Incidentally, there is an irony here. The AIFF-conducted tournaments, the Federation Cup and the National League, which are considered the key events of the calendar, are wrapped in uncertainty as far as this year's editions are concerned. Yet, the Durand Cup and others like it are reduced to second grades.

The irony continues when the coaches admit that this tournament is being used by top teams as a warm-up for the National League. Salgaocar of Goa, the National League champions play their first game of the Cup against qualifiers Gorkha Brigade tomorrow. But they are taking the meet as nothing more than practice.

The young Tata Football Academy, however, are a lot more serious. ``We have come here to prove that we are no less than the better-known teams,'' coach Ranjan Choudhury said. The team with players as young as 14 and with an average age of 18, came to Delhi directly from Calcutta where they were eliminated in the IFA Shield league stage. ``We drew against East Bengal and lost 0-1 to Churchill Brothers,'' the coach, who is standing in for Habib, continued. ``We hope to do better in Delhi.'' At least they would want to capitalise on their chances. ``We must have missed around eight sitters against Churchill Brothers in Calcutta,'' Choudhury added. He hopes that his boys have learnt from their mistakes and will do better here. ``Inexperience is our main problem.''

The TFA were the runners-up in 1995 and have been a regular feature at the Durand Cup since. They play the inaugural game against Army XI tomorrow and are banking on their seven junior internationals to deliver the goods. Reigning champions Mahindra & Mahindra of Mumbai face Bhutan XI on Friday while the other foreign team Nepal XI meet Border Security Force on the same day.

The Calcutta teams, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan who are unlikely to field their best teams, will arrive in the Capital after the completion of the IFA Shield.