DENZONG BOYZ FC- FROM THE VALLEY OF RICE

Football in Sikkim is on a roll these days with two teams United Sikkim Football Club and Denzong Boyz Football Club getting the nod from the All India Football Federation to participate in the I-League Division 2. Last year Denzong Boyz had played the qualifiers but had failed to reach the final round. Here is a  brief low down on the  team which believes they can go the distance this season.

Set up in the year 2008 Denzong Boys Football Club is a sister concern of Denzong Welfare Association. The Club was formed with an aim to promote the local players at the national platform.Denzong means “The Valley of Rice” and the Bhutia Tribe refers to Sikkim as Denzong.

The Club was formed by some like minded individuals who felt that the interest and popularity of Football was going down in Sikkim and a well managed club with a professional attitude could contribute a lot in reviving the people’s interest in football.

In a very short span of time Denzong Boyz FC has become a popular team in Sikkim winning the Independence Cup two years in row,2008-09.The team also reached the Quarter-Finals of the prestigious All India Governors Gold Cup Football tournament in 2009 beating reputed teams like Delhi Royal Rangers and Punjab Police. In the Quarter-Final they gave a tough time to the I-League side Chirag United but eventually lost in the tie-breaker.

This year the team is looking more focused and have signed many players with I-League experience to compete in a better way during  the I-League Division 2 campaign. Foreigners slot has been filled up by Enondji Patrick Arol,Cameroon Under-20 International and Abraham Bobby Fanny who had played for East Railways last season in the Calcutta Premier League.

The team has appointed Thupden Rapgyal as the head coach, who is a very respected and a senior coach in Sikkim. Popular amongst the footballers as “Thupden Sir”. Currently the team is training at Gaurds Ground in Gangtok, but next week they will head to Siliguri for the residential camp at the Kanchanjunga Stadium according to the General Manager Jigme Lachungpa.

Things are no doubt looking good at Denzong Boyz FC and if they qualify for the I-League Division 1,football will get a new meaning in Sikkim. As a fan I wish the team all the best for their campaign in the I-League Division 2. They have failed in their attempt last season to join the big boys of Indian Football but the effort is on this year. As we used to cheer our school team when we were kids “Keep on trying never saying dying, pull up together nobodies joking”. So Denzong Boyz keep on trying until the Glory will be yours.

Photograph Courtesy- denzongboyzfc.com

United Sikkim FC in Kolkata

United Sikkim Football Club along with twenty other teams from across the country has got the green signal from the All India Football Federation to participate in the second division I-League which starts next month.

It’s a welcome news for the Football lovers in Sikkim along with the players as United Sikkim FC’s entry into the second division will definitely give a boost to the game of  football in Sikkim, a state which has always prided itself on its unconditional love for the Beautiful game.

As far as the team is concerned its camped in Kolkata right now where the Head coach, Stanley Rosario along with the patron Bhaichung Bhutia (Who is now in Sikkim for a family wedding) is holding trails along with the training sessions at the Sports Authority of India complex to recruit new players into the team. Ten boys from Sikkim who are already part of United Sikkim is also included in this camp.

I had the pleasure of watching the team’s  training sessions at the SAI Center for four days where the boys from Sikkim along with the other players on trail played practice matches. Many stars of India football dropped in to watch the training which included the Indian player of the year 2010,Gouramangi Singh along with Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Renedy Singh who is likely to sign for United Sikkim.

Although it’s pretty early to judge but United Sikkim is looking a tough side to beat. It now depends on the coach, Stanley Rosario as he has to be very meticulous in planning which players to sign as All India Football Federation has allowed only five players on Inter State Transfer and three more can be taken on loan. Hope the coach gets the right balance and gels the new signings with the players who he has already got, most of them are from Sikkim.

In the mean time the team has also registered itself as a company and henceforth in all the official documents it will be known as  “United Sikkim Football Club Private Limited Company” and its main sponsor will be Camellia Group of Companies based in Kolkata with the sports equipment giants Nike supplying the kits.

I would also like to mention about the local players from Sikkim who are with United Sikkim. They are all good and with the right guidance they can soon become great. I was particularly impressed by their striker Tenzing Tsephel who was most consistent during the training sessions which I was watched and also scored a couple of excellent goals. Later I found out that he has already represented the Tibetan National Football Team and has also toured some European countries with the team.

Within a month’s time we will all find out where will United Sikkim land up but things are looking good at the moment and I wish they get promotion to the I-League Division one in their very first year.