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What’s the story?
NorthEast United footballers were given a warm welcome by the fans on their return to Guwahati on Saturday. The Highlanders had gone to Turkey to play a few pre-season games to fine tune their skills for ISL 2017.
In case you didn’t know
The John Abraham co-owned team played friendly matches with Iraqi clubs Al-Kahraba, Al-Naft SC, Naft Al-Janoob SC and Al-Najaf FC, and also faced Turkish outfit, Alanyaspor from October 27 to November 9. They registered one win, two losses and three draws in the pre-season tour.
Heart of the matter
Like most of the ISL clubs, NorthEast also chose to set up their pre-season camp in a foreign country, just to get in the right shape at the right time. This time, they will be coached by Joao Carlos Pires de Deus, who has had coaching stints in Portugal.
The dedicated fans of the club lined up in numbers and waited patiently with banners to welcome their heroes.
What’s next?
The Highlanders open their campaign against Jamshedpur FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on November 18. They would be in a ‘feel good’ environment having received this kind of a reception from the ever-so-loyal fans.
Author’s take
Fan support has never been a problem for NEUFC and they have thrived on that in the past. However, they have to buckle up this time and atleast make it to the play-offs to provide some kind of a return gift to their fans.
The team is new and a win in the very first game can set the tone for the season for the Highlanders. The crowd will be packed to the rafters on each matchday and this time around the results have to be positive for NorthEast United.
