Gharami to lead Mohammedan Sporting in CFL campaign

Bengal's Santosh Trophy winning captain Rana Gharami will lead city football giants Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Calcutta Football League (CFL) this season, the club announced here on Thursday.

Gharami, Mohammedan Sporting's defensive backbone, rode on his stellar performances for the club to earn a Bengal call up and subsequently led the side that clinched the Santosh Trophy in February.

The 25-year old later received a contract extension which ties the player down to the club till the end of CFL 2017-18.

Mohammedan SC play their first CFL game on August 11. Meanwhile, the club named former India international Dipendu Biswas as chairman of a football committee which will look into development of the game.

The club will have eight of Bengal's Santosh Trophy winning players alongwith three foreigners in Cameroonian Dipanda Dicka, Nigerians Kalu Ogba and Richard Richard Agwu.

Former India striker Manandeep Singh has also joined the side from Minerva Punjab FC.

"I am concentrating on Mohammedan's CFL campaign now. I will think of Mohun Bagan and the I-League later," Dicka, who will switch allegiance to Mohun Bagan for the upcmoming I-League, told reporters.

Dicka was the top scorer in the last I-League season playing for Shillong Lajong FC. He netted 11 goals.

Coach Biswajit Bhattacharya added that the team is very balanced and replete with youngsters.

"We have a young squad which is very balanced. I am hopeful of a good season ahead," he said.

--IANS

dm/sam/ vt