Musah defends exodus to India

India-based full-house Ghanaian defender, Sulley Musah, is returning to East Bengal, nearly four seasons after leading the premiership club to clinch the championship title.

The iron-bodied, six-foot-plus central defender had been campaigning with Air India, another I-league side, since he crossed over from Bengal in 2005.

"Air India is quite a crack side, but I had to look elsewhere for bigger challenges," asserts Musah, known in Ghana as 'Opeele'.

The former player of Afienya United rejected assertions that suggest standard of Indian football is low.

He told the Times Sports in an interview yesterday that the India Football Association (IFA) was determined to revolutionalise the game and as such had pumped home millions of dollars into the league a bid to achieve the purpose.

"That's why we have a good number of Brazilian players campaigning in the Indian League, because aside the monetary rewards, they reckon the standard of play is admirable," Musah stressed.

The rock-solid defender captained East Bengal to win the Asian Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2002 ? retaining the I-League the same year.

He also clinched the prestigious Durand Cup, the longest running annual domestic diadem with the 'Bengalese' having already swept four IFA Shield honours.

The 29-year-old intimidatingly-framed defender is eyeing the senior national team, Black Stars, and says he will work hard to secure a place soon.

Musah expressed appreciation to the chief coach of East Bengal, Monoranjan Bhattacharya and his opposite number at Air India, Bimal Ghosh, for shaping him into a better player.