Eagles set to soar higher

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Hindustan Eagles, formerly known as Madras Eagles, have made it to the top flight of Chennai football.

After winning the first division league in style on Saturday, Hindustan will ply their trade in the senior division league next year.

Hindustan Eagles won nine of their 11 matches to top the table with 27 points. SC Steds are the other team to make it to the elite group.

Winning promotion is a stellar achievement for the private club, who were rechristened just a week prior to the start of the league after Hindustan Group of Institutions bought them.

The Verghese brothers, Anand and Ashok, who own the team, initially tried to buy Don Bosco Annai Youth but the deal didn’t come through. It was Annai Youth’s loss and Madras Eagles’ gain.

Elder brother Anand Verghese, CEO of Hindustan Group of Institutions, and Ashok Verghese, director of Hindustan University, exuded confidence that they would make Hindustan Eagles one of the best teams in the senior division.

“We will give our team nothing but the best. We are happy to get into the senior division in our very first year. There is still a lot of hard work to be done but we are sure of coming out with flying colours,” said Ashok.

Hindustan also have a dream of making it to the I-League as soon as possible — a vision, Ashok says, isn’t misplaced.

The first division champions are fortunate to have a seasoned coach, Robin Charles Raja, at the helm.
The AFC ‘A’ licence holder has an able ally in former Southern Railway player Abraham Varghese. Abraham is also the sports advisor for Hindustan Group of Institutions.

The duo, who have mutual respect for each other, form a deadly combination which was evident in the just concluded season.

Robin is elated at the way his charges performed during the league. He, however, added that settling down as quickly as possible in the senior division would be the key for his team’s success. “We will give a lot of emphasis on training.

We will make sure that the boys don’t miss out on a single session in the run-up to the senior division. It will be foolish to make irrational claims going into our maiden season. Our mantra will be to take it step by step. However, we will not back out from our efforts to punch above our weight against top teams,” said Robin.

Robin, who led Chennai Customs to the senior division title in 2009-10, added that he is relishing the challenge. “I always believe that God will open another door if he closes one. Hindustan are a great team to work with. I will give my best,” said Robin.

Abraham does not see a wholesale change being made to the squad but is definitely looking at bringing in some experienced legs. “To be frank, this team will not be enough to make a mark in the senior division league. There are, no doubt, a handful of players who have the talent to be retained but the rest need to improve. An overhaul is definitely on the cards.

From the current senior division, we have a couple of guest players on our radar. We will try to take them on board,” said Abraham.
“Our strikers Christian. F. Taylor and Ranjith were a revelation in the tournament.

Christian top scored with 14 goals and Ranjith garnered eight. Goalkeeper Sree Raj, who is former Indian custodian Rajeev’s son, was also outstanding. I am sure they will raise the bar when they play in Tamil Nadu’s best league,” he added.

Both Robin and Abraham praised the team owners for their undying support and passion.
“They are instrumental to our success. They inspired the boys to go out and give their best. Both brothers kept a tab on results throughout the league,” said Abraham.

Robin added: “The owners have been great motivators. They are planning a celebratory dinner to honour the players. Their involvement is total.”