Wellington Phoenix, NZ proposes to play friendly match in Imphal
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 25 2012: In an encouraging act of future footballers of the state, Wellington Phoenix Football Club, a club based in Wellington, New Zealand has proposed to play a friendly match in Imphal.

According to sources from All Manipur Football Association (AMFA), the High Life Management Consultancy Group which is managing the whole tour programme of the football club in India has recently requested AMFA for its approval to play a friendly match as per the proposal of the club.

The team which will play the friendly with Wellington Phoenix FC is yet to be finalised.

However speculations are being made that Prayag United, Kolkata; Lajong FC or Sikkim United FC might play the friendly.

During their pre-season tour to India, from August 24 to 27, Wellington United FC will be playing two or three friendly matches at different cities of India.

Even though, the proposal of playing a match in Imphal is yet to be finalised, chances are high regarding Imphal as one of the venues since the club itself requested to play one match in Imphal taking into consideration of the enthusiasm of football and other sporting events in the state.

AMFA today held a meeting and minutely discussed the proposal.

With a match between Manipur Eleven and FC Kickers Japan ending into a farce with organisers cheating fans by gathering Japanese employees in Delhi, AMFA is taking the matter seriously.

However, the proposed match will not disappoint football fans of the state this time since the football club has its long history of being a world class football club.

Moreover, they are coming to Imphal with the clearance from FIFA, AFC and AIFF.

Wellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand.

The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League.

The current club captain is Andrew Durante who succeeded Ross Aloisi at the start of the 2008-09 season.

The club's highest achievement is reaching the A-League Preliminary Final in 2010.That season they had an average attendance of 11,574 including finals which makes them one of the best attended A-League clubs.

If the club plays the friendly match with Prayag United, the match will be a enthralling match for football enthusiasts of Manipur as there are three Manipuri players, Gouramangi, James and Joychandra in the Kolkata team.

Moreover, there are two Nigerians, one Costa Rican and one South African in Prayag United.

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