Dempo to sign Densill

The 29-year-old, who was in the T&T squad for 2006 World Cup in Germany and represented Trinidad & Tobago in 69 matches and made three appearances for his county playing in a drawn opener against Sweden before losing the next two games to England and Paraguay by an identical 2-0 margin, will arrive in Goa in the next couple of days.

Densill lead the T&T national side against Indian side in a recent international friendly. Dempo general secretary Armando Colaco who is also the India coach was impressed by his performance.

In 2003-04, Densill made his first appearance in an international friendly against Scotland, but in a losing cause as T&T lost 1-4.

He had captained T&T's U-23 squad in 2002 and made his senior international debut against Caribbean rivals Barbados in July 2002 and has been described as a skilful player with good vision and passing abilities which Dempo is looking for.

FYI (WIKI-info) - Dempo Sports Club is a sports club based in Panjim, Goa. Its football side is one of India's most prominent football teams.

The club is owned and sponsored by the Dempo group of companies. Popularly known as ‘the whites’, the team has been a constant performer in all the national football championship and gained immensely popularity in the last four decades of its existence.

The team has several accolades and honors in its kitty. In the 2004-05 season, the club won its maiden National Football League title.

They won the league again in the 2006-2007 season and followed it with the two I-League triumphs in 2006-07 in its inaugural version and then in 2009-2010.

Many famous players of the national football team of the country have once been associated with this team.

Players of prominence on the team include Indian nationals Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Mahesh Gawli and foreign players like Ranty Martins Soleye of Nigeria and Beto of Brazil. The head coach of the club is Armando Colaco.

Theobald signs with India's Dempo SC.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Densill Theobald has signed an eight-month contract with Indian Professional League football club Dempo SC in the I-League.

Theobald agreed to the deal this week and is expected to join the club within the next few days. He becomes the second player to sign a contract to play in India after Cyd Gray joined Pune FC in 2008.

Theobald, who played in all of T&T’s 2006 World Cup matches in Germany, captained the T&T team in its 3-0 win over India last month at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

He caught the eyes of India head coach Armando Colaco who is the general secretary of Dempo. The club subsequently offered him a lucrative offer.

“It’s a new step for me and a new direction in my career,” Theobald told TTFF Media.

"I’m at a stage in my career where I have to make decisions  that suits me and I think this is a wonderful opportunity to experience a different culture and to enter a different chapter as a footballer. India is a massive country and while they may be cricket fanatics, I also realize that they are crazy about football and the authorities there are working round the clock to take football to a higher level,” Theobald said.

Dempo SC sports club based in Panjim, Goa and have been described as one of India's most prominent football teams. Current Indian captain Climax Lawrence is a member of their team as well as Mahesh Gawli who both lined up against T&T.

Dempo made Indian Football history when they were one of the first teams to participate in the newly formed I-League. They soon managed to make more history after winning the first ever I-League season in 2007-08.

Due to their success in the I-League Dempo participated in the 2008 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup where they shocked people by making the Semi-Finals after defeating Singapore side Home United FC 4-3 in the quarter-finals.  They also qualified for the 2011 AFC Champions League in 2011 as well as the AFC Champions Cup.

“Regarding my international career, I think if I do well enough out there and the national team needs me then I will be always be willing to serve once I get the call. Part of the contract also ensures  that the club will release me without any issues for international duty.

At age 29, I could have maybe four to five years in professional football and I would want to maximize the opportunities that are presented to me at this stage of my career. I also see this as an opportunity for me to hopefully open doors for fellow teammates from my country to play in the I-League.

“Caledonia AIA is a club that I have supported and represented for many seasons and it remains close to my heart and I want to wish them the best for the remainder of this season and beyond,” Theobald stated.

“I also want to thank friends Brian Lara and Dwayne Bravo for their advice on the conditions and culture in India as well as my manager Sheldon Theobald and Rangy Nanan who acted on behalf of Dempo SC,” Theobald added.

The former Malick Senior Comprehensive player has played for Toronto Olympians in Canada as well as Scottish club Falkirk (2005/2006) and Hungarian club UJpest FC in 2007. The ex-Joe Public player has made 78 international appearances for T&T.

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Football coach Armando faces opposition in contract extension‎.
The Hindu.

A section of the All Indian Football Federation is likely to strongly oppose the extension of national coach Armando Colaco’s contract when the matter comes up for discussion in a crucial executive committee meeting here tomorrow.

Armando’s four-month contract will expire later this month and though he had expressed his willingness to continue provided the federation wants him, a powerful lobby within the AIFF is against the Goan.

Sources in the AIFF said that the cancellation of India’s international friendly against Barbados in the Caribbean tour last month and Dempo’s signing of Trinidad and Tobago international Densill Theobald, who was in the 2006 World Cup squad, have angered a section of the federation top brass.

Sources said that some top officials are under the impression that Armando was doubling up as national coach as well as Dempo scout during the tour of the Caribbean.

It must be noted that Armando, besides coaching Dempo for many years, is also the club’s general secretary.

There is a strong possibility of some executive committee members raising the issue tomorrow.

“The matter is going to be raised tomorrow at Exco meeting. It is unethical and involves conflict of interest,” an official, who is a member of the committee, told PTI on condition of anonymity.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das, however, said that it was a matter which has nothing to do with the national team.

“This is news to me. I don’t know about Dempo signing a Trinidad and Tobago player. But it is a matter related to Dempo only and not the national team,” said Das.

Colaco has had a decent four-month stint as national coach with one win, two draws and three losses in the international matches India had played during the time.

Another important issue that would come up in tomorrow’s meeting is the appointment of technical director who will oversee the overall development of Indian football.

Dutchman Robert Baan is reportedly the frontrunner for the top job with his vast experience at the international level in many countries, but sources said that nothing has been finalised yet and the executive committee will discuss it threadbare.

The date of start of I-League and the broadcaster of the tournament will also be discussed tomorrow.

The AIFF was initially thinking of starting the I-League in late October, but it can also be advanced by some days.

The question of live telecast of the I-League has become important as the commercial partner of the AIFF, the International Management Group, has not been able to find an official broadcast partner nine months after it signed a Rs 700 crore deal with the federation last December.

The ongoing Federation Cup in Kolkata and Pune is being telecast only in Bengal and Assam through local channels though the Doordarshan has agreed to show some matches - the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final in all likelihood.