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Indian Super League - ADK is the first champion!


Vilander

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FC PUNE CITY SET FOR ITALIAN VOYAGE pune-team-airport.jpg Pune’s Hero Indian Super League club, FC Pune City, are set to follow Atlético de Kolkata in going abroad for pre-season training. FC Pune City has a strategic tie-up with Italian Serie A side ACF Fiorentina, and will use the Florence club’s grounds as a training base. Pune City’s Indian contingent was training at the Balewadi Sports complex over the weekend, under the watchful eye of manager Franco Colomba. The players are currently on their way to Florence, where they will be training for nine days. The seven international players selected at the International Players’ Draft on August 21 are expected to link up with the rest of the squad in Italy. Pune City will also play a friendly against Fiorentina as part of the training programme. Their first ISL fixture is a match away to Delhi Dynamos on October 13, and they will make their home debut against Kerala Blasters on October 22.
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Well..I am not in Asia...& have European & American leagues to watch...but will still watch ISL. Want to see soccer grow in India. Will be great to see India being represented in soccer WC in my life atleast (1st round exit will do also)
Well thats good but I don't think they will get that many viewers in Europe if its succeeds there good but India is were it needs really support if its a grand success in India it will be awesome
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Well thats good but I don't think they will get that many viewers in Europe if its succeeds there good but India is were it needs really support if its a grand success in India it will be awesome
I think there would be people in Europe that would be curious about the Indian Super League and how good the Indian talent are. Exposure through TV in European markets would surely be a plus as it would be a medium for scouts of European clubs to get to watch your game, something that wasn't quite possible before.
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Materazzi likely to be named player-manager for Team Chennai 412039_heroa.jpgThe former Inter Milan centre-back will be handed a dual role of being the player-manager for the Chennai club in the new league… Abhishek Bachchan’s Chennai franchisee have offered Marco Materazzi a player-manager role in the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL), Goal can confirm. Although the scheduled meeting with Ronaldinho and his representatives in Rome didn’t go as planned due to the player’s commercial commitments in Mexico, it is reliably learnt that officials from the Chennai team did hold a discussion with Materazzi for the above mentioned role. However, Team Chennai would still opt for a marquee player despite the World Cup winner deemed to be the player-manager. Materazzi visited India back in May and held talks with Sun Group of Bangalore franchisee which has since been done away with from the league and FC Pune City. According to sources close to Goal, Team Chennai have already sent to contract to Materazzi who is expected to put pen to paper any time soon. Prashant Agarwal, Kshatriya Sports CEO and co-owners of the Chennai team remained unavailable for comment.
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TREZEGUET’S NEW START WITH FC PUNE CITY: "WE WANT TO WIN THE INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE" 040914Trezeguet.jpg Violachannel.tv caught up with David Trezeguet and his FC Pune City team-mates at the end of the first training session in Poggiolini delle Caldine. David, we saw you in Buenos Aires and here we are again at the Fiorentina youth academy training ground. It’s a bit strange to see you in Fiorentina gear! How are you? "First of all, hello everyone. I’m very well. We’ve got our preparation underway and we have more than enough time to get ourselves fit given that our first match is not until 14 October. I’m very pleased to be back with some of my former team-mates and friends. We’re waiting for the rest of the team to arrive this evening so we’ll be together from tomorrow onwards. We’re embarking on a new adventure and hopefully it will go well. We’re very happy to be here." What’s your personal objective with Pune City? How far do you see the team going? "Well, we’ve been talking it over with the lads and the staff, and our aim is to go over there and win the championship. That’s our idea. We want to do well, to show what we can do and that we still have great desire to play football and succeed. That’s our goal – playing well and winning the league." You’re going to cross paths with a former team-mate of yours, Alessandro Del Piero, over there in India. How do you feel about that? "It’s great. Alessandro has also decided to go on this adventure with us – albeit with another team. I saw him in Rome for the Match for Peace and he looked great. He’s raring to go. It’ll be a completely new experience for all of us and we hope to do our very best." We heard some sobering words from Batistuta the other day regarding the physical problems he suffered after retiring from the game. He said he had such trouble with his ankles and was in so much pain that he asked the doctors to amputate both his legs. What did you make that? "Yes, well I saw the interview he gave when I was in Buenos Aires..." He was your idol, wasn’t he? "Yes, he was. What he said was quite shocking. The most important thing is that he’s better now, both physically and mentally – that’s crucial. It was a hard-hitting interview but interesting at the same time. It showed that we need to be aware of these problems and train well, particularly the young players. We need to put a lot of faith in our medical teams. He was my idol and he still is, and I got to catch up with him in Buenos Aires. He’s getting better and he’s well now – that’s the most important thing." Did you manage to watch Roma v Fiorentina, the season opener? "No, I didn’t have time because I was travelling to Rome from Buenos Aires. Of course, I was in Rome so everybody was talking highly of Roma, but Fiorentina are a great team as well. I think they’ll do well this year because they have some great players, a top coach and a team that’s determined to be in the mixer at the top of the table come the end of the season. I wish them all the best." So, if Pune City are going to win the Indian league, who’s your tip for Serie A? "Well, the season has only just kicked off here. Of course, Juventus are the favourites because they’ve got a solid team and they’ve won the last three Scudetti. AC Milan have rebuilt, and then you have Roma, Fiorentina and Napoli, who are all interesting teams. Time will tell – some clubs will have European football to contend with, whereas teams like AC Milan will have fewer matches to play. It’s sure to be a gripping, exciting championship – we’ll just have to wait and see what happens."
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EXCLUSIVE TMW - Cirillo: "In India to try to win" aa225d3ec28b8d2c912148b8798e70c7-1409846600.jpeg The adventure of FC Pune City is about to leave. The Indian team with which Fiorentina has created a technical partnership is going to start the championship and these days some of his players are training in Florence. Among them Bruno Cirillo in that exclusive tuttomercatoweb.com told his mood and expectations in view of a tournament now for you to discover. Cirillo, how do you feel about this new experience? "Charged and eager. I'm happy with the choice I made and I cannot wait to get started. Along with Trezeguet (one of the reinforcements Pune), Belardi and Davide Colomba we are preparing here in Florence where we will stay until September 12. Tomorrow we will reach the rest of the team from India, along with the coach Colomba." What is it like to play with Trezeguet? "I've faced him so many times as an opponent. He is a champion and it's nice to have him here with us because he is very humble." That will be an Indian league with many stars. There will also be Del Piero, who will play in Delhi Dynamos... "There are those who think it is a low-level league but it is not. It is obvious that it will have our value but it will be challenging. And we go there to do well, certainly not on vacation." Games to win? "Yes, that is the thought." To which you toured Europe that adventure will be? "It will be different from the others, in a country I know little of. It is a nice project and I feel a certain responsibility in me."
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Former Arsenal and Chelsea Striker Nicolas Anelka Set For Indian Super League Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka is set to continue his career in the Indian Super League. The Frenchman is being targeted by Mumbai FC, who recently appointed ex-Sunderland boss Peter Reid as their manager for the forthcoming competition. While a number of teams in the Indian Super League have already announced their marquee player, Mumbai FC are still waiting. And according to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, it appears increasingly likely that Anelka will be the man to answer the call. Anelka has been a free agent since parting ways with Premier League side West Brom last season. The 35-year-old is vastly experienced and counts Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Juventus and Fenerbahce all amongst his former clubs. At international level the striker won 69 caps for France between 1998 and 2010.
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FC Pune City is in Florence for the first part of their pre-season training. David Trezeguet, Davide Colomba, Daniele Magliocchetti and Bruno Cirillo have been training at the sports center of Caldine for the past few days, and have been joined today by the rest of the team. Among them is 19-year-old playmaker Pratik Shinde, who took the opportunity of having his photo taken with his illustrious teammate at Stadio Artemio Franchi. BwxIRC6CAAAHEty.jpg

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Ronaldinho signs two-year deal with Mexican Liga MX club Queretaro ronaldinho-1409976298.jpg After weeks of speculation, Brazil legend Ronaldinho has signed for Queretaro, a first division club in Mexico. The former Brazil international who has played for many clubs like Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG, was a free agent after terminating his contract with Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro. The 34-year-old was linked to various leagues like the MLS, the new Indian Super League and even a sixth division club in England. But he has now officially signed a two-year deal with the Mexican club. Queretaro pleased to sign a unique champion Ronaldinho is one of only six players in the world to win the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores. The club statement said: “We are very pleased to add to our ranks as of today, a player who has excelled in international football. A world champion in 2002 and the winner of FIFA’s Best Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005.” “We hope the fans of our city and around the country join in this celebration of having Ronaldinho as a Gallos who will contribute his experience and expertise to further strengthen this great team.” Ronaldinho will wear the number 49 shirt because it is his lucky number. The Gallos (which translates to roosters) are currently in eighth spot with 10 points in the Liga MX after seven games. The club has never won a title in the first division.
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FC PUNE CITY CEO WANTS HIS INDIAN PLAYERS TO ADAPT & EXCEL gauravmodwel.jpg Sports enthusiast Gaurav Modwel, CEO, FC Pune City, wears different hats. He’s also CEO of the Wadhawan Group which owns the Pune club and is further involved with India on Track, a sports venture that has a tie-up with Arsenal Football Club for grassroots development. He shares his views on the various aspects of his new venture in an exclusive interview with indiansuperleague.com. You are CEO of FC Pune City and CEO of the Wadhawan Group too, how do you manage to handle so many responsibilities? I’m quite used to it. At certain times, when it’s a new venture, more time is spent in building it up. We will build it up and it’s a part of my life and I keep doing it all the time. What made FC Pune City opt for a tie-up with ACF Fiorentina? We are very passionate, for sure. What results we are able to get is obviously due to how well we work. We are very passionate about football, about doing well, about building grassroots and that’s why they fit in really well. They work really hard, have a very good work ethos; we have worked 18-19 hours together identifying the targets during the [domestic player] draft. What are your thoughts on the players acquired by your club? In a draft, teams are evenly matched as compared to the auction process. So while we have got a good team, others would have got great teams as well. We got what we wanted, so we are really happy about that, Fiorentina and Pune City, both of us are really happy. We have a young team, in the age group between 19-29 years. Whatever positions we wanted, we have got nearly 99% of those positions. Who are going to be the key Indian players for FC Pune City? We really can’t tell as of now. We build our spine and then we put in the people, everyone plays their role. There is no star really that I can single out of these 14 players we have picked. I want these 14, as and when the call comes, to be able to play their chosen roles. We have four defenders – Deepak Devrani, Pritam Kotal, Dharmaraj Ravanan, Anupam Sarkar. Now if there is a weakness in say, the left back position, and we cannot play a left back who is an international in the game, then, one of these four guys has to come in and play at left back even if they are natural centre backs or right backs. So there are different roles and they could become heroes in different ways.
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Italy-India, football with Colomba’s family. Franco and Davide ready to start a new adventure. foto1.jpg Football is the core of the Colomba’s family. Franco is the coach, he started at Olbia, then joined Padova, Salernitana, Reggina, Napoli, and many other Serie A clubs. Davide is a midfielder, who played at Foggia, SPAL, Crotone, and Ascoli. Now they are together again, in a completely new place: India. Pune is a city of 2 million people, just 150km away from Mumbai. People speak Hindi, practise Hinduism as religion, and cricket is the most popular sport. But this year, for the first time, people can also watch football, thanks to the Indian Super League. Only eight teams and some Italian players, especially at Pune City. The club is connected somehow to Fiorentina, who chose Franco Colomba as coach, but also players from Italy, as Cirillo, Belardi, Davide Colomba, and Trezeguet. Father and son together, again. “A reality, which would be quite impossible in Italy.†they both said. F. “It has been a while since I wanted to coach abroad. I didn’t think too much, my decision was fast. India is an amazing country, with many various things: religion, language, culture, and food. This diversity influenced my final decisionâ€. D. “I took it as a great life opportunity. It can help understand a different mentality. I have the chance to know how hard is to live in such a placeâ€. Who made the choice? F. “I did, and Davide immediately agreed. We want to experience new things, know different situations. In Italy, this would have never happened, in India it turned real. Working together for the same team, as a family, is very challengingâ€. D. “It’s a matter of mentality: in Italy, people would think it’s a bad thing. In India, we’ll live this experience without any pressureâ€. Which kind of relationship a father and a son have when they are on the pitch? F. “We have a good relationship, which goes beyond the pitch, especially when we are together at homeâ€. D. “There is some time when the relationship is on hold. After that, it comes back to normalâ€. What would you like to improve about each other? F. “I would like to help Davide find his strengths, which have been hidden so far for different reasons. Now he has a chance to prove them, knowing I won’t put any pressure on him as a father, but as a coach would doâ€. D. “At this point, I would be glad if my dad could help me prove I have some good qualities!†What are your goals with the new team? F. “Everything is new. We want to start, give our best, and get to the top. We need to wait to know other teams and see where we can getâ€. D. “We want to find the best balance for the group, try to do our best, and help the rest of the team to achieve the best resultsâ€. What about Trezeguet? Do you have the same opinion on him? F. “He is the right man: he can be a good example and he can use his qualities to show others that you win because you train hard. This is what I think, and I am sure he’ll help us improveâ€. D. “I believe he is a great person, he is humble and trains hard. We all see that. He wants to teach and help us understand situations we have never lived before†Where do you see your future? Italy, maybe? F. “I am not thinking about that right now. I want to live day by day. There is a lot to do here, it is going to be a great experience. As we agreed with Fiorentina, we want to improve the Viola’s presence here and see how we can grow. The goal is to do the best we can, thinking also of the future: if I am still here, I’ll be glad because it means we have done a great job. D. “I will do my best to get good results, then I’ll think about itâ€. Who will win the Scudetto? F. “Juventus and Rome are still the best teams. I want to see AC Milan playing, whereas Fiorentina are in trouble after losing Rossi again. Inter Milan seem to be in a good moment. I think AS Roma will give Juventus a hard timeâ€. D. “I think Juventus and As Roma are at the same level. Then I would see Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli. Also Fiorentina can do wellâ€. Is Conte the right man to take the Italian football back to victory? F. “He is the best coach at the moment. However, we have to see how he can deal without coaching on a daily basis. But players will be happy about him.†D. “I have already seen a different approach, especially in terms of determinationâ€.
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