Gangtok, Oct. 17: The All India Governor’s Gold Cup football tournament will kick off at Palzor Stadium here on October 27 with 17 teams from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
However, Sikkim’s most famous footballer, Bhaichung Bhutia, and his team Mohun Bagan will once again give the tournament a miss because of matches in Durand Cup and the Calcutta League, which will be played during the same period.
The president of the Sikkim Football Association (SFA), Tempo Bhutia, said they had tried to change the dates in a bid to get Mohun Bagan to take part in the Gold Cup, but to no avail.
Bhaichung, a product of the SFA’s talent nurturing system, has never played at Palzor Stadium.
The SFA president said the teams that have confirmed their participation are Nigerian Eagles (an all-Nigerian team), Bhutan XI, two clubs each from Nepal and Bangladesh, Mumbai United, Punjab Police, JCT A (Phagwara) and Tibetan National Football Association.
In another development, Tempo, who is also an executive member of the All India Football Federation, announced that the SFA would host an All-India Women’s tournament in August 2008
However, Sikkim’s most famous footballer, Bhaichung Bhutia, and his team Mohun Bagan will once again give the tournament a miss because of matches in Durand Cup and the Calcutta League, which will be played during the same period.
The president of the Sikkim Football Association (SFA), Tempo Bhutia, said they had tried to change the dates in a bid to get Mohun Bagan to take part in the Gold Cup, but to no avail.
Bhaichung, a product of the SFA’s talent nurturing system, has never played at Palzor Stadium.
The SFA president said the teams that have confirmed their participation are Nigerian Eagles (an all-Nigerian team), Bhutan XI, two clubs each from Nepal and Bangladesh, Mumbai United, Punjab Police, JCT A (Phagwara) and Tibetan National Football Association.
In another development, Tempo, who is also an executive member of the All India Football Federation, announced that the SFA would host an All-India Women’s tournament in August 2008
