A Corner From A Foreign Field

Bhowmick also precision-picked his team. He played a key role in securing star striker Baichung Bhutia's return to East Bengal. Bhutia's arrival not only bolstered the strike force, but his brilliant inspirational skills made the Indian captain an ideal foil for the maverick Bhowmick.

East Bengal also gained from the commitment shown by skipper Suley Musah, the gangling defender from Ghana, and Nigerian marksman Mike Okoro. Not far behind is Goa recruit Alvito D'Cunha, a tower of strength in the midfield.

If the 'men' did their job to perfection, it's been a clutch of boys from Jamshedpur's Tata Football Academy (TFA) who won hearts and caught the eyes of talent scouts in Jakarta. Young Surkumar Singh, Mahesh Gawli and Deepak Mondal were in rousing form, highlighting the fact that the culture of academies must be nurtured by the aiff to ensure a regular supply of talented players. Also, diversity pays. No wonder that India's—and now Asia's!—crack 18-member football club boasts a captain from Ghana, a Nigerian striker from Poland, a Brazilian trainer and just seven players from Bengal!