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Before the beginning of the 2020-21 I-League season, new entrants Sudeva Delhi announced that they would be deploying an all-Indian squad for the campaign. A lot of eyebrows were raised at the time but the club and the players did their reputation no harm and finished a respectable eighth in their debut at this level.
Co-owner Anuj Gupta has maintained that they will continue along the same lines for the upcoming I-League season as well, and aim for an improvement in the standings.
“The team will be even younger than last year. It will be all-Indian squad again with some new faces and our target is to be in the top half,” he said.
Anuj Gupta is realistic about his team’s chances against competitors with a more experienced squad but he is willing to take some hits for a chance at success in the longer run.
“If I don’t give my academy players these opportunities, it will not justify all the efforts I have put in all these years,” he stressed. “I know it is a tough task and we are likely to face a lot of defeats on this journey but in the long run, it would help us produce quality players in key positions.”
Sudeva Delhi FC have been in Kolkata ever since bowing out of the Durand Cup in September and have been preparing for the I-League ever since.
“The players have gotten used to the weather and played many friendlies against different levels of teams like fellow I-League clubs, Santosh Trophy teams and even other local clubs,” said Gupta.
The Delhi-based side have made some interesting additions to their coaching staff in the off-season in the form of ex-India internationals Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Sandip Nandy. Both have accumulated more than two decades of experience each in Indian football and Gupta is confident their inputs will prove invaluable for his young side.
“Wadoo is one of the finest defenders India has produced. He brings a lot of experience not only as a coach but also as a former national team player,” he said. “Nandy and him coming together would definitely add a lot of value to the young team we have and the players would learn a lot.”
Sudeva Delhi FC will kick-off their I-League campaign against Mohammedan Sporting Club on December 27, 2021 at the Naihati Stadium.
