Anil to play in Indian league


KATHMANDU: Nepali star striker Anil Gurung became the highest paid professional footballer after he signed a three-year contract worth Rs 6.36 million with Indian league’s Shillong Lajong Football Club (SLFC) today.

Gurung and Chief Executive Officer of SLFC Larsing Ming signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Shillong on Friday. Anil is the first Nepali footballer to get such a bulky amount while playing professional football abroad. Out of the total amount of Rs 6.36 million, the SLFC will give him Rs 1.3 million for the remaining seven months of this season and Rs 2 million for the next season. He will take Rs 3 million for his final season. Anil impressed SLFC coach Stanley Rosario and the team management while he was on a trial in Shillong.

Anil came to Nepal after spending four months of trial period with the English football club Woking. Anil said he had to return from England after the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) showed indifference towards his stay in Woking where his Visa was supposed to get extended. Anil played six matches for Woking scoring four goals.

Kolkata based Saurav Rai arranged Anil’s meeting with the i-league club following his splendid performance in the Governor’s Gold Cup in Sikkim last year. Rai also requested the ANFA vice-president and spokesperson Lalit Krishna Shrestha to lobby for the move. The SLFC are at the sixth position in the i-league where they have played five matches winning just two. A total of 14 ‘A’ division clubs of India are playing in the league.

Starting his professional career with the Sahara Club of Pokhara, Anil commenced his ‘A’ Division campaign from the Brigade Boys Club. After spending a year with Nabil Three Star Club, he joined Manang Marsyangdi Club and lately was associated with the high-spending New Road Team (NRT), who signed him paying the highest amount among the Nepali footballers in the club.