Our Reporter
Dimapur, Oct. 31 (EMN): Nagaland Football Association (NFA) vice president and Dimapur District Football Association (DDFA) President, Mughato Aye, on Monday said the Late Nyamo Lotha and Daniel Lotha (ND) football running trophy has celebrated its silver jubilee, but there has been no outcome or positive result; instead the community is spending money and resources every year.
He said that there is no individual at present who can represent the Lotha community in the state football team; and it has lost 27 years towards honing talented football players.
Aye made this remark at the opening ceremony of 27th Late ND trophy organised by the Dimapur Lotha Students’ Union at Multi Disciplinary Sports Complex in Dimapur.
He also stated that the NFA conveys information to the Wokha District Sports Association every year to send Lotha players, there is “no positive response” from the association as well.
“Where are our Lotha football players?” he asked, while recalling that during his younger years, there were at least seven to eight players from the Lotha community who represented the state.
‘The best team in Nagaland used to be from the Lotha community and you were the leaders in football. Even in Assam Regimental Centre Shillong there is a gallery named ‘Lotha gallery’ in honour of a football legend Tsenthungo Lotha. We also have Lironthung and James, who are at national level. But leaving aside these two, in the Nagaland senior team we have no Lothas and we have not found anyone for the past eight-nine years. There is only one player, Zarenthung, but he has not reached the senior team yet,’ he lamented.
‘One of the biggest tournaments among the community is the Late ND running trophy but with no outcome; even in the Subroto cup team, there was no Lotha representative. Don't exhaust yourselves by practising only for the tournament but keep the consistency of training,’ he told the players.
He asked the elders and the players why they were not taking the opportunity when football enthusiasts from other districts, especially eastern areas, were travelling with their parents to be part of the football team in Nagaland. Mon district, he said, was going ahead in football and in one-two years, “we will not be able to defeat them”.
“They avail the opportunities provided and come from the corners and end of Nagaland with the parents sacrificing for their children”, he said while encouraging the coach and managers of the club to have a plan and make a vision so that the elders and the leaders will assist, be it financially or show the way.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sports Training Centre, Dimapur will be conducting a selection trial in December for Under 14 and 16, he announced and requested the football enthusiasts to avail the opportunity. He also said that by next year, plans are on to prioritise the women's football league and will soon start a baby league.
For the next Late ND trophy, Aye announced that he will provide the tournament’s merchandise.
In the first match of the tournament between Yanmhon Area FC and Ekhyo Yan FC, both the teams remained scoreless but luck struck Yanmhom Area FC in the last dying minute. The match ended in favour of Yanmhom Area FC 1-0 after the final whistle.
In the second match, Senjum Village Students’ Union (SVSU) defetated Lotha Students’ Union Seithekhima 5-4.
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Caption: Mughato Aye meets the players of the Late Nyamo and Daniel Lotha trophy in Dimapur on Monday.
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