BHUBANESWAR 09-Apr-2011 267
Tata Steel has agreed to sponsor the preparatory camp of the Orissa team for the ensuing 65th Santosh Trophy National Football Championship to be held at Nagaon, Assam from May 6. This was disclosed by Football Association of Orissa (FAO) secretary Sanjay Behera in a media conference at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on Saturday.
According to the deal, Tata Steel will bear all the expenses of the month-long camp, which started at Cuttack earlier on April 5. Besides the preparatory camp, Tata Steel has also agreed to reimburse the fees of Orissa coach Santanu Bose, who hails from Assam. ``Bose has been roped in as the chief coach of the Orissa senior team. Under his guidance Assam Rifles won the North-East Group I-League title three times,`` disclosed Behera.
Chief coach Bose will be assisted by former East Bengal and Orissa Santosh Trophy players Gopabandhu Sahoo and Saroj Das. Altogether 52 probables, who were picked up from the recently concluded Sahani Cup Senior Inter-District Football Tournament at Nabarangpur, have joined the Santosh Trophy preparatory camp.
The final team for the Santosh Trophy will be announced after the conclusion of the preparatory camp. Orissa are scheduled to play their three group league matches in the Santosh Trophy against Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Delhi on May 12, 14 and 16 respectively.
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PHOTO: Officials of FAO and Tata Steel at a sponsorship-related media conference in Cuttack on April 9, 2011..
