PUNE: Pune FC’s team building process for the 2011-12 season is gathering pace with the management keeping in mind the requirement for road ahead.
In a unanimous choice, last year’s top-scorer Mandjou Keita along with attacking midfielder Arata Izumi were signed on with extended contracts recently.
Thirty-one-year-old Keita, adjudged ‘Pune FC Player of the Year’, signed for a one-year extension until 2013, while the Japanese-born Arata will be with the club for another two seasons.
Keita’s in his maiden year with Pune FC accounted for 13 of the 32 goals scored in the I-League, which in turn helped in Pune FC’s fifth place finish.
The strikers’ scoring run includes – a hat trick against the now disbanded JCT in a home game that Pune FC won 4-0, a brace (vs Churchill Brothers) in Goa including the match-winner that turned out to be a turning point in the club’s final fight for positions on the league table apart from 8 single strikes in the season.
Apart from the 13 strikes, Keita also had a goal scored against Shillong Lajong FC in the group stage of the IFA Shield.
Chirag Tanna, Pune FC Head of Operations said, “Keita did extremely well last year and we are hoping that he continues from where he left off. I am glad that Keita is in our midst for another season.”
On the other hand, 28-eight-year old Arata, who joined the club in 2009, emerged as the second successful scorer for Pune FC in the I-League with six goals in the season gone by. Arata has to his credit a goal in the IFA Shield (v Aryans) to take his season total to 7. This is the second year in running that Arata emerged as the next best scorer. In his maiden year at PFC, Arata netted 10 goals.
Says Arata, “The clubs professional perspective towards the players, support staff,
supporters (fans) and development of football has only intensified and cemented Pune F C’s reputation as one of the finest clubs in India.”
“The excitement of being a part of such an organization for the last 2 years and to sign for another 2 years, I will work harder I live up to my, the clubs and the supporters expectations.”
As a professional footballer in India, it’s a privilege to be handled by such a professional club and I hope to be a part of this fraternity in years to come,” Arata added.
“Keita and Arata’s signings will help keep together the experienced players, which is important to get going early in the season,” added Tanna.
Arata and Keita thus add to the extended contract list after Gurjinder Kumar and Lester Fernandez.
