Banerjee named technical chief

CALCUTTA, MARCH 7: PK Banerjee was today officially made the the Indian National football team's technical director. The All India Footba...

CALCUTTA, MARCH 7: PK Banerjee was today officially made the the Indian National football team’s technical director. The All India Football Federation (AIFF), which held its executive body meeting here today, decided to request Banerjee to take up the job from the pre-Olympics preparatory camps, the first of which will start on March 15 in Calcutta.

The 15-day camp will have 40 footballers drawn up after assessing the performances in the National Games in Imphal, the under-21 tournament in Rajasthan and the India B team’s tour of Sri Lanka. Players who will turn out for their state teams in the Santosh Trophy, due to start from March 17, have been exempted from the Calcutta leg of the camp. They will join the second phase, which will be held in Bangalore from April 4.

Meanwhile, negotiations with Roy Miller have been almost finalised and the Irish trainer will shortly take over as the National football coach. In fact, Miller was supposed to arrive in India on March 5, but postponed his journey as hisaccommodation is not ready yet. AIFF officials indicated today that they have agreed to Miller’s conditions and the South Asian Football Federation Championships in Goa from April 22 is likely to be his first assignment as the Indian coach. India are the reigning champions in this tournament, having won the last edition in Kathmandu quite comfortably under Syed Nayeemuddin.

The meeting could not come up with a schedule for the second division of the National League this year. Bihar will be the likely venue in May. As the second division will be held after the inter-club transfers, the participating teams will have to play with their new players.

Orissa is being proposed as the venue for the forthcoming Nehru Cup.