Shyam Mondal

Gurgaon: Less than a month ago, Shyam Mondal and Avinash Thapa were little known footballers, playing for relatively smaller clubs in Calcutta, unsure about the prospect of pursuing the game further.

Two games against Punjab and Kerala in the Santosh Trophy here have turned the duo into near celebrities. So eye catching was their lion-hearted display that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to call both for the national camp for the pre-Olympics immediately after the Asian Games in Doha.

“They could have even been called for the Asian Games camp,” said an AIFF official. “But now that the list of campers for the Asian Games is more or less ready, Mondal and Thapa may be asked to report later. They are simply the finds of the tournament and should play on a bigger stage.”

If the AIFF sources are to be believed, two more Bengal players — Ashim Das and Tapan Maity — are also in line to break into the under-23 squad. “Short height and relatively weak structure could be a hindrance towards their selection, but it is for the national coach Bob Houghton to take a final decision,” the official said.

The federation first wanted to hold a camp for the ‘first timers’ in Calcutta during the Asian Youth Championship. It, however, could be postponed as Houghton may not be available during that time. The national camp for the Asian Cup qualifiers against Yemen is to be held in either Delhi or Gurgaon from November 5.

Bengal coach Prasanta Banerjee said he was confident that players like Mondal, Thapa, Das or Maity are ready to don the national colours. “The only problem is that they need to be matured. It will come with the passage of time.”

The Bengal coach was euphoric over the fact that he could take Bengal to the final after six years with a bunch of fresher. “Thapa and Maity are from Calcutta Port Trust. Mondal and Das are from George Telegraph. No one took it seriously when I picked them up for the Santosh Trophy. Today I am proud of them.”

So charged up is the entire Bengal camp at the moment that the entire team decided to opt for a full practice session on Monday morning even though the tiring 120-minte tie against Kerala had finished only at 10pm on Saturday night. “The players are determined to win the trophy. Our team spirit is at its pick now,” Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, the doctors here have found Kalyan Chowbey’s injury not too serious and declared him fit to play the final on Wednesday. Team sources, however, said that the coach may continue with Abhra Mondal in the final.