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Federation Cup 2017 to be held in Cuttack from May 7
The Federation Cup will held from May 7 to 21 in Cuttack for the first time since 2010.
This year’s Federation Cup will be held in Cuttack from May 7 to 21, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced following an executive committee meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. India’s main club competition returns to Cuttack after 2010 when East Bengal won the tournament in what was current coach Trevor Morgan’s first season.
After holding the tournament on a home-and-away basis last season, the AIFF reverted to the format of it being a single-venue competition to help India prepare for the crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Kyrgyz Republic at home on June 13. National team coach Stephen Constantine is keen on holding another preparatory camp before the scheduled friendly against Lebanon on June 7.
Thapa chairman
Among other decisions taken on Thursday, Shyam Thapa replaced Bhaichung Bhutia as chairman of the technical committee.
“I will first have to understand what my role is,” said Thapa, who return to the AIFF fold after nearly 27 years. The former India striker had coached the India under-16 and under-19 teams in the late 1980s.
The committee also has former internationals Prasanta Banerjee and Henry Menezes as deputy chairman. Ishfaq Ahmed, who played the ISL3 final for Kerala Blasters and was also ISL franchise’s assistant-coach, too has been drafted into the committee along former East Bengal and Bengal player Pradip Dutta.
Ahmed will have to stop playing and quit his job with Blasters to take up this assignment.
