Shillong, Mar 13: Nangkiew Irat SC have come under new ownership, it was revealed yesterday, confirming what had been spoken about in local football circles for several months now.
The new owner is Edgy Sports Management Solutions, a two-person limited liability partnership apparently based out of Kolkata, though its registered offices are in Punjab. The company has interests and tie-ups with numerous smallish clubs, including FC Bethlehem in Mizoram and New Friends Club in Chhattisgarh, and is also a sports promoter, sports agency, etc.
Nangkiew Irat have always been known as the sister or B team of Rangdajied United FC. It was often, but not always, utilised as a place to groom young talent before they made the jump to RUFC. As such, its successes have been limited; they’ve never won the Shillong Premier League, though they were U-18 SPL champions once.
One of the downsides to owning two clubs is the cost – local football teams generally run at a loss for their owners. (TSR doesn’t know what the exact ownership structure of Rangdajied United-Nangkiew Irat was but they were believed to be controlled by the family of Eugeneson Lyngdoh.)
But the other problem was reputational. Both sides would deny it, no doubt, but there was always a whiff of back-scratching when the two teams met – we’re not casting doubt on the results but the last time Nangkiew Irat defeated Rangdajied in the SPL was back in 2014.
A statement on the transfer of ownership yesterday was full of public relations language – “new chapter”, “infusion of innovative management”, “growth strategies”, “leveraging cutting-edge strategies” (our favourite), “new era of possibilities”, “retaining its core values and identity”.
Let’s hope it works out because Meghalaya needs more well-structured clubs to take football forwards in the state.
(File photo)
