Sreenidhi Deccan FC rope in ex-Gokulam Kerala skipper Mohamed Awal

The Ghanaian has become the second overseas player to sign for the club ahead of the new season.

Sreenidhi Deccan FC have completed the signing of Ghanaian defender Mohamed Awal ahead of the upcoming I-League season. He has also become the second foreigner to sign for the debutants ahead of the 2021-22 season. In Awal, Sreenidhi have brought in an experienced defender who has previously played for Gokulam Kerala FC. The 2021-22 season of the competition will take place under a strict bio-bubble in Kolkata later in 2021. 

Participating clubs have been very busy signing their preferred targets and finding the right balance. However, no club has been busier than Sreenidhi Deccan FC. The Vizag-based outfit have assembled a squad from scratch, which will compete in the I-League. Mohamed Awal is a great addition to the squad who will shore up the defence.

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The 33-year-old has played for clubs like Maritzburg Utd., Al-Shabab, Raja Casablanca, Al-Ansar and more in various countries. He was playing for Gokulam Kerala in the previous season in what was his first campaign in India. 

An experienced figure in the squad

Mohamed Awal has played in various African and Asian competitions. The centre-back also has six appearances for the Ghana national team. In his debut campaign in the I-League, he recorded 1,250 minutes of game-time.

Overall, he has made more than 100 professional appearances for various clubs, including six in the AFC Champions League for Al-Shabab in 2015. The defender was the skipper for Gokulam Kerala during the 2020-21 season. He was instrumental in their success and helped the outfit win the I-League. 

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Second overseas recruit

Awal will join David Castaneda as the second foreigner at the club. The latter is a striker from Colombia who will spearhead the attack for Sreenidhi next season. Newly appointed head coach Fernando Santiago Varela has a good squad and his tactics for the squad will be interesting to see.

A figure like Mohamed Awal will help the rest of the defenders ramp up their individual performances. The former Gokulam Kerala skipper will be the focal point in the backline and will most likely be the leadership figure for the rest of the players. 

Young defenders like Dinesh Singh and Bijay Chhetri will have the opportunity to learn valuable insights from the 33-year-old. Sreenidhi Deccan FC will also have the factor of the unknown working in their favour. The fans will hope that a newly assembled team can build chemistry soon and challenge for the top spot.

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