Before they start their campaign in the ISL this season on Monday against Mohammedan Sporting at Kishore Bharati Stadium NorthEast United FC (NEFUC) footballers are having the same 'oath' they took before winning the Durand Cup final. That is a 'win for the owner' John Abraham. 

The team had a meeting on Monday morning where the footballers had the only words of motivation that is, 'we must win for John sir’ who has been single-handedly running the club, spending a huge amount of money for the team. 

The club owner has might be relieved slightly after Coal India joined NEUFC as a co-sponsor. 

The footballers have set a goal of finishing within the top four in the ISL this season. One of the coaches revealed, "After winning the Durand Cup the footballers have learned to believe that nothing is impossible. John sir said the same words after winning the Durand Cup." 

Still, he seems determined as usual to run the show as he has been doing it for the last 10 years. Now, his special attention seems to be on NorthEast United FC's dream academy project which might take off at the end of 2025. 

In association with the state sports ministry, the club has already acquired 15 acres of land at a place, located between Guwahati and Shillong where a big residential football school has been planned to introduce. The school will start with three age groups students from 11 to 15 years. The reason is simple. NEFUC owner has the vision of creating footballers among the sons of the soil in the future.

The present team, participating in the ISL have only one potential footballer who hails from Assam (Parthib Gogoi) and the NUFC owner wants to see more potential footballers getting into the ISL squad in the future. 

The coach Pedro Benali however has reportedly cautioned his boys about Mohammedan Sporting. 

The coach has reportedly said, "They did not field their first team in the Durand Cup. So their strength should be unknown to us. We are trying to do our homework on them watching their matches of the I-league last season. We need to control in the first half.”