from the ashes rises the Phoenix, I mean the greater spotted Herbert to coach in the Indian super league
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/10399443/Ricki-Herbert-lands-India-Super-League-job
Ricki Herbert (Ba FC | Fiji)
Cha-ching!!
does anyone here know the strength of that league. Is it really any better then the ASBP ignoring some of the well known pensioners playing in it?
does anyone here know the strength of that league. Is it really any better then the ASBP ignoring some of the well known pensioners playing in it?
Whilst football may not be their national sport (it isnt ours either) you would think withtheir population that they would find players at a higher level then the ASB
there a region in india where football is their main sport not cricket. Its growing very fast with lots of new investment, however may not be the most desirable place to play. Football has really only taken off over the last few years because most kids wanted to play cricket thus a lack of football pitches.
Looks like former nix fitness guy, Lee Taylor, is joining him.
@FourFourTwoOz Lee Taylor (Notts County FC) looking forward to joining back up with Ricki as his No2, as we were at the Wellington Phoenix.
— Lee Taylor (@LTphys) August 19, 2014
if I knew how to spell Trezugey I would tell you he is signed for Pune FC.....the same cash splashing around as the IPL cricket
This is actually a great opportunity for Ricki, the other 3 coaches announced all have serious experience in top european leagues including La Liga, Serie A, Eredivisie and the Belgian Pro League so they're not exactly scrubs. A lot of top players have signed up for the league, David Trezeguet and Luis Garcia have already signed whilst Ricki's team has Joan Capdevila who was spains starting left back when they won the world cup. The international draft is in about a week and includes a bunch of former stars, so I wouldn't call this a weak league at all, it would probably be at the same level if not higher than the A-League. Plus he will be getting a huge amount of money which I am sure wouldn't hurt.
there a region in india where football is their main sport not cricket. Its growing very fast with lots of new investment, however may not be the most desirable place to play. Football has really only taken off over the last few years because most kids wanted to play cricket thus a lack of football pitches.
I've spent time in India and the two strongest football states are West Bengal (Kolkata the capital) and Goa (former Portuguese territory).
Football has always been about as popular as cricket in those two states.
There's no shortage of football pitches in West Bengal - every village has one. Women dry their saris on the goal posts when not in use and cows mow the grass.
There's much more football on TV in India than NZ with 24 hour channels dedicated to football.
I watched Auckland City live in the Club World Cup in Agra on Indian TV in December 2011.
Leo Bertos is playing for East Bengal FC of Kolkata who attract crowds of up to 110,000 at the Salt Lake Stadium for the local derby against Mohun Bagan. He's likely to play in front of a minimum of 80,000 for this local derby.
And that's the I-League. There's way more money behind this new Indian Super League.
The I-League has only been in existence since 2007 and six of the seven champions have been from Goa.
Average crowds across the I-League were pretty lame at 5600 last season.
Ricki will only have a short employment as this league only runs just over two months from October 12 to December 20.
The Super League has only eight teams and is staged over a couple of months in October and November (Finals in November and December) as a curtain raiser to the I-League.
Ricki took the Phoenix to the part of India he'll be coaching on the pre-season tour in August 2012. The Phoenix lost to co-owner of North East United, Shillong Lajong FC in the tournament Final. It's a newly emerging football area in Indian terms but has already amongst the biggest crowds in the I-League. North East's stadium in Guwhati, Assam state holds 35,000.
North East United is backed by Bollywood actor John Abraham and I-League club Shillong Lajong of the state of Meghalaya near Assam (one of India's smallest states pop. about 3 million). North East United represents all seven states in the north east of India (total pop. 40 million , mostly in Assam state pop. 31 million).
Marquee signing is Spanish World Cup 2010 winning left back Joan Capdevila. Have also signed Trinidad and Tobago striker Cornell Glen who played for six different clubs in Major League Soccer in the US and at World Cup 2006. They also have Zambian international midfielder Isaac Chansa (career in South Africa and Sweden).
Shillong Lajong FC head coach Thangboi Singto will be on Herbert's staff at North East United FC in a coaching capacity.
Most of the squad have been signed, so Ricki will have little input there. Foreign player draft is this week (five players to add).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/Indian-S...
"Each team must sign at least one marquee player while they must also sign seven other foreigners. Of these seven foreigners, only two can be signed directly by the club with the other five coming from the foreign player draft. Each team must also have 14 Indian domestic players, four of which being local players to the city.
The international players draft is to feature 49 players hailing from Spain (9 players), France (8), Czech Republic (8), Brazil (5), Portugal (5), Colombia (4), South Korea (2), and one each from Argentina, Canada, Serbia, Senegal, England, Greece, Cameroon and West Africa nation Burkina Faso."
List of players in the foreign draft: few well-known names but probably solid enough:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football...
"The comprehensive list boasts of experienced footballers and young promising talents from across the world with an average age of 28 years, having played 8197 competitive matches in various leagues globally with an average of 186 appearances per player."
This is actually a great opportunity for Ricki, the other 3 coaches announced all have serious experience in top european leagues including La Liga, Serie A, Eredivisie and the Belgian Pro League so they're not exactly scrubs. A lot of top players have signed up for the league, David Trezeguet and Luis Garcia have already signed whilst Ricki's team has Joan Capdevila who was spains starting left back when they won the world cup. The international draft is in about a week and includes a bunch of former stars, so I wouldn't call this a weak league at all, it would probably be at the same level if not higher than the A-League. Plus he will be getting a huge amount of money which I am sure wouldn't hurt.
I see the Italian in charge of FC Pune City, Franco Colomba has managed 16 different clubs in 20 years in the Italian leagues. Coaching in Italy is inherently unstable really isn't it?
Atletico de Kolkata maintain a Spanish flavour in name, owner (Atletico Madrid co-owner), manager (Antonio Lopez Habas) and marquee (Luis Garcia). Their stadium holds more than the Nou Camp - 120,000. Manager Lopez Habas once managed the Bolivia national side but never really had much success as a manager in Spain.
Will be interesting to see how David James goes as player-coach of Kerala Blasters FC.
Three franchises haven't appointed a manager yet.
Kerala Blasters. Awesome.
I want a shirt.
Kerala Blasters part owned by the little master himself!
Herberts boring style not exactly a good fit
the interview on 3 sport was good, liked the part how he said he tried to establish a rule, is that maybe something that contributed to smith and the fall out?
This is actually a great opportunity for Ricki, the other 3 coaches announced all have serious experience in top european leagues including La Liga, Serie A, Eredivisie and the Belgian Pro League so they're not exactly scrubs. A lot of top players have signed up for the league, David Trezeguet and Luis Garcia have already signed whilst Ricki's team has Joan Capdevila who was spains starting left back when they won the world cup. The international draft is in about a week and includes a bunch of former stars, so I wouldn't call this a weak league at all, it would probably be at the same level if not higher than the A-League. Plus he will be getting a huge amount of money which I am sure wouldn't hurt.
When you say former stars, these are guys who have actually retired. This isn't a serious league
does anyone here know the strength of that league. Is it really any better then the ASBP ignoring some of the well known pensioners playing in it?
Leo Bertos being a marquee player...
does anyone here know the strength of that league. Is it really any better then the ASBP ignoring some of the well known pensioners playing in it?
Leo Bertos being a marquee player...
You are confusing this new Indian Super League Ricki will be coaching in with the regular I-League, India's national league.
Leo is playing for major I-League club East Bengal in Kolkata.
The Super League is a curtain raiser for the next I-League season and only runs October 12 - December 20.
The I-League season for Leo kicks off after that in late December.
Leo would never make it as a marquee in this new Super League! He wasn't even included in the 49 player foreign player draft!
The marquees are generally former European internationals of some standing such as Luis Garcia and Joan Capdevila (former Spanish internationals), David Trezeguet (France World Cup winner) and David James.
Only four marquees have been named by the eight clubs so far.
Some are saying on this forum that these marquees are coming out of retirement - that's only true in David James' case really.
Luis Garcia was only retired for six months when he signed for Atletico de Kolkata in the Super League. Until January this year he'd been playing for top Mexican side Pumas UNAM for a few years.
Capdevila played until May this year for Espanyol in la Liga and never retired.
Trezeguet has been playing the last two and a half years for River Plate in Argentina (on loan to Newells Old Boys last season). He last played in Argentina's top flight just a few months ago. Again he has never retired.
On top of that, each club must sign seven other foreign players - the 49 players in the foreign player draft are generally a few classes above what we get in the ASB Premiership. Average age 27. Solid pros from a good level of European, South American football:
List of the 49 players in the foreign draft to be held this week:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football...
Delhi Dynamos have a relationship with Feyenoord and have managed to sign top Belgian goalkeeper Kristof Van Hout (ex Liege and Genk), and prolific Danish international strikers Mads Junker (ex Roda and Vitesse) and Morten Skoubo (ex Real Sociedad, Monchengladbach, Utrecht, Roda) as well as experienced Belgian Pro League defender Wim Raymaekers.
Even Leo Bertos' less well-funded I-League attracts some decent African players. The Africans are the only ones who can cope well with the harsh conditions in India (although the I-League starts in the Indian winter this season from December when it is cooler but by the time it finishes in May/ June it will be summer and impossibly hot). Last season the I-League ran September 21 - April 28.
This Nigerian team mate of Leo at East Bengal, Dudu, is a decent striker and has played in the Polish, Hungarian and Finnish top flights in between spells in the I-League: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudu_Omagbemi
Other current I-League marquees (only four of the ten clubs have named them so far):
Josh Walker (Bengaluru) - ex Middlesbrough, Watford midfielder aged 25
Pierre Boya (Mohun Bagan) - former Cameroon international striker aged 30, ex Partizan Belgrade, Rapid Bucharest, Grenoble etc.
Cornell Glen (Shillong Lajong) - 69 cap Trinidad and Tobago striker (World Cup 2006) age 32, played for five clubs in Major League Soccer in the USA.
I've seen some I-League games in the 2011- 2012 season and the standard is just a little above ASB Premiership overall with some of the best players being more A-League level. Auckland City would compete well in the I-League if it wasn't played in Indian climate conditions. Those marquees named above would be considered good acquisitions for A-League clubs. The best Indian players (national team) are A-League standard (I was particularly impressed by Syed Nabi - a winger/ wing-back; Sunil Chhetri is a capable striker and was briefly with Sporting Lisbon)
Baichung Bhutia was scouted from India's national league and played three seasons for Bury in England and recently retired from the I-League.
Lets remember that Wellington Phoenix were beaten 3-2 in the final of the pre-season tournament on their Indian tour by Shillong Lajong in August 2012 with Nigerian striker Gbeneme Friday scoring twice:
That first goal by Lajong....
does anyone here know the strength of that league. Is it really any better then the ASBP ignoring some of the well known pensioners playing in it?
Leo Bertos being a marquee player...
You are confusing this new Indian Super League Ricki will be coaching in with the regular I-League, India's national league.
Leo is playing for major I-League club East Bengal in Kolkata.
The Super League is a curtain raiser for the next I-League season and only runs October 12 - December 20.
The I-League season for Leo kicks off after that in late December.
Leo would never make it as a marquee in this new Super League! He wasn't even included in the 49 player foreign player draft!
The marquees are generally former European internationals of some standing such as Luis Garcia and Joan Capdevila (former Spanish internationals), David Trezeguet (France World Cup winner) and David James.
Only four marquees have been named by the eight clubs so far.
Some are saying on this forum that these marquees are coming out of retirement - that's only true in David James' case really.
Luis Garcia was only retired for six months when he signed for Atletico de Kolkata in the Super League. Until January this year he'd been playing for top Mexican side Pumas UNAM for a few years.
Capdevila played until May this year for Espanyol in la Liga and never retired.
Trezeguet has been playing the last two and a half years for River Plate in Argentina (on loan to Newells Old Boys last season). He last played in Argentina's top flight just a few months ago. Again he has never retired.
On top of that, each club must sign seven other foreign players - the 49 players in the foreign player draft are generally a few classes above what we get in the ASB Premiership. Average age 27. Solid pros from a good level of European, South American football:
List of the 49 players in the foreign draft to be held this week:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football...
Delhi Dynamos have a relationship with Feyenoord and have managed to sign top Belgian goalkeeper Kristof Van Hout (ex Liege and Genk), and prolific Danish international strikers Mads Junker (ex Roda and Vitesse) and Morten Skoubo (ex Real Sociedad, Monchengladbach, Utrecht, Roda) as well as experienced Belgian Pro League defender Wim Raymaekers.
Even Leo Bertos' less well-funded I-League attracts some decent African players. The Africans are the only ones who can cope well with the harsh conditions in India (although the I-League starts in the Indian winter this season from December when it is cooler but by the time it finishes in May/ June it will be summer and impossibly hot). Last season the I-League ran September 21 - April 28.
This Nigerian team mate of Leo at East Bengal, Dudu, is a decent striker and has played in the Polish, Hungarian and Finnish top flights in between spells in the I-League: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudu_Omagbemi
Other current I-League marquees (only four of the ten clubs have named them so far):
Josh Walker (Bengaluru) - ex Middlesbrough, Watford midfielder aged 25
Pierre Boya (Mohun Bagan) - former Cameroon international striker aged 30, ex Partizan Belgrade, Rapid Bucharest, Grenoble etc.
Cornell Glen (Shillong Lajong) - 69 cap Trinidad and Tobago striker (World Cup 2006) age 32, played for five clubs in Major League Soccer in the USA.
I've seen some I-League games in the 2011- 2012 season and the standard is just a little above ASB Premiership overall with some of the best players being more A-League level. Auckland City would compete well in the I-League if it wasn't played in Indian climate conditions. Those marquees named above would be considered good acquisitions for A-League clubs. The best Indian players (national team) are A-League standard (I was particularly impressed by Syed Nabi - a winger/ wing-back; Sunil Chhetri is a capable striker and was briefly with Sporting Lisbon)
Baichung Bhutia was scouted from India's national league and played three seasons for Bury in England and recently retired from the I-League.
Lets remember that Wellington Phoenix were beaten 3-2 in the final of the pre-season tournament on their Indian tour by Shillong Lajong in August 2012 with Nigerian striker Gbeneme Friday scoring twice:
Pete any league which lasts for 3 months in the middle of the European season by definition is not attracting serious players. Why would anyone go there to play for only 3 months if you had another option? You say those marquees would be good acquisitions for A-League players. Really they are career journeymen who are basically at the end of their careers, let's be honest about it
Pete any league which lasts for 3 months in the middle of the European season by definition is not attracting serious players. Why would anyone go there to play for only 3 months if you had another option? You say those marquees would be good acquisitions for A-League players. Really they are career journeymen who are basically at the end of their careers, let's be honest about it
The Super League exists as away to attract some foreign players to India who might not want to stay more than the nine weeks it runs for - the conditions are pretty tough in India. It will raise the profile of the game there and serve its purpose. The I-League is the real Indian national league and may benefit from it.
Some of the foreign players (each side has to have eight) have already agreed to stay on and play in the I-League afterwards.
I feel these guys I mentioned would be okay signings in the A-League, not as marquees obviously - better pedigree than many of the sort of foreigners Ricki signed for the Phoenix - and not too old either:
Josh Walker (Bengaluru) - ex Middlesbrough, Watford midfielder aged 25 (certainly a lesser recent pedigree than the other two)
Pierre Boya (Mohun Bagan) - former Cameroon international striker aged 30, ex Partizan Belgrade, Rapid Bucharest, Grenoble etc.
Cornell Glen (Shillong Lajong) - 69 cap Trinidad and Tobago striker (World Cup 2006) age 32, played for five clubs in Major League Soccer in the USA.
I'm talking about the handful of I-League marquees announced so far, not the Super League.
Obviously the Super League marquees, likes of Trezeguet, Capdevila, James and Luis Garcia are pretty long in the tooth but most of them have been playing recently at a good level. And they're certainly big names. They have to take what they can get considering the Super League's being put together at short notice and as you say in mid-European season.
There are plenty of decent enough players floating around in Europe, South America, Africa without a club and the Super League foreign players draft has some with a pretty solid background. Our own Chris James has gone to the French Fourth Div. and we know he's better than that.
Ricki's North East United have just announced the signing of 30 year-old current Zambia international midfielder and 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winner Isaac Chansa who will stay on to play for parent club Shillong Lajong in the I-League, who have also signed his current Zambia international team mate Kondwani Matonga. Both started in the midfield against Japan in Tokyo in Zambia's last game in June, a 4-3 loss.
To me this shows that Indian football is a starting to attract some decent imports - as I said before, it's mostly the Africans who adjust better to Indian conditions.
Ricki's acquisitions for North East United in the foreign player draft held Thursday in India. Seven players on top of marquee Joan Capdevila (defender, Spain).
(click on a name for their details):
 Isaac Chansa
|
Midfielder - age 30 |
Current first choice Zambia international. Africa Cup of Nations winner 2012. Career in Zambia, South Africa, Sweden, China.
 Cornell Glen
|
Forward -age 32 |
69 cap Trinidad and Tobago international (World Cup 2006) - six clubs in Major League Soccer; 14 goals in 19 games for Shillong Lajong in I-League last season.
 Massamba Sambou
|
Defender - age 28 |
Senegalese-born product of Monaco youth system. Clubs in Ligue 1: Monaco, Le Havre; Ligue 2: Nantes, Chateauroux; Greek Super League: Atromitos
 Do Dong-Hyun
|
Forward - age 20 |
Brisbane Roar 2012-13: youngest foreign visa player in A-League history aged 18; the past year at Gifu in J-2 league, Japan
 Guilherme Batata |
Midfielder - age 22 |
Appeared for top Brazilian club Atletico Paranaense (runner-up Brazil top flight 2010, 2011), most recently at Ferroviaria (Paulista) and Barbarense (Paulista)
 Tomáš Josl
|
Defender - age 29 |
Czech player at various Czech, Polish & Slovak clubs
 Luis Yanes
|
Forward - age 32 |
Former Colombia international, ex Lille & various Colombian clubs, Spain
Full details of the draft for all clubs. Some pretty decent players if you look at the clubs they last played for:
The showcase Indian Super League is really taking off - Del Piero has signed for Delhi; Anelka, Elano (ex-Man City and Brazil) and Manuel Friedrich (ex-Dortmund, Leverkusen, Bremen, German international) for Mumbai; Zico is coaching Goa, Materazzi is player-coach of Chennai, Peter Reid coach of Mumbai.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/Indian-S...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Super_League
Fox Sports in Australia are screening all the games, banking on interest because of Del Piero:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/fox-sports-au...
Ricki has added several foreign players since the player draft:
Latest is Spanish striker Koke ex-Malaga, Marseilles, Sporting Lisbon:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football...
"With this signing, the Club has completed signing eight international players of repute, anticipating that the upcoming ISL would boost football in the country.
The club had signed World Cup 2010 and European 2008 Championship Winner-- Spanish Defender Joan Capdevilaas -- as their Marquee player for the inaugural season of Indian Super League scheduled to begin early next month.
The team had also signed Zambian international midfielder, Isaac Chansa, who also won the 2012 African Cup of Nations, along with Lajong FC striker Cornell Glen [69 cap Trinidad & Tobago World Cup striker].
Earlier this month, the club signed Portuguese Defender Miguel Garcia [ex-Sporting Lisbon, Sporting Braga, Reginna], Zambian Midfielder Kondwani Mtonga [current first choice Zambia international, Africa Cup of Nations winner 2012] and Greek Goalkeeper Alexandros Tzvoras [ex-Panathinaikos, Palermo, Genoa, Greek international]."
Also just signed striker James Keene (ex-Portsmouth, Elfsborg - Sweden)
More articles on North East United:
Hope it goes well for him and he gets another pro gig. Maybe being out of his comfort zone of the nix / nz football will be just what he needs.
Jeremy Christie is available
I wonder who will be involved in the first match fixing scandal? My bet is on David James.
The showcase Indian Super League is really taking off - Del Piero has signed for Delhi; Anelka, Elano (ex-Man City and Brazil) and Manuel Friedrich (ex-Dortmund, Leverkusen, Bremen, German international) for Mumbai; Zico is coaching Goa, Materazzi is player-coach of Chennai, Peter Reid coach of Mumbai.
I bet Ricki and Reidy end up on some epic sessions together.
Should be easy to watch Ricki's team live for free online.
All the Indian Super League games are streaming live on You Tube on the league's official channel.
This mean games should be available to watch on demand on You Tube too.
If it's geographically restricted just use a free VPN such as from hola.org
Links to all of NorthEast United's games (not in chronological order):
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=live%...
Live stream list for all league games in reverse chronological order:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWm1NacYSOWuDWxiO...
League runs October 12 - December 20 (including the semis and final) Indian Time:
http://www.indiansuperleague.com/isl-2014/schedule...
Regular season: October 12 - December 10 Indian Standard Time
Semis: First Leg: 13, 14 December Second Legs: 16, 17 December
Final: 20 December
All posted videos on the Super League channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWm1NacYSOWuDWxiO...
The official league promo video which is fun:
Ricki's team are currently in Goa, the strongest football state (most I-League winners have come from there) for a week-long camp and are playing three I-League sides.
Drew 1-1 with Laxmi Prasad on Wednesday 24 hours after flying in:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tuff-L...
Beat Vasco 1-0 on Thursday:
http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/7083/isl/2014/09...
One more game against Salgaocar on Tuesday Indian time.
Then back to their base at Guwahati in the north east for a couple more games.
NorthEast United homepage:
http://www.indiansuperleague.com/northeast-united-...
Player roster (click on a name for details):
http://www.indiansuperleague.com/northeast-united-...
News:
http://www.indiansuperleague.com/northeast-united-...
Interviews (including one with Ricki):
http://www.indiansuperleague.com/northeast-united-...
NorthEast United official Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NorthEast-United-FC...
Interview with Greek international goalie Alexandros Tsorvas (all games World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012):
http://epaper.absoluteindianews.com/Details.aspx?i...
NorthEast United represent all eight north east states of India as indicated by the eight stars on the club logo:
The north eastern states are the smallest in India and include parts of the Himalayan foothills but still have a collective population of several million.
NorthEast United's Indian players are mostly drawn from the local Shillong Lajong I-League club with an accent on youth.
Two of them have been away this month with the Indian u-23 side for the Asian games (knocked out in a tough group with UAE and Jordan).
Ricki with newly-arrived 2010 World Cup winner Joan Capdevila (right).
Really interesting, seems as if he's got one of the weaker sides in the comp. Although that is par for the course for Ricki.
Really interesting, seems as if he's got one of the weaker sides in the comp. Although that is par for the course for Ricki.
No doubt they'll be even worse by the time he's finished with them. Wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being the Weakest!
I hope he does well with/for them. Easy to remember the bad times at the end of his Nix/AW reign, but he did a good job for us over a long length of time.
I just hope he's finally learnt to have a plan b.
7-0 win over Goa Pro League side Sesa Football Academy yesterday.
Team now heading back to their base in Guwahati, Assam state for further prep.
Revised Super League fixture list:
http://m.indiansuperleague.com/press-releases/444-...
NorthEast United's official You Tube channel now up and running:
Daniel on inthe 70th minute
I hope he does well with/for them. Easy to remember the bad times at the end of his Nix/AW reign, but he did a good job for us over a long length of time.
Not to mention the fact that we arguably would not have a club to support without him.
People should keep in mind that Ernie hasn't done any better yet.
Ricki will always hold a special place in my heart for being one to help create the nix