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| Assam Police Blues rejoice after winning the GSA super league at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati last year. A file picture |
Guwahati, June 7: Defending champions Assam Police Blues are staring at an acute keeper crisis in their campaign for the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA)?s super division football tournament, beginning here next month.
After Marcus Basumatary left for Lajong Sports Club of Shillong, number one goalkeeper Gobinda Basumatary served another blow to the police team by procuring the GSA?s permission to join super league team Food Corporation of India (FCI) Sports Club.
?Gobinda?s transfer to the FCI is definitely going to cause us difficulties. We don?t have an alternative who can match the skill, experience and agility of Gobinda,? admitted Assam Police Blues coach Molong Ao.
Boro was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the GSA super league tournament last year. He grabbed the limelight with his superb performance as well as with his innovative European soccer haircut. The hairdo, sporting his jersey number (one) on the back of his head, caught the attention of spectators as well as the media.
?Though we have Luchan Saikia in our ranks as an immediate replacement for Gobinda, he is not very sure that he will be available for the super league, as he is attending the second phase coaching camp for the 33rd National Games. He is among the 30 probables shortlisted for an exposure tour,? Ao said.
Sources in the camp under way in Moran said Saikia was performing well and might be retained for further coaching. Altogether 30 probables are training under national-level coach Gautam Sarkar, whom the All India Football Federation has deputed to groom the Assam players.
On the other hand, Assam Police Blues are set to get a shot in the arm with the return of midfielder Madhusudan Hazarika from his Calcutta assignment. Hazarika, who played for a Calcutta club last year, has sought inter-state clearance from West Bengal to rejoin his original club, Ao said.
Besides, about five players from the original Dergaon-based Assam police team, which was disbanded in 2003, will join the Assam Police Blues in the forthcoming season.
?We hope to strengthen our midfield and forward, which were a bit weak last year, with players from Dergaon,? Ao said.
He said his colleague, Jewel Bey, who trained the team earlier, is also scheduled to rejoin the team before the onset of the season, which could be an additional advantage to the team?s preparation. Bey missed the last season as he was attending a training course.
Ao admitted that had the process of recruiting constables been completed, the team could have recruited new players.
The coach, however, was confident of the outfit?s capability to retain the super league title.
?We are confident that we will retain the title. We will leave no stone unturned to win every championship we participate in this season,? he said.