Massa’s farewell to Brazilian fans
SAOPAULO: Felipe Massa said farewell to his home Brazilian Formula One fans in the way he wanted on Sunday, thanking them from the Interlagos podium after a seventh place that felt like a victory. The Williams driver, whose last win was at the same circuit in 2008 when he finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the championship, savoured every minute of his final grand prix on home soil.
There was a lump in many a commentator’s throat, and fans around the world, as the 36-yearold’s son Felipinho hailed his father over the team radio after the chequered flag. “Daddy I am so proud of you,” said the sevenyear-old, whose father is retiring from Formula One after the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi.
“Wherever you go I will support you. I love you. By the way, I loved your start.”
Father and son were then ushered onto the podium, after the top three had celebrated, with his old friend Rubens Barrichello presenting him to the crowd flooding onto the track.
SHEVCHENKO JOINS CHURCHILL BROS
MARGAO: Churchill Brothers have roped in former Ukrainian defender Mykola Shevchenko as their head coach for the upcoming I-league season, starting Nov 25. The I-league kicks off on Nov 25 with Churchill Brothers likely to take on East Bengal in an away match at Kolkata.
FORMER WORLD NO 2 VERA FOR MUMBAI OPEN MUMBAI: Former world No 2, Vera Zvonareva of Russia, is among the star attractions in the $125,000 WTA L and T Mumbai Open Tennis to be held at the Cricket Club of India’s courts here from November 18-26.
Through JFC they will be doing a lot more. The ISL, said Mukul Choudhari, the Tatas’ chief of sports excellence centres, came at a time when football in India was losing audience.
“It (the ISL) changed the way football was presented. Now that it is a little more professional, little more organised and there is a little more promise in development of football in a commercial manner, we stepped in,” said Choudhari at his office in TFA.
“I think it is a win-win for both. The league got a credible corporate who has been in sports for long. (There are 40 Dronacharyas and 12 Padma Shri winners from sports with the group). And we realised the need to invest, participate and help football grow,” said Choudhari.
The investment would be around ~30 crore annually, said Choudhari. Bhaskaran said JFC hired international advisory firm Deloitte for advice.
Birthing JFC also means that the role of the TFA, now with 40 cadets below 18, would change. Bhaskaran spoke of a five-year plan that would include playing in the I-league 2nd division and creating a system that spots children in Jamshedpur and adjoining areas from when they are eight and groom them for JFC with the TFA being part of the chain.
“So far, it was somewhat halfbaked,” he said.
It will also mean a TFA tie-up with a European club and without sharing names, Bhaskaran said the response has been positive from those he visited so far. He said it would make sense for a partnership in a country the group has a presence.
“All that would be part of the Tatas’ bid to create a successful, world class football team out of Jamshedpur,” said Bhaskaran. One that would encompass digital experience created by Tata Consultancy Services with tribal drum rolls at home games at JFC’S own stadium.