Italy’s Cannavaro hottest property in PLS auction
Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro got the maximum bid after being sold to Siliguri franchise, as a galaxy of world footballers and coaches went under the hammer on Monday for the Premier League Soccer to be held next month.
The former Italian defender, who retired last year following a serious knee problem, was sold to the Siliguri franchise for $830,000, while attacking French midfielder Robert Pires too was bid intensely by five teams before being bought by Howrah for $800,000.
Former Argentina and Chelsea midfielder Hernan Crespo was expectedly the top draw in the auction with the highest base price of $840,000 but the former Lazio star had no bidders as Barasat clinched the deal. The remaining two franchises, Kolkata and Durgapur, zeroed in on former English and Liverpool star Robbie Fowler ($530,000) and Jay-Jay Okocha ($550,000) respectively. Okocha went unsold as Durgapur had to settle for the Nigerian midfielder.
The auction began with the bidding of English football manager Peter Reid, with a base price of $175,000, generated a lot of interest before being sold to Kolkata for $200,000.
Nigerian Samson Siasia along with Icelandic Teitur Thordarson were the biggest beneficiaries after being sold to Durgapur and Barasat for $210,000 each. In the first edition, PLS will have six franchises -- Kolkata, Howrah, Barasat, Durgapur, Midnapore and Haldia -- with one icon player, one icon coach, two overseas players and one overseas player of Asian origin.
Teams (all prices in USD): Team Kolkata: Coach: Peter Reid (200,000); Icon: Robbie Fowler (530,000); Overseas: Robert Egbeto (350,000), Daniel Varela (120,000); Asian: Park Ji-Seung (140,000).
Team Howrah: Coach: Fernando Couto (240,000); Icon: Robert Pires (800,000); Overseas: Jose Gabriel Rios (180,000), Diego Madrigal (120,000); Asian: Byun Yoon Chui (115,000).
Team Siliguri: Coach: Marco Etcheverry (200,000); Icon: Fabio Cannavaro (830,000); Overseas: Santino Quaranta (180,000), Limberg Gutierrez (180,000); Asian: Hwang Gyu Hwan (90,000).
Team Durgapur: Coach: Samson Sia Sia (210,000); Icon: Jay Jay Okocha (550,000); Overseas: Jose Carlos Castillo (80,000), Alonso Solis (200,000); Asian: Kim Bong Kyeom (150,000).
Team Barasat: Teitur Thordarson (210,000); Icon: Hernan Crespo (840,000); Overseas: Christian Lara (200,000), Joaquin Botero (180,000); Asian: Park Byoung-Gyu (90,000).
