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DEAR REDIFF

JCT struggles against exodus of stars

K Bhaskaran

The composure that Sukhvinder Singh had displayed as wing half or stopper with Border Security Force, Jagatjit Cotton and Textile Mills, Punjab and India teams was very evident as East Bengal, J C T Mills and Churchill Brothers entered the home stretch of the eight-term, double-leg Philips National Football League at the beginning of March. The surprise packet, Churchill Brothers, with 26 points from ten matches seemed to have left behind East Bengal and J C T Mills, both of whom had 20 points.

East Bengal, who had secured Nigerian Chima Okerie after drawing goal-less their opening match in January in Calcutta, had the most favourable draw for the last four games, against Dempo, Indian Bank, cellar team Mahindra & Mahindra and Air India. Apart from the draw with the Chennai team, they had defeated the other three in the first leg. Thus they were in with a good chance to take all the 12 points from the remaining games. Had they done so, instead of drawing with Dempo and Air India and dropping four points as a result, they would have fulfilled the expectations of their supporters.

From the matches against Salgaocar, J C T Mills, Dempo and Indian Bank in the first leg, Churchill Brothers had taken all 12 points; in the second leg matches against these same teams played in March, they could take only three, besides losing the crucial match against challengers J C T Mills. Apparently the pressure got to both Churchill Brothers and East Bengal.

This was where Sukhvinder Singh's influence was most fruitful. His contribution was recognised with the award of the best coach in the National League. He instilled in his wards the belief that the six-point leeway could be made up and Churchill Brothers overtaken. Provided, as he said, his team played to their potential, worked hard and with it attracted the slice of luck of essential for ultimate success.

And, in a manner of speaking, J C T had that slice of luck. After scoring over Mahindras, they had to meet Air India twice, first in their postponed first leg tie in Mumbai, which they won 2-0, and then in the return future at Delhi, for which the player of the National League, Godfrey Pereira was ineligible to assist Air India because of two yellow cards. J C T drew 1-1, a result that looked like mocking at their 1-0 win over Churchill Brothers in Goa four days earlier. But J C T received a shot in the arm through Dempo holding Churchill Brothers the next day.

Going into the last round, Churchill Brothers held a one point advantage, 28 to 27. But while Sukhi's boys routed Dempo, 4-1, in Goa, Churchill Brothers could garner only a draw with Indian Bank in Chennai. Few would have predicted Churchill Brothers not taking all three points in their last match.

By the way all the three matches on the concluding day - J C T Mills vs. Dempo in Goa, Churchill Bros versus Indian Bank in Chennai, and East Bengal vs. Air India in Mumbai - kicked off at 4 p.m. to avoid any accusation of rigging.

Indisputably, J C T Mill were the best all round side. They also had the benefit of the support of a management which backed the coach and his staff to the hilt. But Sukhi was aware that his team was atop a slippery pole. Towards the final stages of the League, his ears had picked up and his eyes had seen moves to lure his key players away.

To queries as to how J C T Mills would counter rapacious rivals, Sukhi would only philosophically reply that his players knew to weigh the pros and cons of offers and to decide what is best for them. For his part, he had evaluated the worth of all his players and at the end of the National League would make the contracts, which would be negotiable marginally, to them. Though he would not have been unaware of the impending exodus of his star players, he put up brave front and appeared unperturbed.

Sukhi seemed keen to lend weight to his confidence in raising a strong squad from his loyal men by asserting that drafting foreign players helps, provided they were classy ones. He certainly was not for signing on mediocre foreigners or foreigners who are past their best. He underscored this point by saying that he had no qualms about playing local boys, like Kuldip Singh, in place of Musa Alieu and Bernard Operhanzie, two of the three Nigerians in his team.

But the six-foot-four striker, Stephen Abarowel, is different. This powerful, highly skilled Nigerian is coveted by all the leading teams of India. He has been donning the colours of J C T Mills the last two seasons when he has not been with J C T's subsidiary in the professional league in Malaysia. Sukhvinder would dearly love to retain him. For, he is not only a fine player but also attracts youngsters, to whom he enthusiastically imparts the skills and finer points of the game. Sukhvinder never tires of singing his praises.

Perhaps the advantage of turning out for J C T Mills as well as their subsidiary in Malaysia could prompt Abaroweil to decline the offers from other Indian clubs, like Churchill Brothers and the newly-formed FC Kochi, who will be taking part in the qualifying competition of the National League. Sukhvinder also could use him as the trump card to spot and recruit other players of high caliber from the Malaysian professional league as well as from Nigeria, which country has now come to be recognised the world over as a gold mine of football talent.

But as the All India Football Federation permits the recruiting of only five foreigners, of whom may be only three will be permitted to be on the field at a time, the J C T coach will have to fish for talent within the country to replace I M Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri and Carlton Champion, all of whom have joined FC Kochi, and glamour boy of Indian football Bhaichung Bhutia, who has returned to East Bengal for a reported Rs. 15 lakhs. Besides these four non-Punjab players, international linkman Tejinder Kumar has opted to assist Churchill Brothers this season.

For all this capacity to bring on players, Sukhvinder will have his work cut out to rebuild J C T Mills to the stature they have enjoyed the last two or three years. Especially as J C T's homegrown talent has not been given all the exposure to develop and fill in the boots of the stars who have left. Their progress would have been quicker if the organisation of our football and the policies of the All India Football Federation had been more conducive. The fact, however, is that they are not at present. So it would be no surprise if the champions of the inaugural edition of the Philips National Football League are found to be hovering in the middle rungs of the table in the next edition.