India-born Sunil Gulati elected into FIFA Executive Committee

53 year old Allahabad-born Sunil Gulati, who is the United States Soccer Federation president, has been elected to the FIFA Executive Committee on a four year term as a CONCACAF representative.

Indian origin Sunil Gulati won a close contest 18-17 against Mexican Football President Justino Compean in a balloting at the Congress of North and Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF) in Panama City on Friday.

"The game is growing tremendously in our region both on and off the field, and I hope to do my part to continue to expand the development of the game for both CONCACAF and FIFA," Sunil Gulati said in a USSF statement.

Gulati was elected to a four-year term and will join football's 25-member ruling body at the FIFA Congress on May 30/31 in Mauritius. Gulati takes the seat of fellow American Chuck Blazer, who had held the post since 1997.

Because of his new post, Gulati had to step down from the CONCACAF Executive Committee and was replaced by Canada’s Victor Montagliani.

Sunil Gulati has been president of United States Soccer Federation since 2006.

Indian team to play four matches in the Caribbean

+one™ is proud to officially announce the launch of the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011, which will see the Indian national football team touring one of the most beautiful regions of the world - the Caribbean.



+one™ CEO Jay Hankins said, "We are happy that +one will be welcoming the Indian national football team to the Caribbean on a historic trip. We would like to thank the All India Football Federation for their full cooperation in making this trip possible. And we hope for some interesting games of football."



The Indian national team will be playing four official senior FIFA international matches in the Caribbean against strong opposition from the CONCACAF region.



India is scheduled to face St. Kitts & Nevis (August 17), Trinidad & Tobago (August 21), Guyana (August 24) and St. Vincent & the Grenadines (August 26) during the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011.



+one™ has launched an official FACEBOOK Page for the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011, which will provide all the latest news, updates, multimedia content and much more to all fans, media and officials.



We would like to kindly request you to mention the following link to the official TOUR FACEBOOK Page in all your publications: http://www.facebook.com/indiacaribbeantour





Media representatives will be provided additional information on the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011 via the official MEDIA CENTER at http://media.chrispd.de/



The MEDIA CENTER will provide you high resolution logos, the Media Kit and pictures throughout the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011. Further instruction will be provided on the mentioned page.



Finally we would like to kindly request you to use the official tour name "+ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011" in all your publications, instead of terms like "Caribbean Tour", "West Indies Tour", "Tour of the Caribbean", etc.



+one™ will provide you further press releases and media information throughout the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011 via Facebook, the Media Center and E-Mail Newsletters.



Media representatives may get in touch with us at media(at)chrispd.de for further information and requests. Mr Arunava Chaudhuri and Mr Chris Punnakkattu Daniel will be your direct +one™ media contacts for the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011 .

India squad named for the Caribbean Tour

Team India are leaving tomorrow for their '+ONE India Caribbean Tour' to the Windies. India play in four international games, which will really test the strength of the Bhangra Boys.



The departure had been delayed due to the riots in London, but after things cooled down and the team could do a stopover in the English capital without any overnight stay the team is now ready to leave. Team India will fly from Delhi via Kolkata, Dubai and London-Gatwick to Barbados before flying on to St. Kitts for the first match.



AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said, "It's great the Tour is happening. We wish the team the very best for the event!"



National Coach Armando Colaco lauded the AIFF for getting the tour arranged. "I must thank the administration of the AIFF. Getting an alternate travel arrangement for so many at the 11th hour is never an easy task," he commented.



However, a heavy downpour did rob the team of a practice session on Friday afternoon in the capital; the players staying content in gym sessions and spending time in the swimming pool. A proud Armando added, "This side has huge potential and needs to be groomed. It's necessary to expose them to play against stronger sides. I have never seen National Team players playing so well."



Striker Sunil Chhetri who has been named for this year Arjuna Award said everyone is raring to go. "It's not every day that one gets to play higher-ranked sides. The entire bunch is looking forward to the tour."



Missing from the final squad of 23 players are Denzil Franco, Lalkamal Bhowmick, Harmanjot Khabra, Jewel Raja Sheikh and Baljit Singh Sahni.



For further information go to the official Facebook page of the +ONE India Caribbean Tour 2011 .





INDIA



Goalkeepers

Subrata Pal (Pune FC), Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar SC), Laxmikant Kattimani (Dempo SC)



Defenders

Raju Eknath Gaikwad (East Bengal Club), Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Robert Lalthlamuana (East Bengal Club), Sameer Subash Naik (Dempo SC), Valeriano Joseph Rebello (Dempo SC), Rowilson Rolando Rodrigues (Dempo SC), Debabrata Roy (Dempo SC), Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh (Churchill Brothers SC)



Midfielders

Peter Carvalho (Dempo SC), Steven Benedic Dias (Churchill Brothers SC), Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club), Rocus Lamare (Salgaocar SC), Climax Lawrence (Dempo SC), Clifford Rayes Miranda (Dempo SC), Syed Rahim Nabi (Mohun Bagan AC), Lalrindika Ralte (Churchill Brothers SC),



Forwards

Sunil Chhetri (Mohun Bagan AC), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Pune FC), Chongtham Sushil Kumar Singh (United Sikkim FC), C.S Sabeeth (Indian Arrows)



Officials

Armando Colaco (Chief Coach), Savio Medeira (Assistant Coach), Antonio Marcus Pacheco (Goalkeeping Coach), Suresh Babu (Physical Trainer), Sandeep Kumar (Doctor), Vishnu Krishnan Nair (Physio), Liaqat Ali (Masseur), Mandar Tamhane (Manager)

India Probables for Caribbean Tour

Last night the national team players returned to New Delhi after a short break at home ahead of the trip to the Caribbean to play Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad&Tobago. 26 players were supposed to report to the probables camp with 23 players set to fly across to the Caribbean next week for the three match series to take place later this month.

But especially Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are against releasing the players while their pre-season is on. AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das has met the club officials to explain to them that such a tour was of general interest to Indian football with such expose for Team India rare.

East Bengal have agreed for Raju Gaikwad, Robert Lalthlamuana ad Baljit Singh Saini to be part of the squad while they want Mehtab Hussain and Harmanjot Singh Khabra to stay back. Mohun Bagan have left it to their new coach Steve Darby to decide.

From the 30 player squad for the home-and-away tie against the United Arab Emirates in the 2014 FIFA World Cup - Asian Round 2 qualifiers the following four players have been left out - Sandip Nandy (East Bengal Club), Denzil Franco (Churchill Brothers SC), Rakesh Masih (Mohun Bagan AC) and Shilton D'Silva (Indian Arrows). But if other players aren't released then other players might be called to the camp.


INDIA Probables
Goalkeepers
Subrata Pal (Pune FC), Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar SC), Laxmikant Kattimani (Dempo SC)

Defenders
Sameer Naik (Dempo SC), Valeriano Rebello (Dempo SC), Gouramangi Singh (Churchill Brothers SC), Raju Eknath Gaikwad (East Bengal Club), Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Rowilson Rodrigues (Dempo SC), Debabrata Roy (Dempo SC), Robert Lalthlamuana (East Bengal Club)

Midfielders
Steven Benedic Dias (Churchill Brothers SC), Lalrindika Ralte (Churchill Brothers SC), Peter Carvalho (Dempo SC), Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club), Lalkamal Bhowmick (United SC), Harmanjot Khabra (East Bengal Club), Jewel Raja Sheikh (Mohun Bagan AC), Climax Lawrence (Dempo SC), Syed Rahim Nabi (Mohun Bagan AC), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC)

Forwards
Sunil Chhetri (Mohun Bagan AC), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Pune FC), Sushil Kumar Singh (United Sikkim FC), Baljit Singh Sahni (East Bengal Club), C.S. Sabeeth (Indian Arrows)

Officials
Armando Colaco (Chief Coach), Savio Medeira (Assistant Coach), Marcus Pacheco (Goalkeeping Coach), Mandar Tamhane (Manager)

India could Tour the Caribbean in September

The All India Football Federation has received an offer from a US based company for a three to five match Tour of the Caribbean in September 2011. The AIFF is said to be considering the proposal as it would give the senior national team much needed international exposure outside of Asia.

As per infos available at the moment the tour organisers original plan was to play three matches between India and Trinidad&Tobago, but now they are said to be considering to make it a real tour of the Caribbean. A match against the 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists Trinidad&Tobago is a certainly if the tour takes place, but matches could also be played against the national sides of Barbados, Guyana, Suriname and Bahamas.

The tour looks likely to be a 15 to 20 day trip to beautiful locations across the Caribbean with some of the countries even having a substantial Indian origin population.

The Caribbean know a lot about Indian Cricket, who are currently touring the region, would get to know more about our football. While for our Team India it would be a useful experience to play a different kind of football and in a different kind of football atmosphere.

The tour wouldn't be the first interaction between India and the Caribbean in football. In August/September 2002 India faced Jamaica in two friendly matches in England. After losing the first game 0-3 at the Vicarage Road Stadium in Watford, India drew Jamaica goalless at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton.