Souvik Chakrabarti and Anas Edathodika have become the first football players from the Delhi Dynamos Football Club to participate in a mutually beneficial player development initiative with A-League side Central Coast Mariners FC.
The two mainstays of Delhi Dynamos FC last season have been in Australia for a week now undergoing trial sessions with the Hyundai A-League club Central Coast Mariners FC. They have got this opportunity to train with the strong Gosford-based team in New South Wales during the ongoing trial stint.
The right back and central midfielder are the first of potentially more Indian players to be exposed to a Hyundai A-League environment thanks to the relationship between Mariners' Owner and Chairman Mike Charlesworth and the Delhi Dynamos FC.
Under the plan, the Delhi Dynamos F.C. Players are not only getting top quality training during the trials but also might end up playing for the Central Coast Mariners main team in the A-League after the ISL, should they impress the club hierarchy and the coach.
Souvik and Anas were chosen for the trip Down Under following their impressive performances last season that helped Delhi Dynamos FC go all the way to the semifinals.
Anas joined the club last year and had won over everyone with rock-solid performances. Expectedly, he is thrilled at the opportunity and feels that the experience he is gaining out of the trials will turn him into a much better player.
"My last season's experience in ISL with the Delhi Dynamos was in itself was something which was very motivating for me, having played alongside Roberto Carlos, John Arne Riise and Florent Malouda amongst other talented Indian and foreign players.
"I would like to thank Delhi Dynamos for providing me my first opportunity to train with a foreign club. I am back after my injury with the Indian team late last year, and I am looking to impress the Central Coast Mariners staff. I am very optimistic about my chances of being considered for selection in these trials," Anas said.
Souvik, who is with the club for his third consecutive season, has excelled in his role as central midfielder and is delighted to be Australia.
He stated,"I am very happy with my experience in Australia so far, this is my first time here. I thank the Delhi Dynamos management and the Central Coast Mariners for giving me this chance.
"I have been training very hard with the assistance of the coaching staff here, and I am trying my best to gain most out of this and hopefully get selected."
"It is a great opportunity for these young players. To go and play in different leagues, and learning different football cultures helps in the development of a player. I am sure it has been a unique experience for them, to go there and train with the club," Gianluca Zambrotta, head coach of Delhi Dynamos FC was quoted on the latest development.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
