Sports»
Record signing for Sahukhala
KATHMANDU, JUL 28 -
Laxmi Hundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) has roped in ace Nepali striker Santosh Sahukhala from Nabil Three Star Club (NTSC) for a record monthly salary of Rs. 50,000 as MMC overhauls its current squad with the addition of 10 new players to its roster on Wednesday.
Twenty-three-old Sahukhala, who was voted the best striker last season, joins MMC along with his three former NTSC teammates -- Sandeep Rai, Bijay Gurung and Anjan K.C. -- leaving NTSC almost toothless in the next season as rumours are rife that almost all the big names of NTSC are in the process of leaving the beleaguered club. Other major singings of MMC were defender Rohit Chand from Machhindra, Nirajan Khadka (MID) and Deepak Bhusal (ST), both from Friends, Sankata’s Sujal Shrestha (ST) and Navin Maharjan (GK), Machhindra’s Naresh K.C. (MID) and NRT’s Subash Rai (ST).
Sahukhala ended his three-year contract with NTSC at the league’s conclusion, and had been looking for a job when MMC made the offer. Money, he said, was the key factor behind his move to MMC.
MMC President Tashi Ghale, making public the club’s expenditures, said Rs. 5 million had been set aside in salaries for the entire squad out of the club’s total budget of Rs. 6.4 million. He said the 17 players in the current squad would be given a monthly salary in the range of Rs. 10,000- Rs. 50,000. Though he refused to disclose exact amounts paid to his major signings, he, however, hinted that the new signings from NTSC would each be paid Rs. 40,000 each month.
“This is a major step towards professionalisation of Nepali football,” said Ghale, requesting the officials of ANFA to work for the development of football without by abandoning the conflict-prone mindset of the past. Ghale also revealed that the club was looking for a new coach after former coach Chirring Lopsang was sacked following his poor showing last season that saw MMC end fifth with 30 points. He said he had made an offer to former national goalkeeper Upendra Man Singh for the top job, while a Korean coach is in correspondence.
The current MMC squad of 17 player include ten new signings, while six including Tashi Tsering (Cpt), Shiva Shrestha, Bishal Shrestha, Ganesh Khadka, Sabindra Shrestha and Plasang Lama are the old ones. The club is also likely to bring in a few foreign players in its squad of 20 players.
Posted on: 2010-07-29 08:27
Headlines
Advertisements
