VIDEO: India's Mehtab & Nabi praise their clubs

On their return from their 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers campaign for India, East Bengal's Mehtab Hussain and Mohun Bagan's Syed Rahim Nabi have been all praise for their respective clubs on XtraTime.

VIDEO: Syed Rahim Nabi's goal for India vs Palestine

Here the footage of the Syed Rahm Nabi header which resulted in a goal following a Mehtab Hossain corner for Team India in their ongoing friendly against Palestine at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala.

VIDEOs: Footballers Model at Kolkata Fashion Week

On Saturday night five footballer in Mehtab Hossain, Syed Rahim Nabi, Tolgay Ozbey, Odafe Onyeka Okolie and ex-goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey scorched the ramp at the Kolkata Fashion Week. The quintett did a good job and got a lot of praise in their assignment as models.

Here the ABP Ananda report

Here the XtraTime report

Mehtab Hossain: It's our responsibility to meet Coach's demands!

For Mehtab Hossain, it is a challenge of sorts. A central defensive midfielder by trade, he has the responsibility to initiate the passing game that Team India Coach wim Koevermans wants the team to do. In a candid interview with AIFF Media the 28-year speaks about the new style, the team mantra, how the team is adapting to it, the next match against Nepal and much more...


How far has the team been able to adapt to the 'passing style'?

We are working very hard as this is a new style of playing for us. The boys are working assiduously in keeping the ball on the ground. We were used to playing one or two passes among ourselves and they play a long ball to the strikers. But that is a thing of the past.


Does the new philosophy suit Indian players better?

The Coach has always maintained that. We are professional players and have to play in any given system or formation. It is our responsibility to meet his demands by giving our best on the field.


What are the players thinking at the moment?

Our mantra is to forget the past and not take any opponent lightly. The two victories are a thing of the past now and we are concentrating on the Nepal match. Our coach insists to take one match at a time and not bask in the glory of previous laurels.


What's your assessment of Nepal as an opponent?

Nepal are very quick. They play short passes and build up fast. I watched them play against Maldives. Though they lost, they fought really well. It was a close match.


What's your impression of the young brigade in the team?

I don't need to certify them as say they are a talented bunch! They indeed are. From Francis to Lenny to Alwyn to Raju to Jewel to the others – they have come a long path. We shouldn't forget they are here as they deserve it. It's an encouraging sign – the pipeline is full and delivering.

(Written by Debayan Mukherjee, AIFF Media Team)

Mehtab Hossain happy to train in Scotland

Indian international and East Bengal Club midfielder Mehtab Hossain arrived in Scotland a few days ago to fulfil his dream of training with professional football clubs in the United Kingdom. Though Mehtab himself has spoken to the media about these training sessions being trials, it is more about training with these professional football clubs in the UK and if something more develops, then he would welcome it.

But the chances are bleak then Mehtab would not get a work permit in the United Kingdom due to the tough regulations there which require the nation of a footballer to be amongst the Top 75 of the FIFA world rankings and the players would have to have played 75% of his countries international matches over the last 12 months.

Mehtab sadly fulfils none of the two points, but still he is in Scotland through the help of former East Bengal team mate Alan Gow to train and learn for the future.

Speaking from Scotland Mehtab said, "I have gone for the experience and so far I am happy with my performance."

During his stay Mehtab has trained with Scottish Second Division (third tier) club Airdrie United FC and Scottish Premier League side Motherwell FC. He is looking forward to train with some other clubs in the next week.

3rd FPAI Awards held last night, the winners are...

The 3rd edition of the Indian Football Awards organised by the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) was held at the ITC Sonar in Kolkata last night. The big winner of the awards was Mehtab Hossain, who was named 'Indian Player of the Year' and he also won the 'Fans Player of the Year' award.

The gala evening was hosted by Mayanti Langer with the Governor of West Bengal M.K. Narayanan being the chief guest of the event with Bollywood/Tollywood stars like Raima Sen, Rituparna Sengupta and Swastika Mukherjee attending besides Indian Tennis legend Leander Paes. Attending from the football field where AIFF Vice-President Subrata Datta, Churchill Brothers supremo Churchill Alemao, Lajong General Secretary Larsing Ming, Mohammedan Sporting Club president Sultan Ahmed and others.

The evening was opened by striker Sunil Chhetri in the absence of Baichung Bhutia, who is currently in Sikkim to help with the rehabilitation work in his home state after the shocking earthquake. And in honour of those killed a minute of silence was observed which was followed by a speech from M.K. Narayanan.

The first announcement of the night was made about the FPAI Team of the Year which included Subrata Pal; Thokchom Naoba Singh, Mahesh Gawli, Uga Okpara, Syed Rahim Nabi; Steven Benedic Dias, Ryuji Sueoka, Mehtab Hossain, Lenny Rodrigues; Roberto Mendes Silva, Odafe Onyeka Okolie. These eleven where chosen by their peers.

The first award of the night was for the Best Foreign Player of the Year which Brazilian Roberto Mendes Silva received from actress Rituparna Sengupta and IMG-Reliance's Ashu Jindal. The Best Coach of the Year award was handed over by Sultan Ahmed to Salgaocar's Karim Bencharifa who surprised everyone by winning the I-League title last season. Then Sunil Chhetri was felicitated by the FPAI for receiving the prestigious Arjuna Award by Larsing Ming and former international Sumit Mukherjee.

Then India's representative at the 2011 Homeless World Cup from Slum Soccer spoke about their experiences in Paris and a video was shown to the audience to highlight what football means to them in their lives.

The next award was the Fans Indian Player at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the award went to India goalkeeper Subrata Pal. The following award was handed over by Apurba Saha from the Pailan Group for the Best Young Player and it went to Jeje Lalpekhlua, but he wasn't there to receive his award. The same is sadly the case for Baichung Bhutia, whose special award is accepted on his behalf by Jose Ramirez Barreto. Now it was the turn of the 'Fans Player of the Year' award and went to Mehtab Hossain, while the final award of the night, the Best Indian Player of the Year, was handed over by Subrata Dutta and Leander Paes to Mehtab Hossain.

There was entertainment during the evening from Sanjeev & Sandip Vyas, a fashion show involving footballers and an auction of a Baichung Bhutia India jersey for the earthquake victims and that went for Rs 50,000 to Churchill Alemao.


This Years Winners

FPAI Team of the Year
Subrata Pal (Pune FC), Thokchom Naoba Singh (Churchill Brothers SC/East Bengal Club), Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Uga Okpara (East Bengal Club), Syed Rahim Nabi (East Bengal Club/Mohun Bagan AC), Steven Benedic Dias (Churchill Brothers SC), Ryuji Sueoka (Salgaocar SC), Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club), Lenny Rodrigues (Churchill Brothers SC), Roberto Mendes Silva (Dempo SC/Churchill Brothers SC), Odafe Onyeka Okolie (Churchill Brothers SC/Mohun Bagan AC)

Fans Indian Player at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
Subrata Pal (Pune FC)

Best Young Player
Jeje Lalpekhula (Indian Arrows/Pune FC)

Best Foreign Player
Roberto Mendes Silva (Dempo SC/Churchill Brothers SC)

Best Indian Player
Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club)

Best Coach
Karim Bencherifa (Salgaocar SC)

Fans Player of the Year
Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club)

FPAI Announces nominations for "Fans' Player of the Year 2011"

The Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI) has announced the nominations for the "Fans' Player of the Year 2011" for the third FPAI Indian Football Awards.

The players have been nominated for their strong performances for their respective clubs in the I-League in the 2010/11 season. Now the Indian football fans have the chance to chose their "Fans' Player of the Year 2011". The winner will be announced at the FPAI Indian Football Awards.

The players who have been named as the top five candidates all had a great season. There are two players each from champions Salgaocar SC and runners-up East Bengal Club, while one of the nominees plays for Dempo SC.


The Candidates

- Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club, India)

- Ranty Martins Soleye (Dempo SC, Nigeria)

- Tolgay Ozbey (East Bengal Club, Australia)

- Luciano Sabrosa (Salgaocar SC, Brazil)

- Yakubu Yusif (Salgaocar SC, Ghana)

You can all cast your vote at www.fpaofindia.com . I have done so and I wish all five players all the best!


About FPAI

The FPAI (Football Players Association of India), India's apex football players' body, was set up with Baichung Bhutia as its president in 2006 and represents the interests of all I-League and first division footballers. FPAI is formally affiliated to the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPro), the worldwide representative organization for professional football players.