The team barely escaped relegation but both coach Bhaskar Maity and acting manager Austin Coutinho promised a place in the top five of the revised League format.

The top five teams from a group of 10 will play another leg for the title. So unlike last year, RCF need to strike early or it will be curtains.

``Talent-wise, we may not be in the same league as Air-India or Mahindras,'' said Coutinho. ``But on the field, we play on level terms with all.''

The high point for RCF was beating Air-India in the second phase -- one of only four victories from 16 matches -- and they have started the current season in right earnest, beating Bengal Mumbai Football Club (BMFC) in a practice match.

Coutinho, who has developed his own innovative tactics, revealed RCF's strength --the ability to draw strategies that work on the other team's weakness. ``We are strong on defence and read the game well,'' said the RCF sports officer.

Mid-fielder Deepak Khedare has broken his arm and seems to be out for the first phase of the League. But the players have practiced working in different positions, a lesson learnt from an injury to a key player last season. Which has meant RCF did not have to press panic buttons or look for a replacement.

TEAM

Goalkeepers: Suhas Patil, Subrato Dasgupta, Kiran Soi. Defenders: Kishore Khedkar, Richard Noronha, Sarfraz Ahmed, Arjun Tudu, Dulal Sardar, Balin Singh (joint captain), Baleshwar Sharma, Suresh Bhat. Mid-fielders: Munna Khan, Suman Dayal, Sanjay Shaikh, Hassan el Fowad (joint captain), Joshua Lewis, Srikant Naik, Prosenjit Barua, Doughlas D'Sena, Deepak Kedare. Forwards: Atchuta Rao, Jaideep Singh, Govindan Sajju, Vishal Sharma.

Coach: Bhaskar Maity. Manager: Austin Coutinho.

Last year'sperformance: Won Mayor's Cup at Kolhapur, second in Royal Gold Cup at Nagaland

WIFA scorecard: 1995 3rd, '96-97 5th, '98 7th.

Players to watch: Balin Singh, Baleshwar Sharma.

Recruits: Munna Khan (formerly Mohamedan Sporting, Calcutta), Rao (SAIL), Dayal (BMFC), Shaikh, Jaideep Singh, Soi.