Mahindras set to lose core group

Mahindra United’s hopes of making waves in the AFC Cup quarter finals in September have suffered a setback following the decision of many...

Mahindra United’s hopes of making waves in the AFC Cup quarter finals in September have suffered a setback following the decision of many of their key players to desert the club for greener pastures.

Wing-back Surkumar Singh, central defender Mahesh Gawli, Peter Siddiqui and Samson Fernandes along with midfielder S Venkatesh, James Singh and Rauf Khan have decided to shift loyalties to another club, sources said.

Another instrumental figure in defence, N S Manju, is also expected to join the deserters during the June 1-20 inter-club transfers, they said. “We have lost our entire defensive line-up. We will definitely not get this kind of quality players, but hopefully we would be able to replace them with good players.

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“We have to change the system according to the ability of the players. Now we have to wait and see. It’s very difficult to say anything at this moment,” they said.

Sources said most of the players have informed the team management about their decision to quit. Last year’s champions

Apart from retaining all their three goalkeepers, Mahindras have managed to retain only N P Pradeep from the entire backline that played this season. “We will try to reorganise the defence and (for that) we need to work much harder. If the core group had remained it would have been easier. It’s a good challenge for us,” the sources said.

Mahindras defeated Maldives’ New Radiant 2-0 to reach the quarter finals of the AFC Cup as the best second-placed team from Group D, E and F (East, South and South East Asia Zone). The first-leg of the quarter finals are scheduled from September 18 while the second leg kicks off on September 25.