his body like an infant sticks to its mother; a sign that the bond between the two is everlasting, incomparable and deep-rooted and one arising out of pure love. It was just magical. AFGHANISTAN CROWNED HOMELESS WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 8.12.2008 :Today Afghanistan defeated Russia 5 - 4 in the final of the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup. And in the final of the first Women’s Homeless World Cup, Zambia had a comfortable win over Liberia, 7-1. In a thrilling match in front of fifty thousand spectators packed into Federation Square throughout the day, the Afghanistan and Russian teams battled it out for the sixth Homeless World Cup Trophy. Russia opened the scoring, but Afghanistan responded quickly and at the end of the first seven-minute half were ahead 3-2. The two teams traded goal for goal in the second term, with Afghanistan holding the lead. Despite some intense last- second attacks by the determined Russians, the Afghan defence held up to take victory. Homeless World Cup founder and president Mel Young presented the trophy to the jubilant Afghanistan team: "Thank you Melbourne, thank you Australia,” Young said. “You have shown that working together we can create real, lasting change. Together we can end homelessness. It is everyone's game. “And are you watching world? This is the way that sport and football can be played. This is the spirit of fair play. “Congratulations Afghanistan. Congratulations to all the players. You are the true ambassadors for your country. You can stand proud. You are amazing. Vive el football!” Research conducted during the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup has shown that two thirds of event spectators surveyed have changed their perspective of homeless people. 82% also agreed that the Homeless World Cup breaks down stereotypes about the Homeless community. The Homeless World Cup is an annual international tournament, which provides the opportunity for people who are homeless to represent their country and change their own lives. The 6th Homeless World Cup took place in the heart of the City of Melbourne, uniting 56 nations for the biggest tournament ever, which included the first Women’s Cup. 77% of players involved experience a significant life change; no-longer using drugs and alcohol, moving into homes, jobs, education, Tremor in Kolkata for Maradona Fever ... he is comming 03.12.2008 :Kolkata is going wild on the eve of football legend Diego Maradona’s visit in the “City of Joy”. Just 48 hours more and the city will host soccer legend Diego Maradona. Maradona is scheduled to arrive on y Saturday very early mornning in Dum Dum Airport where he will be welcomed by estimated 15,000 or more football fans.Meanwhile his two Managers Sebastian De Monte & Sebastian Heinz has arrived in the city today evening and are making necessary arrangements for Diego’s planned tour and are also checking up the whole security arrangement. On 3rd December the Argentina Football Association's official website has released the tour programmes of Maradona to Kolkata. They said "The DT of the National Team will participate in several activities in Calcutta, including the inauguration of a soccer clinic and a charity dinner. He Will be received like a head of state. The technical director of the National Team, Diego Armando Maradona, will travel tomorrow at 14 to India to participate in various activities related to charities. The former captain of the Argentine team, which will receive honors worthy of a head of state, will remain in Calcutta until Sunday to come. The welcome was given the IFS (Indian Football School), and among the scheduled activities, Maradona will participate in a charity dinner where he auctioned some items used by the player during his brilliant career, will visit the convent of Mother Teresa and assist the inauguration of a soccer clinic ". Buenos Aires, Dec. 3, 2008 SEE MARADONA'S KOLKATA VISIT ALL NEWS Maradona to conduct clinic for U-12 Footballers at Mohun Bagan ground on 7th Dec 03.12.2008 :::Argentine football legend Diego Maradona will spent some under-12 players of Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore Club at the Mohun Bagan ground Kolkata on Sunday 3 pm. In a press meet today at Mohun Bagan Tent, Bhaswar Goswami, executive director of CMG, said Maradona will spent 45 minutes there and meet the junior Footballers.The programme is likely to be witnessed by 14,000 spectators at the Mohun Bagan ground. In presence of MP Samik Lahiri,Mohun Bagan, club's General secretary Anjan Mitra said, "It's a dream come true for all of us here that Maradona will spent 45 minutes here. AIFF announces India Sr. 29 Footballers for Hong Kong Friendly camp 03.12.2008 ::: The All India football Federation has announced a list of 29 Footballers for forthcoming Hong Kong Friendly in 2nd week of January 2009.They will be trained from January 2 to 10 . Goalkeepers : Subrata Pal (East Bengal Club), Subhashish Roy Chowdhary (Mahindra United), Felix D'Souza (Sporting Clube de Goa) ,Arindam Bhattacharya (Churchill Brothers), . Defenders : Samir Naik (Dempo SC), Anwar Ali (JCT),Surkumar Singh (East Bengal ), Deepak Mondal (Mohun Bagan AC), Denzil Franco (Salgaocar), Gouramangi Singh (Churchill Brothers ), Rakesh Masih (Mohun Bagan , Govin Singh (Churchill Brothers )Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Midfielders : Anthony Pereira (Dempo SC)Climax Lawrence (Dempo SC), Rahim Nabi (East Bengal ), Steven Dias (Mahindra United), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC), P Renedy Singh (East Bengal , Mehrajuddin (East Bengal ), Baldeep Singh Jr (JCT), Jagpreet Singh (JCT),N.P. Pradeep (Mahindra United), Baljit Singh Sahni (JCT), Forwards : Sunil Chetri (East Bengal), Sushil Kumar Singh (Mahindra United), Balwant Singh (JCT), Baichung Bhutia (Mohun Bagan),Abhishek Yadav (Mumbai FC), Hon'ble Speaker of parliament Mr. Somnath Chatterjee will be present at Salt Lake on 6th Dec 02.12.2008 ::: "MP from Bolpur Loksabha and Hon'ble Speaker of Indian Parliament Mr. Somnath Chattopadhayay will be present in the "MARADONA FALICITATION" programme to be held at Salt Lake Stadium on 6th December at 4 pm". Hon'ble Sports and Transport Minister of West Bengal Mr. Subhash Chakrabarty confirmed this today in an inauguration function of a 25 feet height clay made MARADONA STATUE at Rabindrapally,Gangulybagan,Kolkata, which was organised by Local Argentina Football Fans Club. The Fans club has also organised an exhibition of 48 clay made 3 feet Maradona Statues which displays various actions and best momonts of his Football career at Rabindrapally Primary School which was opened by ex Indian National footballer Mr. Sukumar Samajpati.The Exhibition remain open upto 7th December. Eminent singer Pilu Bhattacharyya staged his tribute to Maradona by his new Song "Maradona Viva Maradona/ball dhukeche jale/ pola kimba maiara ..... paye jadu jane.." to the spectators.He told that this song will be presented on 6th Dec at Salt lake in presence of Maradona.Mokam band also performed their album "Maradona o Maradona" leaded by Mayukh - Mainak duo in this programme today. Maradona will visit and meet with the junior Footballers of Kolkata Giant Mohun Bagan Club on 7th December afternoon before he leaves for his home. GO TO MAIN PAGE