Ashok Piramal Group floats Pune Football Club

Mumbai-based Ashok Piramal Group, along with some close associates, has formed the Pune Football Club.

The club has recruited 16 football players, and created tie-ups with grounds in Pune for practice and physical fitness training.

Stewart Hall, who has been the academy director for Birmingham Football Club and a consultant to the English Football Association, has been chosen as the club's coach.

The club has been granted a direct entry into Pool II of I-League, and will play its first match in the ensuing Kalinga Cup at Bhubaneswar. The club was launched at a function on Monday evening in the presence of group chairperson Urvi Piramal and vice-chairmen Rajeev Piramal and Harsh Piramal.

Rohan Gavaskar, son of Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and a football enthusiast, is among the members of the club, which has been formed as a private limited company.

Rajeev Piramal said the club would make available the much-needed amenities, infrastrastructure and training to take Indian football to the next level. He said the company intended to make the club a commercially viable and profitable venture through the sale of television rights and ticket sales.