Holders Dempo look to defend title

PANAJI: New seasons beckon new beginnings, newer goals and stronger opposition. The champion club of the country, Dempo Sports Club, already have more on their plate than they bargained for much before the season started.
But as has been the case, dealing with the absence of more than half his first eleven players — six last season and seven now, doing national duty — chief coach Armando Colaco has always managed to surprise his opponents throwing up new talent that not only harbours healthy competition — once the players are back from national duty — for a place in the first eleven, leaving no room for complacency.
Though Dempo have performed from brilliant to mediocrity over the years, theirs has been the most consistent performance among the I-League clubs. Armando's mantra is that his boys have somehow managed to go that extra mile when it matters the most, especially in the second leg when quality on the bench plays a major role in a team doing well in a league that will span six months.
Armando will have to pan out his plans to ensure his boys have enough steam saved for the bigger challenge facing them, starting with the AFC Champions League play-offs where they have a mountain to climb. They will be battling with the cream of clubs from Asia for a place in the AFC Champions League. This is a stretch when they will have to lift their game several notches higher as they will be punching with heavyweights.
Dempo have managed to strengthen their bench in the goalkeeping department with the advent of India and Mahindra United goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury. Then there is (on loan) Churchill's defensive midfielder, Iranian Siavash Samienia, though he is yet to get his NOC fromthe club.
The netting of exciting talent in Godwin Franco, Mickey Fernandes, Debabrabata Roy and Cavin Lobo, means Armando will have enough ammunition for all battles to come and little to worry about who to rest or play in the I-League as he shuffles his big players around to give them enough match-practice while yet keeping them fresh for the Champions League play-offs and the Asian Cup, if they fail to qualify.
With dreams in his eyes, club president Shrinivas Dempo will be looking for his boys to go past the distance they last achieved when they bowed out of the Asian Cup semifinals in 2008. For that, his boys will have to be willing to march into hell for their heavenly cause!
Today's matches
Pune FC vs McDowell Mohun Bagan, Chirag United SC vs AIFF XI, JCT Mills vs HAL Bangalore, Mumbai FC vs Air India, FC
Viva Kerala vs Salgaocar SC