Pune, ATK big gainers after top players shift base this season
injury picked last season.
Just like Hume, manager Steve Coppell has also been on the move since he first took charge of Kerala Blasters for the 2016 season. In his first year, he led Kerala Blasters to the final where they went down to ATK in penalty shootout.
The following season (2017/18 campaign) the Englishman took over the reins of new entrants Jamshedpur FC and guided them to a modest fifth-place finish in the club’s first season. This year, Coppell will be seen at the helm of two-time champions ATK.
“I have never been a butterfly moving from flower to flower. I had wanted to stay with Kerala but that was a decision not in my hands. With Jamshedpur, I had really thought it would be my last club in India and I had told them that. But then as I was getting bored playing golf back home, I got a call from ATK. I don’t think much about the future beyond the next game,” Coppell said.
Coppell’s arrival to ATK caps one of, if not the most, successful transfer periods for the club.
ATK have signed up defender John Johnson from Bengaluru FC. The English centre-back has been a mainstay in Bengaluru’s successful runs in I-league (winners in 2013/14 and 2015/16) and ISL (runners-up last term).
ATK have also managed to attract Delhi Dynamos star Nigerian forward Kalu Uche, who scored 13 goals from 15 games last season. But most notably, Coppell has secured the services of one of league’s most valuable players from last season, Manuel Lanzarote.
Known fondly as Lanza in the domestic circuit, the Spanish forward scored 13 goals and provided six assists at FC Goa last season. In fact, Lanza himself wanted a move away from Goa because of personal problems with coach Sergio Lobera.
“In February, I tell (told) the club (that) I will not continue and declined the contract I had signed for one more year. The reason was a personal problem with the coach and I didn’t want to work with him,” Lanza had posted on Instagram.
While ATK enjoyed one of the most fruitful transfer windows in terms of loading up talent, other clubs have made some notable signings too.
Mumbai City FC, who are likely to stick to their ‘building from the back approach’ under new manager Jorge Costa, brought in two of the most prized attacking defenders in the country. Subashish Bose, who recently captained the India U-23 team at the SAFF Cup, and Souvik Chakrabarti were signed up after fairly successful outings with Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC respectively.
Kerala Blasters FC signed up India’s first choice centre-back Anas Edathodika from Jamshedpur FC. Edathodika’s arrival to solidify the central defensive area with Sandesh Jhingan will see Kerala boast of India’s firstchoice and best defensive duo. LONDON: Derby County manager Frank Lampard piled more misery on his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as the Rams beat 10-man Manchester United 8-7 on penalties, while Manchester City cruised into the last 16 of the League Cup on Tuesday.
Mourinho paid the price for making nine changes in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Old Trafford before spot-kicks with Paul Pogba rested on another day dominated by the Frenchman’s frosty relationship with his manager. Phil Jones finally missed from the spot after 15 successful penalties. According to reports before kick-off, Pogba will not captain United again under Mourinho due to his persistent public outbursts criticising the Portuguese’s tactics.
Early on it seemed like Mourinho would get a positive response to Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wolves as Juan Mata slotted home the opener after just three minutes. However, an unchanged Derby side struck back after the break thanks to a wonderful free-kick from former Liverpool striker Harry Wilson.
Moments later, United goalkeeper Sergio Romero saw red for handling another Wilson effort outside the area.
The visitors made the man advantage count when Jack Mariott headed home five minutes from time, but Marouane Fellaini looked to have saved Mourinho’s blushes with a towering header deep into stoppage time.
However, substitute United ‘keeper Lee Grant failed to stop any of Derby’s penalties and Jones finally faltered to compound a bad start to the season for Mourinho’s men.
City boss Pep Guardiola enjoyed a far more comfortable evening despite ringing changes as England under-19 international Phil Foden shone in a 3-0 win at League One Oxford.
Gabriel Jesus headed home from close range in the first half. Riyad Mahrez scored a second 12 minutes from time. And Foden rounded off a fine individual display with his first senior goal for the club in stoppage time.