Sports India

After the euphoria of the World Cup, it is time to get back to the drudgery of Indian football. And for starters, city football fanatics, still under the hangover of the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’, will be exhorted to turn up in numbers and watch the local fare with as much enthusiasm as they did the events in Germany.

The Premier Division League of the Indian Football Association (IFA)’s Sahara Calcutta Football League, 2006 will begin on July 21 and will continue till September 27. The unique feature about this year’s edition is that 36 matches, featuring the three big clubs — East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting — will be telecast live on a local TV channel. With Sahara coming forward to sponsor the league and most of the matches being telecast live, the profile of the league is expected to rise.

The Premier Division League, into its second year following the IFA’s plans to go professional, has eight teams in fray. Mohun Bagan are the defending champions and have assembled a high-flying team with the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia and Jose Barreto spearheading their attack this season.

Their arch-rivals East Bengal have a young side under an old head in Brazilian coach Carlos Roberto Silva. The other big club, Mohammedan Sporting too have assembled a strong side under Subhas Bhowmick. The team to watch out for this season could be the United Sports Club, formerly Ever-ready Association, which is being coached by the pony-tailed Belgian Philippe de Ridder, who was coach of East Bengal last year.

The first derby of the season between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan will be held on August 19, with the return leg scheduled on September 15. Mohun Bagan will be the first of the Big Three to open their campaign against Port Trust on July 31. Mohammedan Sporting play their first match the following day against Railway FC, while East Bengal take on George Telegraph on August 2.

Following are the big clashes of the CFL: First Phase: 10th August: Mohun Bagan vs Md Sporting, 19th August: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan, 26th August: East Bengal vs Md Sporting. Return Leg: 6th September: Mohun Bagan vs Md Sporting, 15th September: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan, 27th September: East Bengal vs Md Sporting.