Bengaluru FC ‘B’ Team announced for the inaugural season
Bengaluru FC announced a
28-member squad which will be part of the club’s first ever reserve side, known
as Bengaluru FC ‘B’, for the 2017-18 season.
The squad, led by AFC
Pro-License holder Naushad Moosa, is formed with a view of bridging the gap
between the BFC Academy and the first team. Keeping the player pathway as the
focal point of the Blues’ newest project, the management is committed on
providing the best facilities at a professional level for up and coming Indian
talent and has signed several young players for the season.
While two graduates,
Leon Augustine and Prashanth Kalinga, from the inaugural batch of BFC’s
Residential Academy in Bellary have been drafted into the squad, seven exciting
players from the India U-19 set-up have also been signed. These youngsters,
along with six other BFC Academy players who are part of BFC ‘B’, are eligible
to represent the Blues in the U18 I-League.
Club CTO Mandar Tamhane
said, “When we started the BFC Residential academy, we also had plans for BFC
‘B’. With competitive action at the national stage only available till the
Under-18 level, it’s very crucial for youngsters graduating out of the academy
to get competitive action. At 18, not all players are ready for the intense
demands of the first team, and so with the ‘B’ side we are trying to bridge
that gap. It’s no different than our first team, and along with a few graduates
from our academy, we have scouted for some talented young players from all over
the country who do have the potential to progress through to our first team.”
Head Coach Naushad Moosa
said, “It is very important to have a reserve side in a club. With Bengaluru FC
‘B’, there’s a platform for youngsters to improve their game while rubbing
shoulders with the established stars and getting a ton of competitive action at
the same time. We know this season is going to be a challenge for us, but the
management has provided with a great structure.”
The squad, formed
predominantly with Under-23 players, has been training over the last few weeks
at the Bangalore Football Stadium, and will be playing in the 2nd Division
League, conducted by the All India Football Federation, apart from the upcoming
BDFA Bengaluru Super Division, and other all-India level tournaments.
Bengaluru FC ‘B’ team Squad
Forwards: Edmund Lalrindika,
Parag Shrivas, Cletus Paul, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Kishori
Midfielders: Myron
Mendes, Suman Sarkar, Kyntiewshaphrang Kharlukhi (Keke), Sk. Azaruddin,
Robinson Khumukcham, Bidyananda Singh, Ajay Chhetri, Shelton Paul, Lalrinfela,
Biswa Kumar Darjee, Leon Augustine, Naorem Roshan Singh
Defenders: Asheer
Akthar, B. Lalnuntluanga, Shahabaaz, Prashant Kalinga, Namgyal Bhutia, Amal Das
KR, V. Lalengzama
Goalkeepers: Shainkhan
Chilappuram, Aditya Patra, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Jaffer Mondal