Tatas and football
Top two spends: ~1.10 crore on defeender Anas Edathodika and ~87 lakh on goalkeeper Subrata Paul. Defenders: Andre Bikey (Cameroon), 'Tiri' (Spain); Midfielders: Emerson Gomes de Moura (Brazil), Sameehg Doutie (Souuth Africa), Trindade Goncalves (Brazil); Forwards: Izu Azuka (Nigeria), Kerveens Belfort (Haiti), Talla Ndiaye (Senegal).
Some 30 apartments are e being readied for players and the e coaching staff to move in aftera the first two games in ISL4 4. The team is now staying in a ho otel. Set up in 1987, it is India’s most successful academy with 130 cadets having represented India. Cadets in their final year are sent on an exposure trip abroad. The last three batches went to Sheffield United. In the past, they have gone to Germany and Brazil. TFA now has 40 U-18 cadets.
Cost of running Tfathat wasset up in 1987:
~1.7crore (approximately).
Before cable TV brought world football to Indian homes, it wasthe Tatas who regularly provided aglimpse of the best through Super Soccer. The brainchild of the laterussi Mody,who waschairman and managing director T ata Steel, theygot Sao Paulo FC juniors in 1984 and 1989, VFL Bochum in 1985,PSV Eindhovenin1991 and SKF Lynofnorway in 1994.
The T ata Sports Club operated out of Mumbai and were runners-up thriceinthe Rovers Cup, which wasindia’s most prestigious tournament in the 1970salong with the Ifashield and Durand Cup.