Kolkata, Oct 24 (PTI) Just days after shocking the football fraternity by declaring they were shutting down for the season due to acute funds crunch, the city’s 123-year-old club Mohammedan Sporting today announced that they would play in all tournaments and resume practice tomorrow.
“After the wide media coverage (of our shutdown), we’ve started getting sponsors now. Talks are on and things have started looking bright,” Mohammedan Sporting president Sultan Ahmed, told PTI.
The Durand Cup reigning champions would compete in the tournament with the quarterfinal league beginning in Goa on October 28, said Ahmed, an MP.
“We’ll play in all tournaments and will go to Goa to defend our title in the Durand Cup. We’ll also take part in the second division I-League, the Kalinga Cup and the IFA Shield,” he said.
He condemned reports by a section of the media suggesting that the heritage club was being disbanded.
“Nothing of such happened and it appeared in a bad taste.
Things were not good so we had decided not to compete in the upcoming season. But now we have many sponsors coming in,” Ahmed said.
He further said the club would resume their practice at the East Bengal ground tomorrow as their own club ground was not properly maintained with overgrown grass and bushes.
“We hope to get our ground ready by February and also start fulfilling the club licencing criteria,” Ahmed said. PTI TAP NN CM
