Chennaiyin FC to have pre-season camp in Malaysia

Chennaiyin will travel to Malaysia on Monday morning, with the start of the ISL season less than two months away.

Published : Aug 10, 2018 16:59 IST

Working his magic: Chennaiyin FC head coach John Gregory with the Indian Super League trophies that the team won in the 2015 and 2017-18 seasons. Also in the frame is Chennaiyin co-owner Vita Dani.

Reigning Indian Super League champion Chennaiyin FC will travel to Malaysia for a four-week pre-season camp commencing on Monday, August 13.

The two-time ISL winner will depart Chennai in the early hours of Monday morning. It will be based in Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur and will be using the training facility of Sime Darby Football Club.

Read: ISL to begin on September 29

Chennaiyin’s Indian contingent convened in Chennai yesterday to undergo its pre-season medical assessment before travelling to Malaysia, along with Head Coach John Gregory, who arrived in the city in the early hours of Thursday morning. The foreign players and rest of the foreign coaching staff will be directly reporting in Malaysia.

Chennaiyin FC is set to play four friendly matches in Malaysia and will return to Chennai on September 11 to continue the preparations ahead of the new season that will involve its ISL title defence and a debut in the AFC Cup.

With four players – Jerry Lalrinzuala, Anirudh Thapa, Germanpreet Singh and Isaac Vanmalsawma – at India’s SAFF Championship preparatory camp, six members of the club’s B team will also be part of the travelling squad.

They are defenders Saurabh Meher, Ajin Tom and Hendry Antonay, central midfielders Zonunmawia and Bibin Boban, and winger Bedashwor Singh. Two B team players will be promoted to the 25-man final ISL squad.