Nagaland DGP likely to play final 13th Challenger Cup at Imphal
Source: Oken Jeet Sandham (NEPS) *

Kohima, May 09 2011: Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) K Kire, IPS, while expressing his deep happiness on Nagaland Veteran Football Team's sterling performance and their reaching final on the ongoing 13th Challenger Cup veteran football tournament at Mapal Kangjeibung, Imphal, hinted his joining the Nagaland team in the final match tomorrow.

Disclosing this to NEPS here today, the DGP, who is also President of Nagaland Veteran Football Association, said he was proud that State's (Nagaland) veteran football team could reach final in this "prestigious" 13th Challenger Cup at Mapal Kangjeibung, Imphal.

"I hope they will do their best in the final where they will play against FC Imphal tomorrow," he said adding, "I will be joining them tomorrow to boost their morale" .

Asked whether he would play himself in the final match, Kire, who himself was a good footballer in his prime age, indirectly replied to join them in first half of the final match tomorrow.

"I have not played for quite some time, yet I may join them at least in the first half," he happily responded.

Nagaland DGP K Kire by NEPS

The DGP also recalled nostalgic memory of his play in the CC Meet in 1974 at Imphal and lifted trophy in that year.

And the same year he joined Nagaland Police as DSP.

He also narrated his play in the Subroto Cup in 1967 and yet lost in the final.

It may be mentioned that the Nagaland veteran team, who had already championed in the 11th Edition of Challenger Cup, had this time too stormed in the semi final---defeating IMVF, Heingang by 3-0 on April 7 .

Earlier, in the Pre-Quarter final, they defeated UVFA also by 3-0 and in Quarter Final, they humbled KVFA by 3-1 .

They would now clash in the final with FC Imphal on May 10 .

Asked as to why in spearheaded in formation of Nagaland Veteran Football Association, Kire explained that they had many veteran footballers in the State and yet they hardly maintained playing, besides no link amongst them.

"So we thought that we should form an Association and keep regular tournament and at the same time, to keep their health fit," he stated.

"We have also circulated bye-law wherein we say that players should be 40 years and above to play in the veteran football tournament" .

Since the formation of the Veteran Football Association in the State in 2008, they started inter-district football championship in the following year in 2009, he added.

He also said they actually got official invitation for the 10th Challenger Cup and that time, "I thought Manipur got ahead of us by 10 years" .

"We only could take part from 11th Challenger Cup at Imphal in 2009 and we became champion," he disclosed.