Steven Dias, Paresh Shivalkar left in a bind

But the team's sudden withdrawal from India's premier tournament merely 20 days before the season kicked off, left all their recruits in a quandary and they are wondering what the future holds for them.

Paresh Shivalkar and Steven Dias

"I desperately wanted to play for the country. Hence, I decided to move to this team as I was getting to play I-League under my first coach (Bimal Ghosh). Also, it gave me an opportunity to come back to Mumbai.

It was unfortunate that the owners decided to pull out of the I-League at the last minute," said mid-fielder Dias, on the sidelines of the Nadkarni Cup quarterfinal held at the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) ground in Chembur yesterday. Dias missed the encounter due to injury, but the Tigers won 3-0, thanks largely to a brace by Bikash Jairu.

Dias' teammate Shivalkar echoed similar feelings. "Steven and me know each other from our Mahindra United days. Both of us have a good understanding. After Mahindra shut down, this was another chance for us to play together. The management's decision to pull out was sad. However, apart from the I-League issue, we have no problems with the club." u00a0