Update: Might-have-been-QPR Sunil Chettri in India

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Macmoish
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Update: Might-have-been-QPR Sunil Chettri in India Feb 11, 2011 17:31:27 GMT

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Post by Macmoish on Feb 11, 2011 17:31:27 GMT

Sunil Chettri in talks with Racing de Santander
Argentina Star

Friday 11th February, 2011 (IANS)
story.argentinastar.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/c4cdc9be967f45f9/id/743362/cs/1/ht/Sunil-Chettri-in-talks-with-Racing-de-Santander/

After a brief stint with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Kansas City, India striker Sunil Chettri is now looking for a foothold in Spain's La Liga.

Chettri, who was recently signed by India's I-League club Chirag United, is arriving here to meet Racing Santander's Indian owner Ahsan Ali Syed and convince him for a place in his newly acquired team.

Chettri and Ashan Ali, who had made a failed bid to buy English Premiership club Blackburn Rovers, will be watching Racing Santander's match against Sevilla from the President's Box of El Sardinero Saturday.

After taking over the debt-ridden club, Ahsan Ali had promised that he would bring in new blood to the squad.

Chettri has been trying to break into the big leage in US and Europe. He also had an offer from Indian-owned Queens Park Rangers, but was denied a work permit for Britain.

He was signed up by Kansas City last March year, and played just one official match for the American club. Chettri, however, didn't play in a single MLS match and was released by the club this week.

story.argentinastar.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/c4cdc9be967f45f9/id/743362/cs/1/ht/Sunil-Chettri-in-talks-with-Racing-de-Santander/

Last Edit: Feb 17, 2011 8:34:07 GMT by Macmoish

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Macmoish
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Update: Might-have-been-QPR Sunil Chettri in India Feb 11, 2011 17:33:11 GMT

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Post by Macmoish on Feb 11, 2011 17:33:11 GMT

Makes you wonder that we were set to sign him. And what it suggests about signing decisions (in the "olde days") being made on factors other than how good player actually was. (And this was not I presume, a Gianni matter, but other club owners)

On the other hand, if some were trying to bring back Ledesma, who's to say...

Flashback to Chetri (almost) signing for QPR

qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=6339&page=1

qprreport.blogspot.com/2009/08/qprs-supposed-indian-star-signing.html

Last Edit: Feb 11, 2011 17:34:50 GMT by Macmoish

"These are the times that try men's souls"

Macmoish
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Update: Might-have-been-QPR Sunil Chettri in India Feb 11, 2011 17:42:15 GMT

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Post by Macmoish on Feb 11, 2011 17:42:15 GMT

MLS's Sporting Kansas City - Feb 7, 2011
Sporting KC Makes Four Roster Moves
Sunil Chhetri, Nick Kounenakis, J.T. Murray and Sam Scales no longer part of team

Kurt Austin February 7, 2011
Defender/Midfielder J.T. Murray was taken in 2nd Round of SuperDraft Sporting Kansas City’s 2011 roster continues to take shape, following the team’s first pre-season match on Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona. The club announced four player moves on Monday, confirming the departure of forward Sunil Chhetri and defender Nick Kounenakis, as well as pre-season cuts that end the stays of 2011 draft picks J.T. Murray and Sam Scales.

Sporting did not pick up the option for Chhetri, 26, who was signed in March 2010 and appeared in two matches for Kansas City. He debuted in the team’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match on April 13 against the Colorado Rapids, and entered as substitute against Manchester United on July 25th as he replaced Teal Bunbury in the 69th minute of Kansas City’s 2-1 upset of the Red Devils. Following the historic win, Chhetri was loaned to the India National Team for preparation leading up to the 2011 Asian Cup, in which he scored two goals last month.

Kounenakis was released by mutual consent ahead of the 2011 season. The 32-year-old central defender was signed in July 2010 to add depth to Kansas City’s backline but did not appear in any matches for the club in the 14 games he was available for selection during the regular season. Kounenakis wore No. 32 for Kansas City and made the 18-man roster in three consecutive matches after officially being added to the team following the approval of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 work visa.

Murray, 22, joined Kansas City after being selected 32nd overall in the 2nd Round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft last month. The defender was drafted from the University of Louisville, where he helped lead the Cardinals to the 2010 NCAA College Cup national championship.

Scales, a 21-year-old midfielder out of Ohio State University, was the fourth college player taken by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 MLS draft process. Scales was added through the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft in January, the second college draft held by MLS, with the 10th overall pick in the 1st Round.

Sporting Kansas City is currently in Phoenix, Arizona for the third week of pre-season training and will complete an intra-squad scrimmage on Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT at the Reach 11 Sports Complex. Follow SportingKC.com for all the latest on Kansas City’s pre-season preparations for the historic 2011 season, highlighted by the opening of the team’s state-of-the-art stadium in June.

www.sportingkc.com/news/2011/02/sporting-kc-makes-four-roster-moves

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Macmoish
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Update: Might-have-been-QPR Sunil Chettri in India Feb 17, 2011 8:33:24 GMT

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Post by Macmoish on Feb 17, 2011 8:33:24 GMT

Or...

Times of India

Chirag United rope in ChhetriTNN, Feb 11, 2011,

In a major coup, Chirag United SC have reached an agreement with Sunil Chhetri to rope in the India striker for the rest of the season.
According to club chairman Kaustuv Roy, Chirag have already received the International Transfer Certificate of Chhetri, who was released by Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards earlier this month.

Chhetri scored two goals in India's Asian Cup campaign in Doha.

The inclusion of Chhetri, who had stints with city giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan earlier, will serve as a big boost for Chirag, who finished the first leg of the I-League in seventh place. It is learnt that Chirag technical director Subrata Bhattacharya, under whom Chhetri played in Mohun Bagan, played the major role in convincing India's top striker to join the club.

"Sunil (Chhetri) is a quality striker and his joining the side is bound to add teeth to our strike force. We have been suffering due to the fact that our Nigerian striker Elija Junior has been missing many matches due to injury. Our aim now will be to finish among the top-three in the I-League," said Roy.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Chirag-United-rope-in-Chhetri/articleshow/7472062.cms

HINDUSTAN TIMES

Chirag now but Europe in future HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times

His time at Sporting Kansas City may have ended earlier than expected but Sunil Chhetri isn't giving up playing abroad. The India striker is currently scouring clubs in Europe even though he's pledged his immediate future to Chirag United. “I am with them till the end of the season,” said Chhe tri, who scored against Bahrain and South Korea in the Asian Cup finals last month. Speaking from Portugal, he said that he is available for next month's AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers.

The Delhi-based player said he has been to Italy and Spain over the past four days and is now in Portugal. “I am hearing what clubs have to say but nothing's firmed up yet. Hopefully, something will happen before the next European season,” Chhetri, 26, said. He added severing the four-year contract with Sporting Kansas City, previously Kansas City Wizards in the USA's Major League Soccer, was mutual.

The only Indian to have scored two international hattricks this century, said he would like to train for 10 days before starting for Chirag United but admitted that it is possible he would play Sunday's home tie against I-League 4 leaders Salgaocar. “I haven't trained since the Asian Cup. I was busy setting up home in Dwarka (near New Delhi).” He is due in Kolkata on Thursday.

Asked about his goals in the Asian Cup, Chhetri said personal milestones aren't important. “My first goal (against Bahrain) was really Renedy Singh's goal and really, it doesn't matter who scores. It was important that India scored goals at the highest level in Asia, not who scored,” he said.

The Asian Cup was a good platform to see where India stand, Chhetri stand.

Reacting to national coach Bob Houghton being censured by the technical committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the Asian Cup, He said, “If Bob goes it would be one of the saddest things to happen in India football.”

www.hindustantimes.com/Chirag-now-but-Europe-in-future/Article1-662817.aspx

TIMES OF INDIA

Chhetri to play first game for Chirag on Feb 20PTI, Feb 11, 2011, 06.05pm IST

|Chirag United NEW DELHI: India international Sunil Chhetri is set to play his first match for Chirag United in the I-League Round XV game against Salgaocar in Kolkata after getting his International Transfer Certificate from his former club Sporting Kansas City.

Chhetri, who was released by Major League Soccer on Monday, signed for Chirag United on Thursday for the rest of I-League season and he is expected to play against Salgaocar on February 20.

"We have got the ITC and we are looking for Chhetri playing in the Round XV match on February 20," club chairman Kaustuv Roy said after his side played out a goalless draw with Indian Arrows in the Round XIV match at Gurgaon.

The registration of Chhetri with the I-League is expected to be done in two days and he should be ready to play for his new club.

Roy said with Chhetri bring roped in, the club is aiming for a top-three finish in the I-League.

"He (Chhetri) is our big signing and our target is top-three finish in the I-League. We are now seventh (with 19 points from 14 matches) in the table. There are 12 rounds to go and we are hoping to finish in top three," he said.

Chhetri, who became only the second Indian player of the post-Independence era to play in a foreign professional league when he signed for Sporting Kansas City in March last, had scored two goals for India in the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar last month.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Chhetri-to-play-first-game-for-Chirag-on-Feb-20/articleshow/7476559.cms#ixzz1ECeyRZmE

"These are the times that try men's souls"