Godfrey to lead State squad

May 27: Godfrey Pereira of Air-India will lead the 18-member Maharashtra football team in the fourth National Games at Bangalore from June ...

int(3)

May 27: Godfrey Pereira of Air-India will lead the 18-member Maharashtra football team in the fourth National Games at Bangalore from June 2 to 10.Derek de Souza, the team coach viewed the inclusion of Pereira, a National League star as strengthened challenge by Maharashtra, vying for semifinal qualification in a difficult group including Goa and Kerala.

However, the State’s star midfielder Arif Ansari today declined to join the Maharashtra team for the National Games at Bangalore after he was demoted from captaincy.

Ansari was initially made captain following National Football League (NFL) sides, Mahindras and Air-India withdrawing their players from the National games camp.

Story continues below this ad

This step was taken after the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that the National Games matches will be counted among the 45 matches restricted for players on the National list. The list included Pereira , Khalid Siddiqui and Khalid Jamil (both Mahindras). However, the AIFF bowed to demands of state units all over country which warned that the National Games will be a watery version without top players.

The rule was waived for the National Games and the Western Indian Football Association (WIFA) immediately appointed Pereira, India’s deputy captain, as the skipper on Sunday relegating Ansari as vice-captain. A piqued Ansari subsequently refused to join the team, leaving on May 29.

Team coach Derek de Souza said Ansari cannot dictate terms and WIFA will not bow to any pressures.

TEAM

Goalkeepers: K B Fysal (Bank of India), Partha Das ( A-I).

defenders: Susanta Mazumdar, Rehamatullah Khan, Ramesh Razak (Mahindras);

Story continues below this ad

Sandeep Kharat, Subir Sinha (A-I) and Nagedra Singh Rawat (Customs).

midfielders: Arif Ansari (Central Railway, vice- captain), Taposh Ghosh and Khenthang Paite (A-I), Khalid Jamil, Khalid Siddiqui and Sanjay Dayal (Mahindras).

Forwards: Godfrey Pereira (captain), Anthony Fernandes, Nitin Shetty (A-I) and Augusto D’Silva (Central Rly).

Team official: Vasanth Aggrawal (Sangli); Coach: Derek de Souza (Mahindras); manager: Alex Fernandes (Ahmednagar).