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Meatier Goals Extreme challenge Fit
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Meatier Goals In the month-long window between the August-end Nehru Cup final and the start of the professional I-League on October 1, the clubs had to rush through the IFA Shield in Kolkata and the Durand Cup — two tournaments that are over a hundred years old, and also some other state leagues. Even if Houghton can see little use for squeezing in antiquities like the 117-year-old Durand Cup, one can still understand the coach’s worries about such a tiring schedule, a knotty problem that has defied an acceptable solution for as long as one can remember. Houghton has his own agenda. He has the interests of the national team players in mind. He would not like the endurance of his players to be taxed beyond a point where they become jaded. We saw enough fire in his players to beat teams like Lebanon and Syria, which are listed much higher in FIFA’s world rankings. Without being over ambitious, Houghton would like to see India among the dozen or so leading Asian teams. Right now the focus is on the 2011 Asia Cup for which India has already qualified. Houghton would hate to see that focus being disturbed. That would spoil all the good work he has done so far to raise the stock of Indian soccer. Soon after the 2008-09 I-League ended in April, the players were doing duty for their respective states in the Santosh Trophy, which admittedly has an appeal of its own. The Santosh Trophy over, it was time for Houghton to gather his flock together for the coaching camp prior to the Nehru Cup. And now the 2009-10 I-League is already on. Country, states and clubs, it is one long grind for the players. At least those required to do national duty could be exempted from playing the Santosh Trophy, thus giving them a break and also at the same time providing other players a chance to show their worth and catch the eye of talent scouts. Clubs are where the players earn their living, and one is happy for them that there is so much more money in the game now than ever before. And clubs see tournaments like the Durand Cup, IFA Shield and Rovers Cup as opportunities to hone the competitive skills of their teams. A good showing there adds to their prestige and the team kitty. One can’t wish away tournaments like the Durand Cup and IFA Shield. The more competitions there are at various levels, the better for the development of the Indian soccer. With a little give and take and, importantly, a change of attitude, it is quite possible to restructure the national soccer calendar to serve the interests of all concerned — state associations, clubs, tournament organisers and the national team. Already the Durand and IFA Shield have acquired a new shape and system. No longer are they long drawn affairs taking up the better part of the month. They are now short and snappy. Indeed, even the Nehru Cup was a brief affair, which was over in 10 days. However, soccer fans would have been happier if a few more stronger Asian teams had participated, putting Baichung’s boys through a stiffer test. But seeing itinerant hired professionals from abroad like the Nigerians Okolie Odafe of Churchill FC and Chidi Edeh of Mohun Bagan, the Brazilian Rose Barreto or Dempo’s Ranty Martins stealing the goals in the Durand Cup matches, one wondered if it was the right thing to do to permit Indian clubs to hire them while denying Indian strikers a chance. Each professional I-League club is entitled to engage four professionals from abroad, though not more than three can take the field in a match. Whose interests are we promoting? To unearth homegrown talent like Sunil Chhetri, more of our own strikers should be seen taking part in the actual action and not warming the team bench. However, it was heartening to note the presence of Sports Minister M. S. Gill at the Durand Cup final. Playing grounds are where a sports minister should ideally be seen. That is where he can get a proper feel of things. Gill has made it known that the interests of Indian footballers are also dear to his heart. The sports minister, one dare say, would only be happy to see more goals on Indian football fields coming from the feet of our own players. Not only Gill but coach Houghton, too, should take steps to ensure that the Indian talent gets ample representation and motivation to surge ahead on the field and play for the national team. |
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Extreme challenge Mind should always be faster than the machine” — this is the mantra that five-time winner of Raid de Himalaya Suresh Rana speaks about. The Raid de Himalaya — 2009, the most arduous and toughest rally in the world, which heads out from the rain-battered tracks into some of the highest motorable roads in Himalayan landscapes, will kick off from Shimla this Monday (October 5) and end in Srinagar on October 12. Spread over eight days, the rally will cover about 2,400 km, passing through Manali, Lahaul, Ladakh, Kargil and Zanskar to end at Srinagar. Motorsport has grown through a very interesting phase. It is evident from the increasing number of participants every year. The entries went up from 19 in 1999 to 130 in 2009. The newly formed club — Himalayan Motorsport Association — will be organising the event this year. The event is supported by Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir Governments, and is sponsored by Maruti Suzuki. The 11th Raid will run two versions concurrently, as last year. X-Treme is a game for the “toughest” to be precise. The speeds in this category will be challenging enough to keep the motorists on their toes, while the Adventure Trail is for amateurs. While X-Treme route is purely a den of danger, Adventure Trail is for those who want to explore the bounties of nature along with family and friends. “If you want pulsating action on wheels, the Raid is the perfect experience. Blessed with magnificent glaciers, mountain peaks and gurgling streams, the Shimla-Srinagar route is an ideal gateway for tough drivers,” avid rallyist H. Kishie Singh said. President of the Himalayan Motorsport Association Vijay Parmar said 130 motoring enthusiasts (60 in Adventure Trail and 70 in X-Treme) will test their level of endurance, skill and luck on lofty mountains of Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir this time. The Raid — 2009 will run through almost the same hostile terrain but with “a lot of changes”. The rallyists will be having a two-day halt in the Zanskar valley for the first time. The temperature dips below -10 degrees in this valley, testing the endurance of man and the machine. Moreover, the rally team is using the Geoterrestrial Tracking System this year that makes each car GPS enabled. It provides non-participants with a chance to view the exact position (locations) of the cars on the first day somewhere between Shimla to Manali. UK-based company, Rally Results International, is going to keep a tab on the timing of the cars and declare the results. “It is being done for the first time, as it relieves the organisers from being accused of favoritism,” a rally official said. Though the Raid involves adventure, danger and a lot of risk, there are facilities like life-saving ambulances accompanying the vehicles, four special teams of paramedics and fast intervention vehicles to locate missing vehicles. |
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Fit Zone Despite knowing this, we often find it difficult to concentrate and this is quite natural. All of us have many responsibilities to fulfill in our lives and hence many worries. Stress and anxiety plague our lives constantly. As long as it does not interfere with our lives, it is fine. If that is not happening, then it is time to pay closer attention to this problem. Being able to focus is all about bringing perfect coordination in your body. There needs to be perfect coordination and timing in your movements, even if it is a simple act of reading. You need to achieve a state of physical and nervous balance. This will automatically take away all the stress and anxiety in your mind Through yoga you will be able to achieve a state of balance emotionally, mentally and psychologically. Natavarasana gives one nervous balance and helps to concentrate better. Garudasana or eagle pose not only improves one’s concentration but also strengthens muscles and the upper back and loosens shoulder, arms and legs joints. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana develops concentration by coordinating the muscular and nervous balance.
Garudasana
Natavarasana
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Variation 1
Stand with feet together. Lift the right foot up and grab hold of the big toe with the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand. Raise the left hand. Exhale and stretch the leg out and up in front of you, pulling the toes back. Hold the position for 30 seconds. Exhale, and bring it back and repeat on the other side. Variation 2
Stand with feet together. Lift the right foot up and grab hold of the big toe with the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand. Raise the left hand up. Move the leg to right side Exhale and stretch the leg out and up in front of you, pulling the toes back. Hold the position for 30 seconds. Exhale, and bring it back and repeat on the other side.
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K. Datta
Mind should always be faster than the machine” — this is the mantra that five-time winner of Raid de Himalaya Suresh Rana speaks about.
The Raid de Himalaya — 2009, the most arduous and toughest rally in the world, which heads out from the rain-battered tracks into some of the highest motorable roads in Himalayan landscapes, will kick off from Shimla this Monday (October 5) and end in Srinagar on October 12. Spread over eight days, the rally will cover about 2,400 km, passing through Manali, Lahaul, Ladakh, Kargil and Zanskar to end at Srinagar.
No sooner were the celebrations over than Baichung Bhutia’s Nehru Cup-winning footballers headed home to honour their club commitments. A famous victory had been achieved at Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium. A fitting culmination to a training tour abroad that took the players to Dubai and Portugal after coach Bob Houghton went on record that he could not find a single satisfactory venue in the country fit to hold a proper coaching camp during the monsoon season. But there was little time for the players to savour a success that has lit fresh hopes in Indian soccer. 
Concentration is the key to success. When one brings all his focus and attention to the work at hand, not only is the work done well but it also gets over faster. This way one doesn’t waste unnecessary time on the same job.