31. July
PEPSI MAX CHALLENGE - Walkers Stadium, Leicester - Semifinal: Leicester City FC 1-0 East Bengal Club - Goals: 1-0 Trevor Benjamin (69', pen)
East Bengal proved the world that Indian football is on the rise. The red and gold brigade played extremely well much to the excitement of the small crowd and East Bengal fans all over the world.
The historic match started with considerable excitement with Joey Gudjonsson struck from a free kick in the 4.minute, only to find Sangram Mukherjee make a easy save. The initial phase of match saw Leicester City coming out in numbers and dominating the game. However, East Bengal could have taken the lead against run of play when Syed Rahim Nabi failed to convert Climax Lawrence's well taken corner, much to the dismay of Bhowmick. Debutant Joey Gudjonnson who was arguably the best Leicester player on the pitch, bossed around the midfield and came close to scoring in the 23. and 39.minute. However he was denied by East Bengal captain Sangram Mukherjee by some fine acrobatic saves. Leicester dominated first half with East Bengal looking to counter attack and look for breaks.
The second half, was an even one as East Bengal came forward and looked to dominate the proceedings. Mukherjee pulled another spectacular save when he saved a long range effort from Gudjonsson much to the dismay of Micky Adams side. Mukherjee made another fantastic save ten minutes later, when he acrobatically saved the volley from Keith Gillespie. Putting some good passes and runs, especially from midfield, East Bengal almost took the lead in the 67.minute, when the Indian captain Baichung Bhutia used his pace to get behind city defence, but he delayed in taking the shot which cost him dear as it allowed Richard Stearman to make a hasty last minute tackle. Two minutes later, Trevor Benjamin was fouled inside the penalty box. The Jamaican gave city the lead after converting the penalty passed Mukherjee.
East Bengal looked to attack in the remaining minutes, with Bhowmick bringing on attacking midfielder Malswam Tulunga instead of Alvito. However East Bengal failed to capitalise on some promising passes and build ups to end up on loosing side. Leicester City won a close game which could have gone in any direction. East Bengal manager Bhowmick will be happy with the effort put by the side into the match considering this is the first time an Indian club played in England.
Leicester City FC: Kevin Pressmann; Peter Canero, Liam Powell, Nikos Dabizas (60' McGavigan), Richard Stearman; Scot Gemmill (65' Dawson), Keith Gillespie, Joey Gudjonsson (65' Butcher); Lee Morris, Tommy Wright, Trevor Benjamin.
EAST BENGAL: Sangram Mukherjee; Deepak Kumar Mondal, Louis Aniweta, Selwyn Fernandes, Madhab Das; Douglas da Silva, Alvito D'Cunha (74' Shylo Malswam Tulunga; 84' Sasthi Duley), Climax Lawrence, Syed Rahim Nabi; Bijen Singh, Baichung Bhutia.

PEPSI MAX CHALLENGE - Walkers Stadium, Leicester - Semifinal: Real Mallorca 1-1,4-3 CS Maritimo Madeira [on penalties] - Goals: 0-1 Nuno Miguel Pereira de Sousa Briguel (43'), 1-1 Jesús Perera López (74').

Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 2-0 Eastern Railway SC - Goals: 1-0 Surojit Bose (77'), 2-0 Chinmoy Sarkar (90+').
Calcutta Super Division: George Telegraph SC 1-0 Calcutta Port Trust - Goal: 1-0 Francis.
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta FC 0-0 Wari AC - Goals: none.
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Dynamo Club 5-0 Young Amateur Club - Goals: 1-0,3-0,5-0 Six Birth (20',76',85'), 2-0 Padum Rabha (55'), 4-0 Lalrempuia Ralte (78').

30. July
Guwahati Super Division: Jewel Star Club 3-1 Maharana AC - Goals: 0-1 Pratap Bramha (10'), 1-1 Dwipen Mahananda (25'), 2-1,3-1 Utpal Das (41',77')
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: ADE 1-1 MEG - Goals: 1-0 Arunkumar (36'), 1-1 Jitesh (45')
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: BEL SC 1-2 CIL - Goals: 0-1 Krishna Kumar (6'), 0-2 Kanikaraj (30'), 1-2 Sudhakar (75')
CIL advances according to tournament rules on penalties: CIL 4-3 BEL

Note-1: The Leicester City FC 120th anniversary tournament won't be broadcasted live in India due to little interest by the international media. There have been no takers for the event in the UK, Spain nor Portugal. So Indian fans waiting for live pictures on TEN Sports will be disappointed too. TEN Sports will now show just a half hour programme at 22.00 IST on August 1, featuring highlights from both the East Bengal matches.

Note-2: Calcutta Super Division promoted side George Telegraph SC have recruited two foreign strikers in MC Francis and Theodre Sunday to strengthen their squad further in a quest for a Super Six berth.

29. July
Calcutta Super Division: EverReady Association 2-1 Railway FC - Goals: Eugene Gray, Renedy Singh, Debabrata Roy.
Guwahati Super Division: NF Railway SC 2-2 Guwahati Town Club - Goals: 0-1 Bhaskar Bora (27'), 1-1 Sibendra Goyari (29'), 1-2 Mithun Garh (41'), 2-2 Munna Chetri (75').
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited SC 2-1 Karnataka State Police - Goals: 1-0 Santosh Kiran (71'), 1-1 Vinod Kumar (83'), 2-1 William Maxim Crasta.
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: SAI, Bangalore 1-1 LRDE - Goals: 1-0 B Prakash (30'), 1-1 Satish (61').

Note-1: East Bengal Club arrived in London-Heathrow yesterday afternoon for the Leicester City FC 120th anniversary tournament over the weekend. And today in London the NFL champions went to the House of Commons (lower house of British Parliament) on an invitation of Leicester East MP Keith Vaz. Present at a reception held in the Dining Room of the House of Commons were important UK-based NRIs, amongst them industrialists, and also IFSC-International coordinator Rene Barreto.
The team was welcomed at the House of Commons by British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who said on the occasion "Sport is a tremendous way of bringing people together."
Before having to take the field on saturday and sunday at the Walkers stadium, East Bengal tomorrow have an interaction day with the Asian community in Leicestershire.

Note-2: Former Indian junior international Amjad Ali Khan, who this summer took a transfer from Mohammedan Sporting Club to Mohun Bagan AC, has been suspended for six month's by the AIFFs disciplinary committee for beating up a referee in the Punjab-Bengal final of the U21 Nationals in Jamalpur in early-June 2004. Further Amjad would have to pay a fine of Rs 15,000.
Three other playrs had been fined and punished by the Bengal football governing body IFA, but Amjad's case, due to it's magnitude and importance was passed on to the AIFF for a final verdict.

Note-3: Mahindra United today disclosed their plans to popularise football in Mumbai city. Mahindra have carried out a survey and found that football is a very popular in schools and colleges. "We have also identified schools and colleges with strong sports traditions," said Mahindra United manager Henry Menezes.
Suhas Nair from Khalsa College informed that the college has about 4000 students and has a history of producing 35 to 40 Internationals in various discipline such as hockey, football, athletics, basketball, cycling and judo. The entire college is excited and is eagerly waiting for Monday to come.
Mahindra United will start its campaign by having a training session at the Khalsa College ground on Monday 2, August and later sign autographs for Khalsa students after the training.
"We hope to have a long term relationship with this college knowing its history of having a strong sports tradition, maybe some of our national players will arrange a training session with the college team which will further boost the game in the college level," added Menezes further.

Note-4: Mohun Bagan AC today celebrated their Mohun Bagan Day at their club tent on the Calcutta Maidan. Posthum the Mohun Bagan Ratna was conferred to legendary Gostha Pal today, which Gostha Pal's eldest son Sudhanshu Pal accepted in the name of the family.
Mohun Bagan on July 29 every year celebrate Mohun Bagan Day to mark the day Mohun Bagan defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment to lift the IFA-Shield to create Indian football history.

28. July
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: ADE 2-1 CIL - Goals: 1-0 Dennis (17'), 2-0 Jayawardhan (65'), 2-1 Thomas (69').
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: BEL SC 2-1 MEG - Goals: 1-0 Jagannath (36'), 1-1 Nandakumar (53'), 2-1 Roy (55').

Note-1: The IFA lately under secretary Subrata Dutta has had some very interesting and innovative ideas for Bengal football. Some of the ideas have even been implemented, especially with an outlook to spread football into the districts.
Today the IFA sat down with representatives of the big Maidan three - East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting - to tell them about the idea of the IFA. As per the plans the Big Three could pick and choose a club from each of the 19 West Bengal districts to carry the clubs name, wear the team colours in district tournaments and also get merchandise at a lower rate. The district clubs would have to pay a registration (licence) fee and pay a portion of any self-raised sponsorship to the parent club. But those figures would have to be worked out.
The clubs have asked for time to look into the idea, but if it can be implemented they seemed interested.

Note-2: The IFA would hold an U19 league for Calcutta Super Division clubs in August. Eight of the 14 Super Division teams are going to take part this year. From next year it would be mandatory for all clubs to have a U19 team participating the U19 league.

27. July
Those of you who have not voted in the second and final round of the IndianFootball.Com AWARDS 2004 still have a chance to do so until Saturday night.
So use your right to cast your vote for the best performers of the last, gone season.
Click here to go to the indianfootball.com awards section

Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 1-0 Eastern Railway SC - Goal: 1-0 Regis Carlos (35').
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goal: 1-0 Tarif Ahmed (53').
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan AC 0-0 Calcutta Port Trust - Goals: none.
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited SC 1-1 SAI, Bangalore - Goals: 1-0 Dayanand (50'), 1-1 B Prakash (76').
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: Karnataka State Police 3-2 LRDE - Goals: 0-1 G Ashoke (19'), 1-1,3-2 Maheswaran (47',90+'), 2-1 Vinod Kumar (62'), 2-2 Satish Kumar (87')

Note-1: A 20 member squad plus three officials will represent East Bengal Club on their maiden trip to Leicester, England this coming weekend. The team leaves for England tomorrow from Calcutta and will return to the city on August 4.
East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick today termed the trip as "educational", where his boys could prove their worth against superior opposition. Bhowmick also played down expectations from the fans saying that "jet leg" was one of the problems on hand for the team, which plays matches on Saturday and Sunday and before that has some social obligations in Londona and Leicestershire.
Quite interestingly statisticians in Calcutta and some former East Bengal players have clarified that this trip is not going to be the first trip of an Indian club nor of East Bengal to Europe. A young East Bengal team had taken part in a tournament in Bucharest, Romania in 1953 and thereafter played a few friendlies in Moscow.
Baichung Bhutia will most likely not return to Calcutta after the Leicester Tour is over but could fly across to Cyprus for trials with AEL Limassol.
EAST BENGAL SQUAD: GK: Sangram Mukherjee (Captain), Rajat Ghosh Dastidar; DF: Deepak Kumar Mondal, Selwyn Fernandes, Louis Aniweta, Madhab Das, Syed Hussain, MF: Douglas da Silva, Climax Lawrence, Alvito D'Cunha, Shylo Malswam Tulunga, Dipankar Roy, Sasthi Duley, Chandan Das, Sujoy Datta, Tushar Rakshit, Sandip Das; FW: Baichung Bhutia, Bijen Singh, Syed Rahim Nabi.
Coach: Subhas Bhowmick; Manager: Manash Mukherjee; Doctor: Shanti Ranjan Das Gupta.

Note-2: Action will return to the Guwahati Nehru Stadium from thursday as the Guwahati Super Division restarts that day after a forced break due to heavy monsoons in the Northeast.

26. July
Friendly - Leicester: Leicester City FC Academy U17 5-2 India U17 - Goals: 1-0,2-0 James Graham (15',35'), 3-0 ?, 4-0 Ricky Muggleton, 5-0 ?, 5-1, 5-2 Romeo Suklain.

Calcutta Super Division: George Telegraph SC 1-1 Food Corporation of India
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta FC 0-0 Railway FC - Goals: none.
Calcutta Super Division: Peerless SC 0-0 Wari AC - Goals: none.
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: CIL 0-0 MEG - Goals: none.
Puttiah Memorial League - Group B: BEL SC 0-0 ADE - Goals: none.

Note-1: East Bengal Club leave for their historic trip to England on wednesday and the final preparations on home soil in Calcutta are taking place. But East Bengal could miss one of their key players on the trip. Indian international Debjit Ghosh, recovering from an injury, has asked the team management to give his place in the squad to another player, a youngsters, as he feels not fully fit and would like to recover properly and not take the strain of travelling to Europe.

25. July
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited SC 2-1 LRDE - Goals: 1-0 Dayanand (14'), 1-1 Satish Kumar, 2-1 Xavier Vijayakumar (66').
Puttiah Memorial League - Group A: SAI, Bangalore 1-0 Karnataka State Police - Goal: 1-0 M Arun (89').

Note-1: Mohun Bagan AC will next month go to Myanmar to play three friendly matches against the Myanmar national team. A 19 player Mohun Bagan squad would travel to on August 2 to Myanmar to play the matches on the August 3,5 and 7 before returning to Calcutta on August 9. For the national side of Myanmar the three friendly matches would be in preparation of the Vietnam LG Cup, where interestingly Myanmar would face hosts Vietnam and our Indian national team.

Note-2: The Punjab U21 team was fecilitated by the JCT Mills management yesterday in Phagwara for winning the 13th U21 Nationals in Jamalpur, Bihar. The Punjab U21 team had beaten West Bengal in the final. All players of the team were given a cash reward of Rs. 5,000 for winning the championship

24. July
The camp for the INDIA senior national team would start on August 5 at the SAI Eastern Centre, Saltlake Stadium in Calcutta. In total 35 players have been asked to report to the national coach Stephen Constantine ahead of the Vietnam LG Cup later in August and the 2006 World Cup qualifier against Japan on September 8.
PROBABLES: GK: Sangram Mukherjee (East Bengal Club), Prasanta Dora (Mohun Bagan AC), Naseem Akhtar (Mahindra United), Mark Mascarenhas (Churchill Brothers SC). DF: Mahesh Gawli, Covan Lawrence, Arun Malhotra, Debabrata Roy (all Mahindra United), Deepak Kumar Mondal, Debjit Ghosh, Muttath Suresh (all East Bengal Club), Vinu Jose (Vasco SC), Habibur Rehman Mondal, Surkumar Singh. MD: Shanmugam Venkatesh, Jatin Singh Bisht, Steven Dias (all Mahindra United), Tomba Singh, Noel Wilson, Jerry Zirsanga (all Mohun Bagan AC), Alvito D'Cunha, Climax Lawrence (both East Bengal Club), Sameer Naik, Gouramangi Moirangtem Singh (both Dempo SC), Jo Paul Ancheri (JCT Mills), VK Harish (Indian Bank), Renedy Singh (EverReady Association). FW: Baichung Bhutia, Bijen Singh (both East Bengal Club), Abhishek Yadav (Mahindra United), Ashim Biswas (Mohun Bagan AC), Freddy Mascarenhas (Salgaocar SC), Sheikh Sanjeeb (EverReady Association), Vimal Pariyar (Tata Football Academy).

Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goals: 1-0 Douglas da Silva (68').
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 0-0 Calcutta Port Trust - Goals: none.
Calcutta Super Division: Railway FC 1-1 Wari AC - Goals: 0-1 Shyamsundar Das (51'), 1-1 Debabrata Roy (82').

Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Final: Tata Football Academy 1-0 Squares Gate, England - Goal: 1-0 Lester Mark Fernandez.
The Tata Football Academy win the Haarlem Youth Cup U19 tournament!

23. July
Calcutta Super Division: EverReady Association 2-1 Mohammedan AC

Note-1: FIFA, soccer's international governing body, has teamed up with UNICEF, Jalpaiguri and Murshidabad district administration in West Bengal to get children into school by encouraging girls to play football.
In Murshidabad, the district administration along with UNICEF is using the sports kits as a way of improving attendance in school's and empowering and changing attitudes towards girls.
The pilot project was launched here recently in Farakka Block of Murshidabad, where chairperson, District Primary School Council (DPSC) Sweta Chandra distributed FIFA football kits to schools run under
DPSC, that were selected through meetings at the block level with head teachers, sub-inspectors of schools and other officials responsible for primary school education at the respective block.
UNICEF Education Officer, Rajiv Sinha said, "In a world where far too many children suffer from poverty, football can help rescue the part of childhood that includes the right to play. FIFA has really stepped up a drive for children, recognizing that football is more than just a game".
FIFA has donated "sport-in-a-box" kit, which contain basic sports equipment and a guide on playing football, especially girls to attend school and enjoy the game of soccer.
Sport-in-a-box is an innovative experiment. Each kit contains everything needed for a game of soccer along with ten footballs and hence each kit is being shared by a cluster of ten schools.

22. July
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 4-2 Food Corporation of India - Goals: 1-0 Kabijit Khotel (8'), 1-1 Amit Dey (9'), 2-1 Akeem Abolanle (22'), 3-1 Dinesh Swar (28'), 4-1 Ramu Adhikari (76'), 4-2 Mithun Dey (84').

Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 0-0 Squares Gate, England
Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 5-1 De Baan, Netherlands
- The Tata Football Academy will play the Haarlem Youth Cup U19 tournament final on Saturday against Squares Gate, England.

Note-1: Indian national coach Stephen Constantine arrived in the Assam capital Guwahati today to conduct an eight day orientation camp for football coaching for coaches which is being jointly organized by the National Games Secretariat, the Assam FA, and the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare at the Guwahati SAI Complex. In total 17 coaches from Assam and other Northeastern States have come to the clinic.
Talking in Guwahati ahead of the start of the camp, Constantine said that the Northeast was a "goldmine of talent" in football but only with proper planning, coaching and organisation the maximum could be achieved.
Constantine made it clear that he wanted to work with the coaches from the region, so they could learn the latest in football coaching, which they then could pass on to the players of the region. Constantine made it clear that it made no use, if he coached players for a few days, but rather their coaches needed to be educated.

Note-2: Though Baichung Bhutia signed a contract with East Bengal Club the other day and will also be part of the team for the Leicester trip of the club, Baichung is still looking at the option to play in Cyprus. Initially Baichung was to be in Cyprus by now and be on trial but as per current plans the coach or manager of AEL Limassol will come to Leicester to see Baichung in action over the weekend July 31/August 1. If the interest remains or if the officials don't come to England, Baichung might travel to Cyprus for a trial.

21. July
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 0-0 Eastern Railway SC - Goals: none.
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 1-0 Railway FC - Goal: 1-0 Abhay Kumar (68').

Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 2-0 De Baan, Netherlands
Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 5-0 Robin Hood, Netherlands

Note-1: An oHerald report: Dempo SC are seriously considering the possibility of dragging Sporting Clube de Goa striker MacPherlin Dudu Omagbemi to court after the Nigerian allegedly dishonoured a contract.
"The management is seriously thinking on those lines. We will knock the doors of justice and put things in perspective," Dempo SC secretary Armando Colaco told Herald while monitoring an early-morning training session, at University grounds, Taleigao.
According to Armando, Dudu Omagbemi, who was among the leading goal-scorers of the National Football League and a hot property, agreed to play for Dempo SC and also signed a promisory note.
However, days later, Dudu went back on his word and renewed his contract with Sporting Clube de Goa though the circumstances leading to the signing remain mysterious.
"We have a stamp paper signed by Dudu. We need to draw a line and end this madness where the player, initially, agrees to play and then goes does an u-turn," Armando, who is also the Dempo coach, informed.
Neither promisory notes nor stamp papers count for nothing in the eyes of the All India Football Federation and the Goa Football Association. But, Armando says the Courts will certainly take cogniscance of the matter.
"The Stamp Paper is a legal document. It’s a promise and if someone does not honour the promise, we can always seek redressal," Armando informed.

Note-2: The ITC of Brazilian striker has reached Mohun Bagan AC as the clubs assistant secretary Balaram Chaudhury informed in Calcutta today.

20. July
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Police Blues 4-0 Young Amateur Club - Goals: 1-0 Munindra Sonowal (60'), 2-0 Amulya Das (62'), 3-0 Monoj Boro (82'), 4-0 Rabijit Jigdung (87').

Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 9-2 Robin Hood, Netherlands
Haarlem Youth Cup (Holland) - Group A: Tata Football Academy 3-1 Squares Gate, England

Note-1: The AIFF top brass met today in Calcutta to discuss a number of pending issues.
One of the key questions was if national coach Stephen Constantine would be sacked or released ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco made it clear that Constantine would remain with the Indian team until his three year contract ended in June 2005. Colaco said, "Moreover, unlike countries like Japan and South Korea, which can easily get the services of top coaches, in India we have limitations. It is not easy to get a good new coach. We have our limitations and so have to make compromises. I hope you understand." This is a awkward answer by the AIFF secretary as this would mean, due to financial constraints the AIFF was keeping Constantine as it would cost less. Not really a show of support. One would hope Colaco did
To the query if anyone else was being considered as national coach with the name Subhas Bhowmick being named by the journalists, Colaco added "We are not going to consider or even think about anyone till Constantine's contract ends."
On India's World Cup qualifiers the AIFF secretary said that the rights for the India-Japan match had been sold to IMG, who had sold the Japanese rights to the Japan FA, while the Indian broadcaster of the match hadn't been finalised so far. The AIFF would like Doordarshan for its reach to show the match, though sports channels have shown interest to show the match.
Ahead of the away match in Oman, India would play a warm-up friendly against Kuwait in the Gulf state.
On player related issues, the AIFF disciplinary committee is said to take a final decision in a weeks time on the suspension for Bengal U21 player Amjad Ali Khan for manhandling the referee in the U21 Nationals final match. Further the AIFF players status committee has not granted a transfer to Surkumar Singh from East Bengal to Mahindra United. Surkumar and the two clubs would have to appear infront of the body before a final verdict is made on the issue.

Note-2: Finally tomorrow the INDIA U17 team will leave for a two week training camp in England at Leicester City FC. The 24 boys will undergo specialised training under the watchful eyes of LCFC Academy director Jon Rudkin and the team will play a number of friendly matches. Amongst the opponents will be Academy teams from LCFC and Birmingham City FC plus an UK-Asian Junior selection.
The inexperienced coaches Suresh Babu and Carlton Chapman have been put as expert aside, PK Banerjee as technical director.
INDIA U17: Shilton Paul, Harmanjyot Singh, Roa Chinta Chandrasekhar, Hirohito Elagban, Bimal Minz (all Tata Football Academy), Manik Biswas, Antoni Soren, Pradeep Roy (all SAIL, Calcutta), Chanchan Saha (Tollygunge Agragami), Souvik Mondal, Suman Dutta, Mohammad Muktar, Ashim Das (all Calcutta), Poibang Pohshna, Romeo Suklain, Sielphaw Henry Gangte (all Meghalaya), Laltanpuia Hnamte, Malsawmtluanga, Zaidinmavia Hmar (all Mizoram), Ong Tshering Lepcha, Sanju Pradhan (both Sikkim), William (Delhi), Vachhawng Lalchhuanmawia (Jharkhand), Pavan Kumar (Chandigarh Football Academy). Coaching Staff: Suresh Babu, Carlton Chapman (Coaches); PK Banerjee (Technical Director), Ranjit Gupta (Project Director), C Venlalamawia (Manager), Dr. PK Ramesh (Doctor).

Note-3: Coming Sunday, July 25, the Goa FA will be organising a clinic on the interpretation of the 'offside rule' at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda. The clinic will be conducted by AFC instructor and AIFF referee Board secretary MG Suvarna, which will also incorporate a session on changes which have come into effect as off July 1. All professional and first division clubs have been asked by the GFA to send their coaches and officials to the clinic.

Note-4: After a match was played in the Guwahati Super Division at the Nehru Stadium today, the Guwahati Sports Association has decided to indefinitely postpone the league due to unplayable ground conditions. The rigirous Monsoon is taking its toll and has made it impossible to play football.

19. July
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 0-3 Calcutta FC - Goals: 0-1 Niladri Chakraborty (8'), 0-2 Cheema Oku Felix (79'), 0-3 Felix Chimaokwu (80').
Calcutta Super Division: George Telegraph SC 0-1 Peerless SC - Goal: 0-1 Manoj Das.
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta Port Trust 0-0 Wari AC - Goals: none.

Note-1: The Tata Football Academy left their training camp in Germany in Schoenau today by train to travel across into the Netherlands to take part in the Haarlem Youth Cup tournament in the U19 category. TFA would have to play two matches a day of 40 matches duration in the group stage. TFA have been drawn in Group A along with Robin Hood and De Baan from the Netherlands and Squires Gate fom England. A team from Cameroon also in the group pulled out.

Note-1: Tomorrow's Calcutta Super Division match between Mohammedan Sporting Club and EverReady Association has finally been called-off and postponed indefinitely. First the match was supposed to be played at the Barasat Stadium, but due to inadequate security the match was shifted to the Howrah Stadium,

Note-2: Indian national team coach Stephen Constantine's coaching clinic in the Assamese capital Guwahati will kickoff a couple of later than planned, now on July 22 or 23. Constantine cannot come into Guwahati any earlier.
As per plans 20 coaches would come to the camp also including a couple of coaches from neighbouring northeastern states. But coaches from upper Assam might have to miss the camp due to floods in the region and disconnection of rail and road links.

18. July
Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 1-1 Mohun Bagan AC - Goals: 0-1 Sunil Chetri (28'), 1-1 Douglas da Silva (71').
EAST BENGAL: Sangram Mukherjee, Selwyn Fernandes, Louis Aniweta, Deepak Kumar Mondal, Syed Hussein (Shylo Malswam Tulunga), Sasthi Duley, Climax Lawrence (Dipankar Roy), Alvito D'Cunha, Chandan Das (Douglas da Silva), Baichung Bhutia, Syed Rahim Nabi.
MOHUN BAGAN: Prasanta Dora, Dulal Biswas, Mehraj Din Wadoo, Palash Karmakar, Eduardo Chacon Coelho Lacerda, Rishi Kapoor, Tomba Singh (Manas Das), Noel Wilson (Abhay Kumar), Dharamjit Singh, Asim Biswas, Sunil Chhetri (Jerry Zirsanga).

17. July
Friendly - Neckersulm: DJK SV Phoenix Schifferstadt U19 0-1 Tata Football Academy - Goal: 0-1 PC Lalam Puia (66').
Having lost on Tuesday after a not so good performance, the Tata Football Academy boys played a good game today afternoon on a grass ground in Neckersulm beating DJK SV Phoenix Schifferstadt U19, a U19 German Regionalliga team, 1-0 in a 70.minute match. On a hot and humid afternoon, Indian weather conditions here in Germany, TFA where the better of the two sides, also coping well with the unusual weather but the team missed numerous changes with Goutam Kujur being the culprit in the first half, while PC Lalam Puia could have scored a hattrick in the second half, though scoring the winner. TFA have been training under a German coach in the last two weeks and one could see improvements since last weekends match against VfL Heiligkreuzsteinach, especially in organisation and communication in the team.
Both sides took a wait and watch approach in the starting minutes of the match, but it was striker Goutam Kujur from the left whose shot just went wide of the goal to the right to give TFA their first chance 10 minutes into the game. Five minutes later Kujur was fouled outside the box but Parminder Singh's freekick sailed high over the crossbar. Kujur had another good chance with a header but the ball sailed into the hands of the Schifferstadt keeper. Thereafter talented striker Lalam Puia did one of his runs past the defence on the left, but was stopped by a defender before he could take a shot on goal. The last chance before the breather was once more for TFA as defender Warundeep Singh headed a corner over the crossbar.
After the lemon break Schifferstadt came back into the game with an urge to do more as in the first half they mainly played in the midfield, not having any proper chance. That changed just four minutes into the second half with their striker getting a chance to shot but past the post. Lalam Puia played a strong second half and he had his first chance in the 43.minute as he beat a defender in a one-to-one situation but his shot was saved by the rival keeper. Only a minute later Schifferstadt had another chance after a corner where TFA keeper Arindam Bhattacharya didn't get the ball and the ball sailed across the TFA box, which clearly showed that the TFA boys came back onto the ground with a lack of concentration and suddenly Schifferstadt was a dangerous opponent. Often dangerous situations were avoided by an able and alert TFA defence, where central man Warundeep Singh stood out. Warundeep often cleverly positioned himself, shouted commandos to the others often placing the Schifferstadt strikers offside and also made clearances before danger could reach the TFA goal. Ten minutes into the second half TFA had a double chance with Lalam Puia missing first, then Kujur also not getting the ball into the goal both being inside the box. Captain Satish Kumar went free on the right and placed the ball back to Lalam Puia in the centre but he missed the targer. It seemed Lalam Puia would not score today, having missed too many good chance but he was to get his goal. A Naoba Singh freekick, who had to play in defence as Goutam Debnath was out injured, sailed into the area were Lalam Puia latched onto the ball to score past the keeper to the delight of the top TFA officials, who come to Germany midweek, and the small Indian crowd. Suddenly Schifferstadt increased the pressure looking for the equalised but it was not to come as TFA kept the lead intact until the end.
Ending their stay in Germany, TFA on Monday travel to Harlem in the Netherlands to take part in the Harlem Youth Cup.
TFA: 21-Arindam Bhattacharya; 8-Naoba Singh, 3-Warundeep Singh, 5-Gurjinder Singh (4-Avdhesh Pal); 27-Hiralal Chetri (32-Branco Vincent Cardozo, 25-S Muralidharan), 11-Satish Kumar, 7-Lester Mark Fernandez, 17-Robert Lalthalma; 28-Goutam Kujur, 9-PC Lalam Puia, 29-Parwinder Singh.

Note-1: An old club is back in the Mumbai football scene. Bombay Muslims SC, founded in 1942, having brought up players like Mohammed Yousuf Ansari and Khalid Jamil is back in the circuit with the help from the Rizvi Group with the club now called Rizvi Mumbai Muslims SC. The club had closed down due to non-availability of funds, some had tried to revive the club in 1983 but it failed until now. The clubs aims to make a mark in the Mumbai league in the coming years, concentrating on youth development at grassroot level.

16. July
Finally the redesigned Indian Football Supporters Club (IFSC-International) Site has gone online. The site comes in a brand new looking INDIA design with infos on what the IFSC is trying to do, with special emphasis on the Calicut Academy project.
Click here to go to the redesigned Indian Football Supporters Club SITE

Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan AC 2-1 Calcutta FC
Calcutta Super Division: Railway FC 1-1 Food Corporation of India
Calcutta Super Division: Eastern Railway SC 2-1 Peerless SC

Note-1: The signature East Bengal Club has been waiting for has come today. India captain Baichung Bhutia signed a six month contract with East Bengal until December 31, 2004. Baichung will likely make his season debut for East Bengal against Mohun Bagan on Sunday. Also Baichung will play in the Leicester City FC tournament at the end of this month but thereafter at some time he would go to trials to Cyprus. The trial dates will be given to Baichung by the Cypriot club but Baichung has the okay of the East Bengal officials to go to the trials, whenever he is called.
Baichung said at the Sooterkin Street office of the IFA in Calcutta, "I signed for East Bengal for a period of six months, after which I will be a free player."

Note-2: An oHerald report: Arbitrator judge (retd) Alvaro de Noronha Ferreira fined the Goa Football Association Rs 7,000 and directed that Fransa Football Club be asked to revert to the name of Fransa Pax Football Club.
The award was pronounced following the arbitration proceedings initiated by Pax of Nagoa Sporting Club.
While setting aside an earlier order where the GFA had permitted Mickky Pacheco to change the name from Fransa Pax to Fransa, the Arbitrator asked it bear the costs of the proceedings in equal shares.
GFA secretary Savio Messias is away in Canada on a personal visit and was not available for comments, but, Fransa FC chairman Mickky Pacheco, on Friday, played down fears that he might have to revert the name of his football team.
"The case was between the Goa Football Association and Pax. I have nothing to do (with it). It is upto the GFA now to contest the decision," Mickky Pacheco told Herald, this morning.
The Fransa chairman said his team had moved a long way and there was no turning back. "Fransa Football Club is my house. Whether I paint it white or black is immaterial," he said sarcastically.
"Following painstaking efforts, immaculate planning and huge investments, Fransa is among the best in business. Fransa is an NFL team (now) and we do not intend taking a step backwards," he added.
Mickky refused to outline his next plan of action but said he was awaiting a formal communique from the GFA. "Let us see what the GFA has to say. We will move accordingly," he disclosed.
It may be recalled, in August 2002, the GFA had acceded to Fransa Pax Football Club requests for a change in its name to Fransa Football Club.
The GFA had relied on a resolution from the Pax of Nagoa General Body which transferred the Pax of Nagoa football team to Fransa Group of Companies and all GFA correspondence pertaining to the team was being addressed to Betalbatim, where the Fransa headquarters is situated.
Mickky Pacheco had claimed, then, that he had to delete the word Pax from the team as the club was being commercialised under a Private Limited Company.

Note-3: The SP Roy Inter-District (Bengal) Club Championship organised by the IFA will kickoff at the Raiganj Stadium in Uttar Dinajpur tomorrow. 20 champion clubs from districts from across West Bengal will vie for the title, which is worth Rs 30,000, while the runners-up receives Rs 20,000. Matches would be held in Uttar Dinajpur, Tribeni Ground in Hooghly, Rampurhat Stadium in Birbhum and Narayanpur United Club Ground in North 24 Parganas. The last ground will host the final on August 1. Raju and Seacem have come forward to sponsor the event.

Note-4: A Cupper Test will be organised for referees from the North-East by the AIFF from August 7 to 9. In total 59 referees are going to take part. Thereafter the Assam FA will organise a referees seminar for Assam state referees from August 10 to 12.

15. July
Note-1: The Core Committee for the restructuring the National Football League had its first meeting at the AIFF Office at Margao, Goa yesterday. Present were chairman Shivanand V Salgaocar plus the members Subrata Dutta, Mohan Raj, Nasir Ali and Sukhwinder Singh who went through the recommendations received from the clubs and state FAs and then submitted the following interim recommendations:
1. That the 9th National Football League shall be a twelve team League played on a home and away basis.
2. To make the League more competitive and have bigger rest periods for the players it is suggested that the number of teams in the 10th National Football League shall be reduced to ten. Consequently four teams will be demoted at the end of the 9th National Football League. Two teams will be promoted from the 2.Division National Football League 2004/05.
3. The 2nd Division National Football League shall consist of eighteen teams. Besides the two demoted teams from the eight NFL and the four teams in the final phase of the 2nd Division National League 2003-2004, six more teams will be selected on the basis of the ranking of their States and the quality of the respective State Leagues. The remaining teams will be selected from a qualifying zonal tournament with a view to give representation to other States. AIFF to submit an assessment of the State Leagues within 30 days.
4. To give further opportunities to Clubs from all State Associations, it is recommended that Champion Clubs from all States play in the Preliminary round of the Federation Cup from 2005-2006.
5. That the 9th NFL concludes by the 1st week of April and the 10th NFL starts from mid November 2005 and concludes by end of March 2006.

Note-2: TEN Sports will be showing the 120th anniversary tournament of Leicester City FC titled "Pepsi Max Challenge" involving Indian champions East Bengal Club live on July 31 and August 1 from the Walker Stadium, Leicester. Besides the hosts Leicester City FC and East Bengal Club, also taking part will be Spanish Primera Division side RC Real Mallorca and Portuguese club CS Maritimo Madeira.

Note-3: Indian champions East Bengal Club today relaunched their new club website with two domains at the clubs disposal.
We at IndianFootball.Com, pioneers for Indian football on the Web, welcome any Indian club starting an official site, but East Bengal and their website project partners will have to ensure that the site is maintained and kept uptodate, then having a website but not maintaining it doesn't make any sense. One hopes the club has learned from earlier mistakes with their old website.
Click here to go to the relaunched official East Bengal Club Site - mirror site

Note-4: Due to the flood situation in Assam, the state's sub-junior and junior football tournaments have been postponed by at least a week. If it will be held then will depend on the prevailing weather situation.

14. July
It took a few days long but now finally online the 2004 Transfers Site for Indian clubs at IndianFootball.Com!
Click here for >>2004 transfer site

Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 2-0 George Telegraph SC - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Bijen Singh (72',82').

Note-1: Tomorrows Calcutta Super Division match between Mohammedan Sporting Club and EverReady Association has been postponed by the IFA without a new date set. The match was supposed to be held at the Barasat Stadium but after the incidents of the last Sporting match, Sporting didn't want to play there and the IFA shifted the match to the Howrah Stadium but there security arrangements for the match would have been inadequate.

13. July
Friendly - Sinzheim: Sinzheim 3-2 Tata Football Academy

Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan AC 3-1 Mohammedan AC - Goals: 0-1 Ari Benjamin Hmar (15'), 1-1 Ashim Biswas (42'), 2-1 Jerry Zirsanga (68'), 3-1 Sunil Chetri (84').
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 0-0 Wari AC - Goals: none.

Note-1: As per Government of India guidelines, the AIFF, has appointed a Selection Committee for the Indian senior national team.
Members of the Committee are national coach Stephen Constantine and the four former internationals VP Sathyan (Indian Bank coach), Henry Menezes (Mahindra United manager), Brahmanand Shankwalker (Goa) and Prasun Banerjee (West Bengal). As per Government guidelines, the AIFF President will be an ex-officio member of the Committee; while the Government will nominate an Observer to attend the Selection Committee Meeting.

Note-2: The Vietnam LG Cup would be held in Ho Chi Minh City from August 19 to 28. India have been drawn in Group A along with hosts Vietnam and Myanmar. India would start their campaign on August 22 against Myanmar and then face the hosts Vietnam on August 24. The semifinals would be held on August 26 with the final slated for August 28.
The Indian national team would use the Vietnam LG Cup as preparation for the India-Japan World Cup qualifier on September 8 in Calcutta. The probables camp for the LG Cup would start on August 1 with the venue still undecided.

Note-3: Former Olympian footballer Chuni Goswami has decided to accept an offer from the Asian Football Confederation to become an advisor in the Vision India project to develop Indian football. Chuni Goswami had been informed by the AIFF that the AFC were looking at him as an advisor and he felt honoured to be thought about for the job on hand. He hoped that through the Vision India project someone lasting for the development of football would be done in India.

Note-4: a UNI report: Ace footballer IM Vijayan is all set to formally launch his business product 'football' and a sports club with the motto of 'football revolution in villages' with a bang. The former international is launching the first product from his company, Boxer Sports Goods Company, with an exhibition football match, apart from a star-studded ceremony in Kochi on July 18. The company is aiming high to capture half of the Kerala market of sports goods in a year and gradually the Indian market before starting exports, BSGC Chairman Vijayan told newspersons on Monday. However, the best part of the scheme will be the Boxer Sports Club, his long-cherished dream of spotting and developing football talent from distant villages in Kerala, with a major chunk of the company profits.
India's golden girl PT Usha, Shiny Wilson and State Ministers K Sudhakaran and KV Thomas would be among the dignitaries to attend the ceremony. In the exhibition match, the NFL promoted State Bank of Travancore will meet Boxer XI, led by Vijayan. Internationals like Joe Paul Ancheri, Godfrey Pereira, KV Dhanesh and M Suresh would line up with former internationals like CV Pappachen and Sharaf Ali under the coaching of former Indian captain VP Sathyan, he added.

Note-5: Due to the continuing bad weather in northeastern India the Guwahati Super Division matches have been postponed by another week. The hope of the organising Guwahati Sports Association is that the weather will improve in the coming days.

12. July
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan Sporting Club 0-2 Peerless SC - Goals: 0-1 Okoli Onyeka Odofa (50'), 0-2 Senjam Manglemjao Singh (54').
Calcutta Super Division: Eastern Railway SC 2-1 EverReady Association
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta Port Trust 2-1 Food Corporation of India

Note-1: The Mohammedan Sporting Club-Peerless SC match in the Calcutta Super Division today at the Vidyasagar Stadium in Barasat witnessed Indian-style hooliganism from the Sporting fans with the Calcutta Police taking it's kind of action. Trouble erupted in the Sporting block after Peerless scored their second goal with police forced to take action against fans throwing bottles and other things onto the ground. The lathicharge seemed to have worked but later the police twice more had to use force and lathicharge the crowd. In the process two persons were injured - an old man and a child as per official infos but more are said to have been injured.
Sporting secretary highly condemned this brutal act and questioned the security of Barasat stadium. Surely an issue as Sporting are supposed to play Mohun Bagan at this ground. But why lately only violence breaks out when Sporting lose has to be questioned as well.

Note-2: Tickets for the first East Bengal-Mohun Bagan derby of the season in the Calcutta Super Division on Sunday will only go on sale on Thursday. The printer of the tickets is facing problems with it's workers therefore causing the delay.

Note-3: Indian national coach Stephen Constantine will finally hold a 10 day coaches clinic in Guwahati and not a training camp cum coaches clinic as had been planned earlier and then called-off.
A meeting between the 2005 Assam National Games secretariat and Assam FA officials sorted out the problems, so that the clinic could be held. As per the plans now Constantine would hold a coaching camp and clinic for 15 coaches - six SAI Guwahati coaches, three NIS coaches plus six senior coaches choosen by AFA - from July 20 for 10 days at SAI's New Field Auditorium.

11. July
22.Vittal Trophy - Final: Indian Bank 5-1 Chennai Customs Goals: 1-0,5-1 Syed Shabir Pasha (13',76'), 1-1 Prakash (44'), 2-1 Sudeesh (61'), 3-1 VK Harish (64'), 4-1 Mike Chinedu (69').

Note-1: Brazilian Regis Carlos Pimentel Monterio (26) arrived in Calcutta over the weekend for trials with Mohun Bagan. Bagan coach Subrata Bhattacharya's intial impressions are to his liking but he will see the striker in training for a few more days before taking a decision.
Meanwhile Brazilian defender Eduardo Canthon, who failed in Bagan trials earlier also was not considered to be signed by Mohammedan Sporting Club.

10. July
Friendly - Heiligkreuzsteinach: VfL Heiligkreuzsteinach U18 1-2 Tata Football Academy - Goals: 0-1 Warundeep Singh (14'), 0-2 Lester Mark Fernandez (65'), 1-2 ? (66').
The Tata Football Academy started their 2004 Germany trip with 2-1 win in a 70.minute match against local side VfL Heiligkreuzsteinach at the laters home ground, close to Schoenau the home base of the TFA team in Germany during their two week training camp. Playing on a modern state-to-the-art artificial grass surface, something unknown in India, the young TFA brigade needed some time to adjust to the ground and the relative cool weather here in Germany. But the team, playing with a 3-4-3 formation, from the start showed their superior technical skills and speed. A special mention has to be made about talented striker PC Lalam Puia from Mizoram, who for the way he looks and the style of football he plays reminded not only me but some of the Germans as well of England's Wayne Rooney. Lalam Puia's speed and urge to move towards the goal again and again brought trouble to the Heiligkreuzsteinach defence, but Lalam Puia had to be substituted during halftime due to a hard bruse on his ribs as the lad had banged against the metalrod outer barrier of the ground, which took some sting out of the TFA attack. TFA took the lead in the 14.minute when defender Warundeep Singh headed in a corner after some half chances were missed by Lalam Puia, Goutam Kujur and Parwinder Singh.
After halftime the Germans had a good chance as their striker beat the keeper with a well-taken shot but central defender Warundeep Singh made a safe before the goalline. Youngster Hiralal Chetri brought in for Lalam Puia brought some danger on the right flank and in one such move got past the defence and took a shot on goal but missed the target. Both sides changed a number of their players and the flow of the match was disrupted. TFA made a number of good moves in the second half but either they didn't get the last pass through or shot wayward, only one move really was well played through with Lester Mark Fernandez moving-up playing a one-two with Kujur and then scoring in the 65.minute. While the TFA boys were still rejoicing over their second goal, the Heiligkreuzsteinach No.10 saw that TFA keeper was way ahead of his goal and took a long-range attempt to the left of the TFA keeper Arindam Bhattacharya to score. The match picked-up again for the last few minutes with TFA having the last really good chance of the match. A freekick just outside the box was well-taken by Naoba Singh but was blocked by the defence after Chetri had been fouled.
Against tougher opposition the TFA boys will have to be better but it was a good start in a beautiful surrounding.
TFA: 21-Arindam Bhattacharya; 2-Goutam Debnath, 3-Warundeep Singh, 5-Gurjinder Singh; 8-Naoba Singh, 11-Satish Kumar (4-Avdhesh Pal), 7-Lester Mark Fernandez, 17-Robert Lalthalma; 28-Goutam Kujur (25-S Muralidharan), 9-PC Lalam Puia (27-Hiralal Chetri), 29-Parwinder Singh.

Calcutta Super Division: East Bengal Club 3-0 Railway FC - Goals: 1-0 Alvito D'Cunha (6'), 2-0 Climax Lawrence (67'), 3-0 Dipankar Roy (73').
22.Vittal Trophy - Semifinal: Chennai Customs 1-0 State Bank of India - Goal: 1-0 Firoze (89').

Note-1: Shivanand V Salgaocar, president of the Goa FA and Salgaocar SC, has been appointed by the AIFF to be the Chairman of the Core Committee, set up to restructuring the National Football League in line with the recommendations of the AFC as per Vision India programme and goals. Others in the committee are IFA secretary Subrata Dutta, JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh, Delhi SA secretary S Nasir Ali, TO Abdullah from the Kerala FA and Mohan Raj from the Karnataka State FA.
The committee would be meeting for the first time on July 14 in Goa.

Note-2: This years Mohun Bagan Ratna Award would go to legendary Gostho Pal on July 29, Mohun Bagan Day. This was decided upon by the Mohun Bagan executive committee.
Also the executive committee today ´decided to take in five members, with Sajal Basu getting his old position back, Parthajit Das, Bidyut Sarkar, Madan Dutta and Debu Chatterjee were all newly inducted.

Note-3: Due to very heavy Monsoons in the Guwahati region, the Guwahati Sports Association has been forced to stop the daily matches of the Guwahati Super Division. From today until Monda no matches will be held at the Nehru Stadium due to the weather and the state of the ground, which isn't to good due to the weather. Also no matches would be held between July 16 to 19 as the ground has been alloted to the Board of Sports, Assam.

9. July
Calcutta Super Division: Mohun Bagan 2-0 Wari AC - Goals: 1-0 Basudeb Mondal (45+'), 2-0 Sunil Chetri (82').
Calcutta Super Division: EverReady Association 1-0 Peerless SC - Goal: 1-0 Ratan Das.
Guwahati Super Division: Jewel Star Club 0-2 Assam State Electricity Board - Goals: 0-1,0-2 Utpal Basumatary (9',89').
22.Vittal Trophy - Semifinal: Indian Bank 2-1 AGORC - Goals: 1-0 Mike Chinedu (40'), 2-0 Syed Shabir Pasha (72'), 2-1 Rajmohan (90+').

Note-1: As per infos coming out of Calcutta a Brazilian Youth team is set to take part in the IFA-Shield along with a North Korean club side. A third foreign element could come from Myanmar (formerly Burma). With Myanmar the IFA is set to strengthen it's ties with an IFA XI set to visit Myanmar in the coming month's.

Note-2: The training camp of Assam footballers under national coach Stephen Constantine later this month is becoming more and more a political issue among sports administrators of Assam. As per plans Stephen was supposed to be in Assam from July 20 for a few days to train Assam state players ahead of the 2005 National Games. Now the Assam FA, who had not been informed prior to July 1 of the request for Stephen to coach in Assam, has send a letter to AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco, asking him to postpone the camp to October/November and asked in what authority the National Games secretariat under the aegis of it's football advisor Ankur Dutta, who is also an AFA vice-president, had proposed and organised the camp in conjuction with the AIFF.
Now one would have to wait and see what happens next and if the camp would be called-off.

8. July
Calcutta Super Division: Tollygunge Agragami 2-2 George Telegraph SC - Goals: 1-0 Surojit Bose (20'), 1-1 Srikanta Das (25'), 2-1 Gauranga Dutta (57'), 2-2 Sanjay Majhi (63').
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan Sporting Club 2-1 Calcutta FC - Goals: 1-0 Anit Ghosh (11'), 1-1 Nilkamal Mondal (21'), 2-1 Jiten Rai (68').
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Dynamo Club 5-0 Guwahati Town Club - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Sixbirth Marak (5',23',25'), 4-0,5-0 Padum Rabha (35',82').
22.Vittal Trophy - Quarterfinal: State Bank of India 2-2,4-1 Netaji SC [on penalties] - Goals: 1-0 Basheer (45'), 1-1 Yuvaraj (63'), 2-1 Senthil Kumar (73'), 2-2 Gowsigan (75').
22.Vittal Trophy - Quarterfinal: Chennai Customs 2-2,5-4 Young Men Social Club [on penalties] - Goals: 0-1,1-2 Kanagaraj (46',60'), 1-1 Jai kumar (51'), 2-2 Robin Joseph (63').

Note-1: The fact finding commission instated by the IFA (Bengal body) to look into the incidents on June 4 in the Under-21 National finals between Punjab-Bengal in Bihar has handed in its report as per AIFF directive. Four player - Amjad Ali Khan, Syed Rahim Nabi, Madhab Das and Saimak Dey - have been found guilty of "assaulting and mobbing the referee Mustaq Ahmed Siddiqi of Madhya Pradesh" in the match. The report says that Amjad as they key culprit and has been handed a indefinate suspension and a Rs 25,000 fine, while the three other players got away with a two-match suspension and a Rs 15,000 fine. The length of Amjad's suspension would be decided by the AIFFs discipline committee.

Note-2: Talented youngster Habibur Rehman Mondal has appealed against a Calcutta City Court's ruling ordering him to turn out for Mohun Bagan this season instead of playing for East Bengal. And the Calcutta High Court will hear the appeal on Monday next. Habibur's major fault has to take a high advance from Mohun Bagan but then as East Bengal approached him, he signed the Inter-State Transfer papers for East Bengal. So Bagan went to court and got a verdict in their favour, though the AIFF had cleared the transfer without any trouble.

Note-3: Mumbai's Central Railway banned from taking part in the Mumbai Elite League have been reinducted into the Elite League after the Mumbai District FA and the Central Railway management solved their problems. First the MDFA invited Central Railway to play in the league, which has already started, then the Central Railway management cleared the team to play in the league.

7. July
The latest FIFA world rankings came out today with India remaining, unchanged on 143rd in the list of 205 nations, while in Asia we are 28th. So our trashing against Japan had no bearings on our current rankings.

Guwahati Super Division: NF Railway SC 2-0 Maharana AC - Goals: 1-0 Kushal Rajkonwar (30'), 2-0 Duleswar Rabha (32').
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: State Bank of India 2-1 PSNA College, Dindigul - Goals: 1-0 M Baskaran (38), 1-1 Titus (81'), 2-1 Senthil Kumar (88').
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: Netaji SC 2-0 HPF, Udhagamandalam - Goals: 1-0 Naresh Kumar (69'), 2-0 Paneerselvam (79')

Note-1: Not only the club names are very very similar - the old Mohammedan Sporting Club and the new kid on the block Mohammedan Athletics Club but now also the same colour of their jersey's (white & dark green) are cause of concern. Mohammedan Sporting, a Calcutta Maidan institution, whose revival hasn't gone to plans now have to face the fact that Mohammedan AC got the white & dark green as their jersey colours for this season cleared by the IFA. Last season the promoted Mohammedan AC had used green as their home jersey colour, while they used red and white away.
Mohammedan Sporting is furious and secretary Sultan Ahmed says he will go to any lenghts to stick to their traditional jersey.

Note-2: The coaching camp under national coach Stephen Constantine in Assam would now start on July 20, four days later then originally planned. The change of schedule had to be mdae due to prior commitments of Constantine. The Assam Governments state secretariate is organising the camp for the Assam state players and six coaches to give them specialised training.

6. July
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Police Blues 0-0 Assam State Electricity Board - Goals: none.
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: Indian Bank 2-1 Dhinamani FC - Goals: 0-1 David (27'), 1-1 Mike Chinedu (40'), 2-1 Syed Sabir Pasha (45').
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: AGORC 4-0 Southern Railway - Goals: 1-0 Jackson, 2-0 Selvakumar (60'), 3-0 Raj Mohan (62'), 4-0 Merlin Kamalesh.

Note-1: The Asian Football Confederation today released the match schedule for the Asian U17 Championships 2004 to be held from September 4 to 18, 2004 in Japan. Our INDIA U17 boys have been placed in the tough Group C along with Malaysia, Kuwait and Iran. India would start their campaign against Iran on September 5 at Fujieta. India would then have to face Kuwait on September 7 in Nihondaira, while the last group match would be against Malaysia on September 9 again in Fujieta. The group winners and runners-up move into the quarterfinals. If India make it into the quarters they would have to face a team from Group D on September 12 in Nihondaira. The finalists and the third placed teams will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Championship Peru 2005.

Note-2: The AIFF today released the ninth list of 14 cleared Inter-State Transfers for the 2004/05 season.
Among the prominent transfers cleared today, where the transfers of defender Santosh Singh from Sporting Clube de Goa to Tollygunge Agragami, while seasoned Ratan Singh switched over from Dempo SC to Mohammedan Sporting Club. Gurminder Singh left Churchill Brothers to join Delhi side Shastri FC. Bengal Mumbai FC signed MA Qayyum from Hyderabad Globe.

Note-3: UNI report: India has been selected by the FIFA for its Commemorative Coin programme launched world wide to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the glory of modern football by the world soccer body. Apart from India, the other major countries covered in the official distribution agreement were West Asia, Africa, South America, Sri Lanka Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand and Indonesia.
FIFA has released a set of columns which consist of four silver coins each with a district design on the obverse representative of significant events connected with FIFA, while the reverse shares a common, strong reference to football, a release here said.
Medalion Set, a prized collection of seven massive sterting silver medallions, featuring the stadiums where the final games took place, comes with a 1 g fine gold.
FIFA was founded in 1904 by representative from seven Europen countries in Paris. The idea of bringing together the world's strongest football teams to compete for the title of World Champion led to the formation of the FIFA World Cup. GoldQuest International Ltd, one of the world's top the numismatics companies, has been appointed the official distributor of these coins for India.

Note-4: In a surprise move Dutch player Frank van Eijs is not being signed by Mohun Bagan. Eijs is said not to be have been to the liking of Bagan coach Subrata Bhattacharya and therefore wasn't signed. Eijs is going back to Europe and is set to go for trials to Germany.

5. July
Calcutta Super Division: EverReady Association 3-1 Food Corporation of India - Goals: 1-0 Jayanta Sen, 2-0 Shankha Roy Chowdhury, 3-0 Ratan Das, 3-1 Mohammed Ali.
Calcutta Super Division: Peerless SC 1-2 Railway FC
Calcutta Super Division: George Telegraph SC 1-0 Mohammedan AC - Goal: 1-0 Surajit Roy.
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta Port Trust 4-1 Calcutta FC
Calcutta Super Division: Eastern Railway SC 1-2 Wari AC
Guwahati Super Division: Guwahati Town Club 0-3 Jewel Star Club - Goals: 0-1 Muktar (20'), 0-2 Rahajuddin Ahmed (25'), 0-3 Utpal Das (85').
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: Southern Railway 3-1 Southern Zone Police
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: AGORC 1-0 Thiruvallur district

Note-1: Uncertainly and to some extent confusion reigns over where India captain Baichung Bhutia will play in the new season as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal claim Baichung will play for them. Baichung's return to Calcutta is awaited as the Maidan archrivals want to sign him. While East Bengal is sure of retaining Baichung, Bagan assistant secretary Balaram Chowdhury claimed of having landed the price catch.
But is Baichung going to play in India? New rumours indicate maybe not. Baichung has been in Singapore for the last few weeks and has been offered contracts by a number of S-League clubs, amongst them AFC Cup quarterfinalists Home United and Tanjong Pagar.
Home United's Steve Darby in a statement said, "Bhutia is a player i like and he's got good pace, which you need at highest level. We have discussed terms and made him an offer, but it is of course subject of S-League financial directives and the quota of foreign players for next season." IFC editor Rohit Goyal spoke to Baichung before he left for India, who said there are numerous rumours flying around.
So after offers from Malaysia's Perak FC, a possible trial option in Cyprus with AEL Limassol, offers from S-League clubs and the Calcutta giants, Baichung's near future looks to be abroad. But it would depend on a number of variables like salary, the teams potential and the clubs management.
One can only hope Baichung takes the right decision...

Note-2: Former Indian junior international Manitombi Singh from Manipur has been appointed new captain of Mohun Bagan only a couple of days after last captain Renedy Singh had not rejoined the club. Striker Ashim Biswas will be the vice-captain of the team. Meanwhile Mohun Bagan have appointed Shyamal Banerjee as the new assistant coach.
With Dutch player Frank van Eijs still on trial; new Brazilian recruit Eduardo Chacon Coelho Lacerda, who joined the club from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, joined the training with his new teammates today. Further a Brazilian striker Regis is on trial while some African players are expected in the coming days for trials.

Note-3: The Tata Football Academy arrived safely last night in Germany at their training camp near Heidelberg in the Rhine-Neckar area, after entering Germany through the Rhine-Main International Airport in Germany. IndianFootball.Com Editor-in-Chief Arunava Chaudhuri had a first chat with TFA coach Ranjan Chowdhury today, where the coach said that all wards where fine except that the whole contingent was tired after the long journey from Jamshedpur to Germany. IndianFootball.Com's Germany editors will in the coming weeks meet-up with the TFA contingent and hopefully will also be able to catch some match action with the young TFA squad.

Note-4: The IFA (Bengal body) and the Goa FA had signed a couple of month's ago a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of football in several areas, like youth development and exchange of referee's. The exchange of referee's to give the men in black big match experience and exposure outside their state/city will be utilised for the first time by the IFA on July 18, when a Goan referee will officiate in an East Bengal-Mohun Bagan derby.

4. July

INDIA captain Baichung Bhutia talked to IndianFootball.Com editor Rohit Goyal in Singapore to talk about life at East Bengal, his personal aims and give an outlook for Indian football.
Click here for complete >>Baichung Bhutia interview

22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: Dhinamani FC 5-0 Octopus SC
22.Vittal Trophy - Pre-Quarterfinal: Young Men Social Club 0-0.8-7 SAI [on penalties]

Pre-Season Friendly - Chakdah: Mohun Bagan AC 4-0 Nodia XI - Goals: 2xSunil Chetri, Noel Wilson, Mehtab Hussain.

Note-1: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation employ a number of top Indian footballers to represent their football team in institutional tournaments, inbetween the players engagements for the clubs they play for and some even the national team. This has been the case in the past. Now this season ONGC decided to join the Delhi league as an league club, giving-up their institutional club status but the Delhi Soccer Association only gave the ONGC team a place in the Delhi League's Division B, the third division. But ONGC directed their eight star players to take their Inter-State Transfer to Delhi in an official letter in April 2004 but none of the players followed the directive as how could international and national level players play in the third division. It is like an English Premier League player asked to sign for a Non-League side...
The eight players are internationals Jatin Singh Bisht and Arun Malhotra from Mahindra United; Kabijit Khotel, Tarif Ahmed and Supratik Ain of Tollygunge Agragami; Mohun Bagan's Mehtab Hussain; Sandip Das of East Bengal Club and Palash Ghosh. All these players have a four contract with ONGC. Now ONGC has send out letters to the players asking why the contracts should not be terminated, if the services of the players cannot be utilised.
Hopefully for the players the ONGC management themselves realise what a joke it is for players of that calibre to play for a team playing in the lower leagues of Delhi football. In the interest of Indian football it is just unacceptable.

3. July
Guwahati Super Division: Assam Dynamo Club 1-0 Maharana AC - Goal: 1-0 Hariswar Rabha (75').

Pre-Season Friendly - Barasat: East Bengal Club 1-0 Mohammedan Sporting Club - Goal: 1-0 Shylo Malswam Tulunga (33').

Note-1: A 19 member Tata Football Academy contingent left India for Germany today to undergo a two week training camp in Heidelberg and then take part in the prestigious Harlem Youth Cup tournament in Harlem, a small town close to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, from July 19 to 25. In Germany TFA will at least play three friendly matches against German youth sides. Among possible opponents are the youth teams of SV Waldhof Mannheim and TSG Hoffenheim. The 17 players, mainly from the older age-group at TFA are being accompanied by TFA chief coach Ranjan Chowdhury and Ashoke Ghosh, sports administration manager at TFA.
TFA is returning to Germany after a gap of three years as in 2002 and 2003 the TFA wards were busy with the INDIA junior set-up. In 2002 the INDIA U17 boys had come to Germany to a training camp organised by the Germany-based IndianFootball.Com editors and in 2003 the INDIA U18 went to Northern Ireland and Wales through efforts from Stephen Constantine.
Missing from the Germany bound squad would be injured Vimal Pariyar plus goalkeeper Shilton Paul, defenders Harmanjyot Singh and Roa Chinta Chandrasekhar, midfielder Hirohito Elagban and striker Bimal Minz, who all are at the INDIA U17 probables camp for the Asia U17 Championships. So some newly inducted boys get the chance to travel to Germany.
IndianFootball.Com will try to cover some of the matches that TFA play and bring you uptodate on some of the new talent coming-up.
TFA SQUAD: Satish Kumar (captain), Warun Deep Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Th Naoba Singh, Lester Mark Fernandez, Pachuau C Lalampuia, Robert Lalthalmuana, Parwinder Singh, Arindam Bhattacharya, Awdhesh Pal, Goutam Debnath, S. Muralidharan, Hiralal Chetri, S Naveen Kumar, Goutam Kujur, Branco Vincent Cardozo, Cheeradeep Chatterjee.

Note-2: For whom will Habibur Rehman Mondal play in the coming season?
A civil court in Calcutta yesterday gave it's verdict in a court case in which Mohun Bagan won against East Bengal in the signing of Habibur. The now former TFA trainee Habibur had taken an advance from Bagan to sign for them in the upcoming season but then later decided to sign for East Bengal. An interesting fact is that the AIFF cleared Habibur's Inter-State transfer from TFA to East Bengal, it wasn't a pending transfer, so if the transfer certificate can be nullified is a question which the AIFF will have to answer but if it is per FIFA regulations a once cleared transfer cannot be taken back, which could mean further trouble.

Note-3: The 22nd Vittal Trophy will be held at the Nehru Stadium, Chennai from tomorrow until July 11 after a gap of 13 years. Hosting the event would be the Chennai FA with the following 14 teams are Indian Bank, Chennai Customs, AGORC, State Bank of India, Netaji SC, Ocotpus Marine SC, Southern Railway, Young Men Social Club (all Senior Division), Dhinamani FC, SAI - Chennai (first Division), Kancheepuram DFA XI, Nilgiris DFA XI, Tiruvallur DFA XI, PSNA College, Dindigul. The Vittal Trophy has been named after the late N Vittal, a sports personality and an administrator, who served as vice-president of the AIFF.

2. July
Guwahati Super Division: NF Railway SC 9-0 Young Amateur Club - Goals: 1-0,2-0 Thagit Sonowal (4',23'), 3-0 Janak Basumatary (25'), 4-0 Kushal Rajkonwar (27'), 5-0,7-0,9-0 Duleswar Rabha (52',80',86'), 6-0,8-0 Sibendra Goyari (75',82').

Note-1: Indian international Renedy Singh will be playing for Calcutta's EverReady Association and not for Mohun Bagan AC in the new season.
In a spectacular move Renedy Singh, captain of Mohun Bagan last season, joins the aspiring EverReady on an initial four month's contract until the second Inter-State Transfer window opens in October, so Renedy could move to a National League team then. Renedy would sign the contract tomorrow. For EverReady it is a real coup to sign one of India's best known football faces.

Note-2: Buying a stake in English Premier League club Liverpool FC has become a national issue in Thailand. Initially Thailand's rich Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra wanted to buy the club but a deal feel through for numerous reasons.
Now Thai media mogul Paiboon Damrongchaitham wants to buy a 30 percent stake in Liverpool FC but not by himself, rather in a consortium. Paiboon is looking across Asia for the right partners, be it in Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Vietnam and even in India. Paiboon is planning to approach India's largest companies to become a partner. If Indian companies would be interested in such a stake, in such a large investment is unknown at the moment.

1. July
Another month has started and for us at IndianFootball.Com it will be an action filled month. Finally the 2004/05 season starts properly across India with local leagues and tournaments this month after an rather inactive month of June, though some action has taken place...

Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta FC 1-0 Peerless SC - Goal: 1-0 Felix Chimaokwu.
Calcutta Super Division: George Telegraph SC 1-0 EverReady Association - Goal: 1-0 Srimanta Das.
Calcutta Super Division: Mohammedan AC 0-1 Wari AC - Goal: 0-1 Nurul Huda Sheikh.
Calcutta Super Division: Calcutta Port Trust 0-0 Railway FC - Goals: none.
Calcutta Super Division: Eastern Railway SC 3-1 Food Corporation of India

Note-1: The Indian national team could be touring Pakistan in January 2005 to play three matches there. This was confirmed yesterday by top officials of the Pakistan Football Federation in Lahore. This comes on a positive reply from AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco. Earlier it had been discussed between the AIFF and PFF that India could tour Pakistan in August or later in September/October this year but due to international commitments of the Indian team they cannot make it this summer.
"They have agreed to revive the football ties between two countries with exchange tours," disclosed Lt-Col Arshad Khan Lodhi, Director administration, PFF on a query. He said that the PFF had invited them to tour Pakistan in September-October this year but Colaco informed that their team would be busy with the 2006 World Cup qualifiers during that period. "However, he suggested to come to Pakistan in January next year," he said and added that the series might be of three matches and the Pakistani team would also make a return tour later.
The PFF is also said to have proposed to the FA of the UAE to host a triangular tournament involving the UAE, Pakistan and India.

Note-2: India will be playing in the LG Cup in Vietnam after a gap of two years next month, August. The tournament is likely to be held in Ho Chi Minh Ciyt but dates haven't been finalised yet. The probables camp for the tournament would kickoff on August 1 at a venue to be decided with the choice being either Calcutta or Bangalore. Players of East Bengal Club would join in later on return from England from the Leicester tournament.

Note-3: The latest club world ranking was released today. East Bengal Club's rise continues with the Indian champions now ranked 195th, up 17 places from their last position. Meanwhile Mahindra United moved-up two places to 250th in the ranking of the clubs worldwide ranking of the Top 350 clubs.
Coming to the Leicester City FC tournament besides East Bengal only the Spaniards from Real Mallorca feature in the rankings. Mallorca who had a terrible season in Spain dropped from 40th to 63rd in the rankings. English relegated now first division side LCFC along with the Portuguese club CS Maritimo Madeira are not in the Top 350.

Note-4: English physical trainer Peter McKnight a specialist in strength and conditioning, who has a UK level I athletics coach degree, arrived in Calcutta today for a six-week stint with Indian champions East Bengal Club. The trainer would work together with coach Subhas Bhowmick to physically prepare the team for the tough tasks ahead. McKnight who has been attached to the FA Women's team told the press, "East Bengal has a good set up. I'll try to make the best of the time I have."