Subash may join Indian football team’s Barcelona camp

October 12th, 2009 LONDON - Barcelona has admitted that their January shopping list will include targeting Manchester City star Robinho and Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas. The Sun quoted Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain, as saying of Robinho: "He is a very interesting footballer and could play for us in the Champions League." The Nou Camp executive also insisted that his club have not given up their pursuit of Arsenal's Spanish skipper Fabregas, 22.

October 5th, 2009 LONDON - Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas has said he is keen to stay on at the club and has ruled out a move to Barcelona, where he learnt his football skills. "It's my seventh season here and it's hard to hear people say they think I'm not committed enough.

September 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - All India Football Federation (AIFF) has roped in Bollywood star Salman Khan as its brand ambassador. Salman, who was present at the overflowing Ambedkar Stadium here Monday evening to watch India's Nehru Cup title victory over Syria, has agreed to promote the game free of cost, AIFF president Praful Patel said.

September 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - A day after the national team retained the ONGC Nehru Cup title, Indian football received a boost from Coca Cola, the company announcing that it would sponsor the under-16 Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy. The beverage company said Tuesday its association with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the first step to promote football at the grassroots level.

August 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - It was a perfect script for India captain Bhaichung Bhutia who was playing his 100th international match at the Ambedkar Stadium Sunday. The Indian skipper led the team from the front, scoring a goal in its 2-1 victory against Kyrgyzstan in the Nehru Cup football and later bagging the man of the match award.

July 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will receive an annual grant of $120,000 from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the improvement of the game after the executive committee of the Asian body Wednesday included India in its aid programme. The AFC grant will help the AIFF pay coaches at the junior level and prepare a sound youth development programme.

July 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian football team will play third division Spanish club, UE Castelldefels, in their first practice match in Barcelona July 25. According to information reaching here, the team will play its second practice match July 29 against AE Prata, which is also a third division club.

June 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Forced to practise out of India due to lack of infrastructure, the national football team was pleasantly surprised with the training facilities at The Sevens, the state of the art rugby complex on the outskirts of Dubai, to prepare for their Nehru Cup title defence at home in August. Star striker and national captain Bhaichung Bhutia and midfielder Steven Dias were all praise for the facilities at The Sevens, which is the new home of rugby in the middle-east.

June 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian football team is expected to fly out to Dubai Friday armed with Spanish visas as a majority of the players got their passports stamped Thursday and a few others were expected to get theirs well before their departure. The players also received the happy news that the sports ministry has cleared the air-fares for the Dubai-Barcelona trip and also agreed to finance a large component of their overseas preparatory camps and competitions for the 2011 Asian Cup in Doha.

June 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian football team's preparatory tour to Dubai and Spain is likely to be delayed by a day as some of the players are yet to get Spanish visa. The team scheduled to leave for Dubai Thursday, may not board the plane if the players from Maharasthra, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are unable to get the visa by evening.

June 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian footballers are excited at the prospect of training at the famous Nou Camp in Barcelona next month. Scheduled to leave Thursday, the players are still uncertain about their departure for their preparatory tour to Dubai and Barcelona as some of them are yet to get Spanish visa, but it was the Champions League winner Barcelona's Nou Camp training facility that was keeping the players busy all day.

June 18th, 2009 BARCELONA - Spanish football giants Barcelona are poised to make a 35 million pounds bid for Manchester City winger Robinho. The Champions League winners have chosen the Brazilian star as their second option if they fail to grab on Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery.

June 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As the Indian football team embarks on its month-long exposure trip to Dubai and Barcelona, chief coach Bob Houghton said Thursday that the biennial Nehru Cup is likely going to be a six-team affair. This time we plan to have six teams in the Nehru Cup so that we can have two groups and the players will get two days rest which will only help us.

June 16th, 2009 KOLKATA - Describing a section of Mohun Bagan officials as "publicity-hungry and egotist", soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia Tuesday demanded they be thrown out of the football administration. The Indian captain did not take names, but it was obvious that he was referring to Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra and his loyalists running the 120-year-old club.

June 14th, 2009 LONDON - Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, whom Barcelona and Real Madrid has been eyeing for long, has said that he has no desire to leave the Red Devils in the near future. "I am very happy here and next season we will start again.