Chirag United Kerala FC will announce a twenty member team for the Federation Cup 2011, in a press meet at Kannur Press Club on Wednesday. The team will include three newly recruited foreign players, while defender Charles Dzisah has not yet joined the club and might miss the tournament.
Former Adelaide United forward Michael Matricciani is the latest addition to the Kerala club. The MetroStars player signed for Chirag Kerala in the last day of the FIFA transfer window for a one-year contract. The Australian striker has been prolific for his club scoring 18 goals from the last 18 matches. In total, he has found the back of the net 42 times for MetroStars in 65 appearances. Michael can play as a striker as well as in the midfield.
The defence will be strengthened by Ghanaian Isaac Boakye who will partner his countryman Charles Dzisah to break up opposition attacks. Isaac has been signed from Tanzanian first division club Young Africans SC. The foreign player quota will be filled by Brazilian striker Alex Carioke acquired from Brazilian club Moto Club de Sao Luis.
Apart from the foreign imports, Chirag Kerala has also signed Pradeep Mohanraj from Mumbai FC, former India under-23 international Gurjinder Singh from Kingfisher East Bengal and Shahabaz Saleel from ONGC FC to name a few. It is expected that former Pune FC midfielder K Ajayan will captain the side in the 2011-12 season.
The team will leave for Kolkata on Wednesday evening to play in the Federation Cup 2011 where they are drawn in Group D alongside Prayag United SC, Air India FC and Sporting Club de Goa. The team will kickstart their campaign against Prayag United on September 18, 2011.
Photo Courtesy: Adelaide Now
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Tuesday 13 September 2011, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.
Comments · 2
Hope that the new 3 foreign recruites are free from injury and fit enough with quality. So far Kerala had witnessed only 2 quality foreign fit players i.e Bello rasak& Charles dsiha from a lot of 20+. Chirag viva kerala's survival is all depend upon these 3.
Our friend lelinmithran in kerala team studiying sai munnar