Subrata Pal waits on Red Bull initiative to move abroad

The national goalkeeper Subrata Pal is now waiting for a response from his sponsors Red Bulls. The famous energy drink company had signed a two-year contract with one of the country’s best custodians in recent times, in July last year. Pal being the brand ambassador of Red Bull India had already toured Germany for a photo shoot. Pal was then invited invited to the Formula One racing competition, held at the Buddha Circuit in Noida last year.

File Photo of Indian goalkepeer Subrata Pal.

The company that is contracted with a few top football clubs in Europe also has an F1 team. And it has been learnt that the company’s top brass in India is trying to organize selection trials at a few top clubs in Germany and Austria.

The national goalkeeper was unfortunate to not to get the opportunity earlier. A Major League Soccer club showed interest in Pal in 2008-009 after their coaching staff was highly impressed with Pal’s performance in the Nehru Cup in 2005-06. They were so impressed with Pal’s performance after watching a video that they wanted to sign him without even asking for a trial. It was later learnt that the Major League Soccer club offered around 80,000 US Dollars as Pal’s monthly salary but the deal never matured.

On Tuesday at the Salt Lake Stadium, the Prayag United stopper said, “Now I am looking forward to Red Bulls initiative regarding my exposure abroad. I hope now I will get some calls for selection trials in a few foreign clubs.”

Incidentally, another famous foreign company Diadora has expressed desire to sign the national goalkeeper. The company is trying to convince the goalkeeper with a promise that Pal would be given opportunity for trials at a few Italian clubs. Diadora is a co-sponsor of legendary Italian club Juventus FC.

The goalkeeper, despite being adored by the senior national coach Wim Koevermans, has been dropped by club coach Elco Satorie.  “I don’t know the reason behind my omission from the first eleven of the team,” he said. Pal is keen to return to previous club Pune FC where he spent three years while Churchill Brothers has also shown some interest.

Meanwhile, the failure to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup with a crucial loss to Myanmar disappointed Pal: “It is a setback for me that we are almost out of the AFC Cup. Under our previous coach Bob Houghton we won the championship. I believe the whole coaching staff should be more active in scouting proper player for the national squad.”