FOR Tolgay Ozbey (pictured), the grass may not seem greener on Indian soccer pitches, but the opportunity he has been given may suggest otherwise.
Earlier this month the now-former Blacktown City FC striker who scored 22 goals from 21 matches in the 2010 NSW Premier League season signed a contract with the Indian League’s East Bengal FC, until January.
The 24-year-old, who helped Blacktown to this year’s premiership title, said he was looking forward to the challenge.
Speaking to the ifAdvocatenf hours before he boarded a plane, he took a parting shot at A- League teams who were not willing to offer him a contract.
``I would have wanted to get a contract in the A-League because Australia is home, but for my career I believe this is actually a bigger opportunity,’’ he said.
``It’s a shame the A-League couldn’t recognise my 22 goals… while the NSW Premier League is not the same standard as the A-League, I’m sure that both those teams in the grand final (where Blacktown beat Bonnyrigg 1-0 two weeks ago) would put up a challenge in the A-League.
``I’ll bet anything on that because some of the quality in the A-League is very poor.’‘
Playing in India will be a huge change for him. Home games can have up to 120,000 people in the stadium. He thanked fans, teammates, coach Aytek Genc and the club’s director of football Ken Schembri for their support

Ozbey secures deal with Indian League side East Bengal FC
01.09.10 09:45



Blacktown City FC striker Tolgay Ozbey has signed with Indian League club East Bengal FC
2010 Golden Boot and Robbie Slater Medal winner Tolgay Ozbey has been snapped up by Indian League outfit East Bengal FC and is due to fly out of Australia on Thursday bound for his new club.

The NSW Premier League’s deadliest striker was terrific for 2010 Champions Blacktown City FC having scored 22 goals in 21 matches which alerted the Indian club about the marksman’s ability.

“East Bengal FC are the biggest club in India and I have signed until the end of January 2011 with an option to extend till May.

“Everything has happened so quickly but I cannot wait for this challenge to commence.

“I’ve had a great time with Blacktown in 2010 it has been an amazing and very successful season for myself and the club.

“Winning the Grand Final against Bonnyrigg White Eagles and taking out the Robbie Slater Medal for Player of the Match was unbelievable and a moment that I will never forget.

“To have been able to pick up my third Golden Boot was also very special for me but I have my teammates to thank for this.”

East Bengal FC are managed by Englishman Trevor Morgan who played for the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City and a couple of lower English sides before moving to the managerial side of things in 1995 where he took over West Australian State League side Sorrento FC.

The club itself plays its home matches at the Salt Lake Stadium which holds 120,000 as its official capacity something Ozbey cannot wait to play in front of.

“I have heard that during the big derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, the stadium is packed to the brim, something like 120,000 crammed into one stadium, you don’t get to see that even for a Barcelona match at the Nou Camp its apparently that crazy.”

FIFA approved agent Paul Dickinson contacted Ozbey after he continued hearing of the Blacktown City FC star’s good run of form in the NSW Premier League which led to the deal going through with East Bengal FC.

“Paul Dickinson contacted me and told me that there was an ideal opportunity for me to continue playing football abroad and I went from there and have not looked backed since.”

The 24-year-old has become the second Australian in playing in the Indian League as former Sutherland Sharks player Srecko Mitrovic also played for East Bengal after his short stint in the NSW Premier League in 2009.

The ‘I-League’ as it is known commenced in 2007 and has 14 teams competing for the championship while there are two domestic Cup competitions as well.

he could rip up the a-league now

A striker in land of Tendulkar

Such is the hype that will surround the match between Ozbey's club Kingfisher East Bengal and Mohun Bagan that more than 10,000 Indian soldiers and police will be stationed in and around the Kolkata ground to keep the fans separated.

Of course, while the little master Sachin Tendulkar could probably draw double that on his own if they had a stadium big enough, not many players, let alone an Australian, get to play in front of an audience in excess of 100,000.

What makes Ozbey's story just a little bit more out of the norm is the fact we are not talking about the religion that is Indian cricket, but a soccer match.

Ozbey, 24, is the only Australian plying his trade in the growing Indian league -- a competition of 14 teams and only in its fourth season.

The striker, who played one game with Sydney FC in the inaugural 2005-06 A-League season, has been a huge hit with East Bengal since joining the club a little over a month ago.

Ozbey has scored eight goals in as many games and was the spark that helped the club qualify recently for the Asian AFC Championships in January.

"We played five games in the Federation Cup, won all five, qualified for the AFC Championships and I finished leading scorer for the tournament," Ozbey said. "I scored four times, including a double in one match and a goal against our arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in front of 40,000. That was an experience and a half."

Ozbey, who also played five games for the Newcastle Jets in the second season of the A-League as well as stints in the NSW premier league with Blacktown City, Marconi Stallions and Sydney Olympic, has been impressed by the standard in the I-League.

"Most of the players are full-time and the game is very quick," he said. "It is a better standard than the state league."

Apart from the locals, the competition draws players mainly from Africa with a large contingent from Nigeria.

"The facilities for training are decent, but the game pitches are excellent and the money is very good, too," Ozbey said. "As for the lifestyle and the culture, it is a lot different of course. You see a lot of things you never would in Australia but I believe I have adapted."

Most foreigners earn between $US120,00 and $US180,000 while it is understood several of the Nigerians at other clubs are earning as much as $US300,000.

While cricket in India is struggling to get fans to Test matches and the Commonwealth Games featured many empty seats, Ozbey said the Indians love their soccer and that his club regularly draws in excess of 20,000 to its matches.

The big game, however, is the match against Mohun Bagan, which, according to some reports, is rated in the top 50 biggest derby games in world football.

"Everyone is talking about the game," Ozbey said.

"It will be awesome to play in front of so many people . . . certainly a highlight of my career."

Ozbey, who is in the middle of renegotiating his contract for next season, says he hasn't given up on forging a career in the A-League.

"Well, I'm disappointed that all the hard work goes unnoticed, but at the moment I couldn't be happier," he said.

"I'll be playing in the AFC Cup and that's something a lot of players don't get to do.

"Look, I haven't really given up on playing in the A-League again but it is the last thing on my mind. I want to spend as much time abroad as possible."

Interestingly, East Bengal is coached by Trevor Morgan, a former English professional and now naturalised Australian who played with Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers and City and Bolton Wanderers. He also played with St George in the old NSL.

Morgan coached Sorrento in the West Australian State League and has been around the Australian coaching system for years.

Kayne Vincent, a pretty ordinary striker who wasn't often starting for Waitakere United managed to get gametime in the I-League. Not meaning to be rude, but the fact that after finishing in India he has to trial for the S-League and would struggle for a gig in the top end of the NZFC can't be too good for India's credentials.

when we were talking to bengal, it was for a contract for the AFC cup, they wanted a striker/attacking midfielder, i think they play in the I-league as well but it was to bolster the team for the AFC cup.....

yeah the lucky bugger pipped my boy for the gig.........

Edited by batfink: 28/10/2010 12:45:19 PM

Who's your boy?

I heard a different story i hear di-league is as good as the s-league of not a tiny better. There is soem really decent indian players. I think it will be similar to the j-league it has all the moneya nd all the fans it jsut needs time to progress and get the system in place.

It's higher than the VPL. I'd kill to have Baichung Bhutia play for Sydney.

I wouldn't mind if more players who can't secure A-League contracts started exploring Asian football a little more, in the likes of India, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The experiences they will bring back to share with others will be invaluable in the longer term, both in a football and socio/cultural sense.