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A Very Merry Christmas To I-League's Bottom Four: Which Team Will Santa Favour?
With the mood around the country being brightened by the festivities of Christmas, Goal.com has a look at what each I-League club would ask for, if they bumped into Santa Claus...
24-Dec-2011 5:53:00 PM
By Sarthak Dubey
AIFF
It's party time for you this festive season if you are a football fan supporting any of the Goan or Kolkatan giants. However, at the bottom of the I-League table, it's still a tricky situation for the Keralites from Chirag United, India's very own youth brigade Pailan Arrows, Bangalore's ironic 'high-fliers' HAL SC and Khalid Jamil's Mumbai FC who are desperate for both points and hospitable treatment at Shillong Lajong!
If the Premier League has it's own 'big four', the above mentioned teams can be referred to as I-League's 'desperate four', ie, desperate for points, goals, momentum, form and respect. Until now, the prayers of these strugglers were unanswered, the pain was inflicted on fans as well as the management and the tension rose to boiling point among players. This Christmas, what exactly would the 'desperate four' want from Santa Claus? Lets take a look at each of the low fliers and analyse their desired gifts from Santa...
HAL Bangalore
If you thought that Steve Kean being offered a new contract, with Blackburn languishing at the bottom spot of the Premier League, was ridiculous, wait for this. HAL Bangalore maintain the most dismal record in the I-League so far (probably in the history of I-League as well). They have lost 9 out of 10 games, managing to score only 7 goals. Infact East Bengal scored more goals than HAL have managed to score in the entire season, in a single game in the 8-1 thrashing they handed out to the Bangalore based outfit.
The board have immense faith in manager Muralitharan, and the head coach must repay their trust with much better results. Firstly, the manager would hope Santa gives his strikers the 'finishing' ability to increase the goals turnover ratio. Secondly, he would wish that his goalkeeper P.Pramod gets back into form and makes fewer 'silly mistakes'. Lastly, he would hope for better home results as their home fixtures are drying up soon.
Mumbai FC
Having played 11 games, Mumbai FC lie uncomfortably out of the relegation zone in 11th place having secured 11 points. Khalid Jamil's side were unhappy at the low levels of professionalism shown in handling the logistics and hospitality of their team during their stay in Shillong Lajong and their eventual defeat to them. The team from Mumbai has conceded twice the number of goals it has managed to score.
Most Mumbai FC performances have been gritty ones without luck and proportionate amount of goals. Santa would be more than happy to gift the club from the 'the city of dreams' those similar gritty performances , but this time, with luck, passion, support and goals! The team management headed by Henry Picardo and Khalid Jamil would also want Santa to shower them with better facilities and treatment on away fixtures. All Santa Claus would say to Mumbai FC is, "Look at the positive side. You're only 2 points behind last seasons' champions Salgaocar!"
Pailan Arrows
They kicked off their journey as the 'exclusive' AIFF XI, better results turned them into the 'Indian Arrows' and most recently, after a triumphant survival last season, they were converted into 'Pailan Arrows' following corporate backing. Credit must be given to their defence as they have conceded only 14 goals, which is on par with Mohun Bagan. The problem lies in front of goal as the 'youth brigade of India' has managed to score a dismal 4 goals, which is the lowest in the I-League.
Pailan Arrows coach Sujit Chakraborty would ask Santa to gift his side the remarkable ability to convert those draws into wins by being more clinical up front. Being the only team amongst the 'desperate four' to have more number of draws (6) than losses (4) is a decent achievement, which futher proves that there is hope for the young team. The gift of tasting victory would do no harm as well. All in all, Santa would be willing to give the young and talented heroes of Indian football a solid season which gives birth to future talent for bigger I-League clubs.
Chirag United Club Kerala
Chirag United Club Kerala have played well but by no means, are the safest (probably Pailan Arrows remain safe as well due to the written rules). Their form is always moving up and down and pressure from teams lying below them can still pull them down. With support ranging from all across Kerala and fans quite evidently showing their backing for the team on the internet, Chirag cannot complain about the lack of support.
Being another team which has 'conceded more than scored', Mohammed Nizam Packeer Ali would ask Santa to give his team a boost to some how overtake last season's champions Salgaocar who lie just 5 points ahead. The psychological advantage that such a situation would give is immense. Out of their 6 losses this season, 4 of them have been lost by the scoreline 2-1 ! Losing by such a small margin in so many games must definately hurt the morale of the squad, but being the best placed in the table of the 'desperate four', Chirag United can guarantee themselves survival with a few surprise results, now that the mid-way part of the season is almost here.
If the Premier League has it's own 'big four', the above mentioned teams can be referred to as I-League's 'desperate four', ie, desperate for points, goals, momentum, form and respect. Until now, the prayers of these strugglers were unanswered, the pain was inflicted on fans as well as the management and the tension rose to boiling point among players. This Christmas, what exactly would the 'desperate four' want from Santa Claus? Lets take a look at each of the low fliers and analyse their desired gifts from Santa...
HAL Bangalore
| Matches | Goals | ||||||||
| PTS | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 |
|
HAL SC |
1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
7 | 30 |
If you thought that Steve Kean being offered a new contract, with Blackburn languishing at the bottom spot of the Premier League, was ridiculous, wait for this. HAL Bangalore maintain the most dismal record in the I-League so far (probably in the history of I-League as well). They have lost 9 out of 10 games, managing to score only 7 goals. Infact East Bengal scored more goals than HAL have managed to score in the entire season, in a single game in the 8-1 thrashing they handed out to the Bangalore based outfit.
The board have immense faith in manager Muralitharan, and the head coach must repay their trust with much better results. Firstly, the manager would hope Santa gives his strikers the 'finishing' ability to increase the goals turnover ratio. Secondly, he would wish that his goalkeeper P.Pramod gets back into form and makes fewer 'silly mistakes'. Lastly, he would hope for better home results as their home fixtures are drying up soon.
Mumbai FC
| Matches | Goals | ||||||||
| PTS | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |
|
Mumbai FC |
11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
14 | 20 |
Having played 11 games, Mumbai FC lie uncomfortably out of the relegation zone in 11th place having secured 11 points. Khalid Jamil's side were unhappy at the low levels of professionalism shown in handling the logistics and hospitality of their team during their stay in Shillong Lajong and their eventual defeat to them. The team from Mumbai has conceded twice the number of goals it has managed to score.
Most Mumbai FC performances have been gritty ones without luck and proportionate amount of goals. Santa would be more than happy to gift the club from the 'the city of dreams' those similar gritty performances , but this time, with luck, passion, support and goals! The team management headed by Henry Picardo and Khalid Jamil would also want Santa to shower them with better facilities and treatment on away fixtures. All Santa Claus would say to Mumbai FC is, "Look at the positive side. You're only 2 points behind last seasons' champions Salgaocar!"
Pailan Arrows
| Matches | Goals | ||||||||
| PTS | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |
|
Pailan Arrows |
6 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
4 | 16 |
They kicked off their journey as the 'exclusive' AIFF XI, better results turned them into the 'Indian Arrows' and most recently, after a triumphant survival last season, they were converted into 'Pailan Arrows' following corporate backing. Credit must be given to their defence as they have conceded only 14 goals, which is on par with Mohun Bagan. The problem lies in front of goal as the 'youth brigade of India' has managed to score a dismal 4 goals, which is the lowest in the I-League.
Pailan Arrows coach Sujit Chakraborty would ask Santa to gift his side the remarkable ability to convert those draws into wins by being more clinical up front. Being the only team amongst the 'desperate four' to have more number of draws (6) than losses (4) is a decent achievement, which futher proves that there is hope for the young team. The gift of tasting victory would do no harm as well. All in all, Santa would be willing to give the young and talented heroes of Indian football a solid season which gives birth to future talent for bigger I-League clubs.
Chirag United Club Kerala
| Matches | Goals | ||||||||
| PTS | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |
|
Chirag Kerala |
8 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
10 | 18 |
Chirag United Club Kerala have played well but by no means, are the safest (probably Pailan Arrows remain safe as well due to the written rules). Their form is always moving up and down and pressure from teams lying below them can still pull them down. With support ranging from all across Kerala and fans quite evidently showing their backing for the team on the internet, Chirag cannot complain about the lack of support.
Being another team which has 'conceded more than scored', Mohammed Nizam Packeer Ali would ask Santa to give his team a boost to some how overtake last season's champions Salgaocar who lie just 5 points ahead. The psychological advantage that such a situation would give is immense. Out of their 6 losses this season, 4 of them have been lost by the scoreline 2-1 ! Losing by such a small margin in so many games must definately hurt the morale of the squad, but being the best placed in the table of the 'desperate four', Chirag United can guarantee themselves survival with a few surprise results, now that the mid-way part of the season is almost here.
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