Shillong, 8 January: Shillong Lajong FC is all set to host Mumbai FC in thefFirst home game of the Hero I-League 2015-16 season on 10 January at the JN Stadium Shillong at 4:30 PM. In this season of the I-League, Lajong will once again field a very youthful squad with the inclusion of several players from the Academy which won the Shillong Premier League title in November 2015.
Lajong has always believed in the Power of the Youth and that they have the competence to take Indian Football to the next level. The Lajong Academy boys have enjoyed a successful season in the Local League and are also the youngest squad to win the Shillong Premier League in the year 2014 and 2015 with an average age of just 20.
Several youngsters from the Lajong Academy have been promoted to the Senior Team over the years and after seeing the potential of many boys who hail from different parts of the North East region, the Lajong Coaching Department elevated more youngsters namely; Hardy Cliff Nongbri, Phurba Lachenpa, Rakesh Pradhan and Samuel Lalmuanpuia. The Reds have also signed the three rising stars in Indian Football; Aibankupar Dohling of Shillong, Milan Basumatary of Assam and Chinglensana Konsham Singh of Manipur.
Meanwhile, Head Coach Thangboi Singto shared his views on the Lajong Squad. He said, “Overall and including the foreigners we are a very young team. It is a good mixture of experienced players in important positions along with talented Indian young local players in every position.
“The bench strength is much stronger and there is a cohesive unit and great team spirit.”
He concluded by saying, “We need to believe that we can finish the league at the top half and definitely aim to achieve nothing less than top 3. But for that to happen we need to be much stronger this season defensively as a team.”
Shillong Lajong FC team for I-League 2015/16
- KUNZANG BHUTIA (GK)
- VISHAL KAITH (GK)
- PHURBA TEMPA LACHENPA (GK)
- AIBOR KHONGJEE – Defender
- NIM DORJEE TAMANG – Defender
- SH.SANDEEP SINGH – Defender
- CHINGLENSANA KONSHAM SINGH – Defender
- SORAISAM PRITAM KUMAR SINGH – Defender
- RAKESH PRADHAN – Defender
- SAMUEL SHADAP – Defender
- AIBANBHA KUPAR DOHLING – Defender
- ROBIN GURUNG – Defender
- YUSUKE YAMAGATA – Defender
- BOITHANG HAOKIP – Midfielder
- ZODINGLIANA TOCHHAWNG – Midfielder
- TH.BIPIN SINGH – Midfielder
- JACOB LALRAWNGBAWLA – Midfielder
- LALRAMMUANA – Forward
- SAMUEL LALMUANPUIA – Forward
- HARDYCLIFF NONGBRI – Midfielder
- RUPERT NONGRUM – Midfielder
- ISAAC VANMALSAWMA – Midfielder
- ALEN DEORY – Midfielder
- MILAN BASUMATARY – Forward
- JOSEPH LALFAKZUALA – Midfielder
- REDEEM TLANG – Midfielder
- SHAIBORLANG KHARPRAN – Forward
- FABIO HENRIQUE PENA – Forward
- UILLIAMS BOMFIM SOUZA - Forward
- PENN ORJI - Midfielder
