Nim Lepcha to skipper Bhaichung’s United Sikkim

Gangtok: Local lad Nim Tshering Lepcha has been chosen to lead United Sikkim Football Club as captain for the 2011-12 season, with the new squad beginning training on Wednesday at the Paljor Stadium.

The club has signed players of Sporting Club-de-Goa, Churchill Brothers, JCT, Arhima, JCT and Salgaonkar and a new set of goalkeepers. There will be 7 players from Sikkim including Bhaichung. The 2-hour training session was joined by club owner and star-attraction, Bhutia and Rennedy Singh. The club has signed 3 foreign players for the season -- Bidemi Daniel, Quantum Jacob and Baba Tundey. It has also signed three national players from Manipur, Sushil Kumar Singh, Gobind Singh and Thor Singh. While almost all players of the club have reached Gangtok, Nigerian Baba Tundey will be arriving on Thursday.The three players from Manipur and a few others were likely to join the team shortly. Bhaichung told reporters later that the main target for the club was to qualify for I-League and win the Federation Cup. The 35-member team will also be playing tournaments within and outside the state. Lauding Tshering, given his performance in the last season, he said he deserved to be the captain. He said that the team would practice every day except Sunday’s at the Paljor Stadium. PTI