When the old Chirag takes on the new one

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It was a comfortably humid evening in the month of October, 2009 and a reasonably good number had turned in to witness a football match between the inconsistent home team Viva Kerala and the in-form visitors from West Bengal, Chirag United.

The evening before a nervous looking young man, who had alighted from the visitor’s tour bus, said during a freewheeling chat, “It is always nice to be back and to play alongside old friends on a familiar turf,” he then took a deep breath and continued, “I started with them but, tomorrow we need to beat them.”

That was Denson Devadas, hailing from Kannur, who had started his professional career with Viva but, later shifted base to Chirag and made captain there.

His homecoming was worthy enough as Chirag went on to win 1-0, courtesy a 3rd minute strike by Brazilian Edmilson Marquez.

Two years down the line there is more than a ‘Denson’ factor that plugs together the two football clubs.

While, Viva Kerala was rechristened as Chirag United Kerala after being sponsored by Chirag Computers, the original Chirag United is now called Prayag United.

Moreover, former Chirag United coach Subrata Bhattacharya is now the technical director of the Kerala side and inbetween Chirag United Kerala’s last season’s captain Bello Rasaq was roped in by Prayag United.

Also, sources tell that Prayag United is keen on signing former Churchill Brothers’ New Zealand player Kayne Vincent, who was in the probable list of new signings proposed by Chirag United Kerala earlier last month.

All this sounds so fuzzy and complicated but, here is the predicament. When Chirag (Prayag United) travel down to play their away match against Chirag United Kerala, will that be a friendly encounter or turn into a rather bitter rivalry, the like of a ‘Mersyside derby’ involving Liverpool and Everton in EPL?

Time will tell but, Subrata had said last week to the media in West Bengal that “It will be a new beginning for the team… We’ll try to retain players and recruit some players from Bengal as well.”

Now his last reference regarding recruitment from West Bengal, which allegedly carries an implication that the management has plans to shift the club to the Eastern state, has striking similarity to the situation of IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

The Tuskers team, like Chirag United Kerala, has owners based outside the home state and of late there has been rumours that the Gujarat based major share holder of the Tuskers are planning to move the club further north of India. Too early to be apprehensive about Chirag United Kerala.

But, whatever that be, for a curious football lover it is certainly going to be an exciting and must watch football event.