Bagan pip Sporting 2-0

Other then the big clubs from Kolkata and Goa, there are three pretenders who can spring a shock or two on their day. Mahindra United, JCT Mills and Indian Bank are the dark horses of this year’s competition. In the concluding part of the NFL preview, Shabbir Ali joins The Indian Express to look at the three teams.

ON FIRE: MAHINDRA UNITED
Undoubtedly the team to watch out if their recent performance is anything to go by. With four titles — Harwood League, Fed Cup, an invitational tourney in Maldivies and the Super Cup — already in their kitty, they appear confident of beating any top team. A well-balanced team, coach David Booth and ample funds are the three main factors for their success. But strangely for this Mumbai outfit the NFL has always been a nightmare and they will hope to turn things around this year.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Attack: Average (Look out for Raphael Patron of Togo)
MidField: Very Good (S Venkatesh, Jules Alberto, captain Khalid Jamil and James Singh)
Defence: Average
Goalkeeping: Solid (Kalyan Choubey is a classy campaigner)
Player to Watch: Ghanaian Felix Aboagye (The striker has played in the Greek and Egyptian leagues)
PREDICTED FINISH: Between 3 and 6

UPHILL TASK: INDIAN BANK
No big names and no tall claims. The only advantage they have is the experience of having played the league in the past. In their three previous appearances, their best was the fifth-place finish in 1997-98. But they were relegated the following year, and it took a while before they were back in the reckoning.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Attack: Average (Syed Shabir Pasha and newcomer Mahendra Mani)
Mid-Field: Okay
Defence: Okay
Goalkeeping: Average
Player to Watch: Syed Pasha (The team’s main goalscorer)
Predicted Finish: Around Relegation Zone

ONE-MAN ARMYy: JCT MILLS
THE boys from Punjab are a gutsy lot. Nothing much to boast about this season, but have traditionally been very difficult to beat at home. With IM Vijayan ‘retired’ from international duty, he can now concentrate on his club duty full time. But age and injuries are against him. Rediscovering the form that took them to the inaugural NFLtitle in 1997 will be a tough ask.

EXPERT ANALYSIS
Attack: One man (IM Vijayan)
MidField: Average
Defence: Average (Jo Paul Ancheri’s fitness is a major concern)
Goalkeeping: Fair (Mohammed Mansuru of Ghana has been impressive)
Player to Watch: Vijayan (If he can show his Afro-Asian Games form)
Predicted Finish: Between 6 and 9
— Micky Aigner