Ozone FC likely to release captain Vignesh for Santosh Trophy final round

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Bengaluru, March 5: Ozone FC Bengaluru say they are considering releasing their star midfielder and captain, Vignesh G, to the Karnataka squad, which will take part in the final round of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship from March 19.

Vignesh apart, the city champions will also release four others - Abhishek Das, Anup Theresraj, Rushi Anto and Vignesh D.

The players' availability for the final round was doubtful as Ozone had to play the second divison of I-League from March 16. After their opener against Kerala Blasters in Kochi on March 16, Ozone host FC Goa at the Bangalore Football Stadium on March 20. Karnataka's first match is against Goa on March 22 in Kolkata. Among the, only Vignesh is a regular starter.

The Karnataka State Football Association sent a letter to Ozone on Monday (March 5), requesting them to release the five players, who were also part of Karnataka's squad for the South Zone Qualifying Round of the Santosh Trophy, for the national round.

"We sent letters to Bengaluru FC and Ozone FC Bengaluru today, asking them to release their players. We also spoke to their managers and they have agreed to release the players," KSFA treasurer AD Nagendra said.

Ozone CEO Mohamed Rafik confirmed the same. "We have got the letter asking the players to report for the Santosh Trophy," Rafik said. "We have to discuss, we just got the letter and are busy with our own preperation for the second division, but we should send them. It's in the best intestests of both parties - Karnataka and Ozone - and we want the state also to do well. In principle, we will send the players." Bengaluru FC had already agreed to send their players for the Santosh Trophy final round.

However, Bengaluru FC and Ozone players will not be part of the training camp, which kicked off on Monday at the Bangalore Football Stadium. "Both teams are travelling next week and Ozone players will only be free by March 20 to join us," Nagendra added.

Ozone FC coach David Booth too was reluctant to release his players for the training camp. "We provided seven players from Ozone FC for the South Zone Championship of the Santosh Trophy," he had said last week. "We're prepared to help the state team any way we can. We are ambitious about the I-League too. I would like the players to train under me and go and play Santosh Trophy if they have to. We've to sit down and decide on it."