Team India leave for Dubai camp tonight

The Indian national football team will be leaving for Dubai tonight for a preparatory selection camp for the forthcoming 2012 AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal next month. The team leaves Delhi later today and would board an Air India flight at 8.40pm (20.40 IST).

Chief Coach Savio Medeira has called-up 30 players for the probables camp and will choose his final squad for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup from this group of players.

Coach Savio Medeira lauded the AIFF for getting the tour arranged and said, "It's always important to prepare yourself and the team before such a big tournament. Specially going to Dubai where there would be good infrastructure and facility. Hope the camp would be very helpful in our preparation."

Savio also expressed confidence in the players selected for the camp and quipped, "The squad selected for the camp are very talented, hope they all would perform to their potential."

Savio also expressed happiness over his team playing two international friendlies before the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and added "It would add to their experience and preparation for the Challenge Cup."

The National team is slated to play two international friendlies against Oman in Muscat on February 23, while taking on Azerbaijan in Dubai on February 27.


India Probables

Goalkeepers
Arindam Bhattacharya (Churchill Brothers SC), Subhasish Roy Chowdhury (Dempo SC), Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar SC), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (East Bengal Club)

Defenders
Anwar (Mohun Bagan AC), Nirmal Chetri (East Bengal Club), Kingshuk Debnath (Mohun Bagan AC), Raju Eknath Gaikwad (East Bengal Club), Arnab Mondal (Prayag United SC), Syed Rahim Nabi (Mohun Bagan AC), Sameer Subash Naik (Dempo SC), Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh (Churchill Brothers SC), Gurjinder Singh (Pune FC)

Midfielders
Francis Fernandes (Salgaocar SC), Lester Mark Fernandez (Pune FC), Adil Khan (Sporting Clube de Goa), Rocus Lamare (Salgaocar SC), Manish Mathani (Mohun Bagan AC), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC), Anthony Pereira (Dempo SC), Jewel Raja Sheikh (Mohun Bagan AC), Lalrindika Ralte (Churchill Brothers SC), Lenny Rodrigues (Churchill Brothers SC), Baldeep Singh (Pune FC), Reisangmi Vashum (East Bengal Club)

Forwards
Joaquim Abranches (Dempo SC), Sunil Chhetri (Mohun Bagan AC), C.S. Sabeeth (Pailan Arrows), Manandeep Singh (Air India), Sushil Kumar Singh (Shillong Lajong FC)

Officials
Savio Medeira (Chief Coach), Mariano Dias (Assistant Coach), Marcus Pacheco (Goalkeeping Coach), Pradip Datta (Physical Trainer), Sandeep Kumar (Doctor), Gigy George (Physio), Liaqat Ali (Masseur), Mandar Tamhane (Manager)