AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Most of them are sixteen, born in 1997. The rest, very few, may have just turned 17. Most of their rivals in the U-19 I-League are 19, having being born in 1994. But does it matter?

What is Youth Development all about? On the surface, it seems a bit confusing. But Mr. Scott O’Donell, the Technical Director of AIFF Academies feels: “It is about giving our talented Players the opportunity to fulfill the potential.”

All India Football Federation’s Navi Mumbai Academy was officially launched on May 11, 2012 in Mumbai where apart from Mr. Praful Patel, President, All India Football Federation, Ms. Edith Schippers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport of The Netherlands was also part of the launch.

Since then the boys have been based at the Father Agnel School, Navi Mumbai where they have been training, studying and living together, the results of which are visible.

You never expect a bunch of 16-year olds to raise their hands to challenge their 19-year olds.  And mind you, it’s not about a one-off Friendly Match but an Official Tournament. That’s the challenge AIFF believes in; that’s the challenge which AIFF’s Navi Mumbai Regional Academy has accepted.

A day after their 3-1 victory over defending champions Pune FC in a U-19 I-League match, Head Coach Sajid Dar smiles.

“We wanted to spread the message to every corner of the Country that this is what AIFF is doing for Youth Development and this is how the teams are shaping up, beating the best of youth teams,” Dar told www.the-aiff.com.

“Pune FC are a strong side. It’s against such Teams that you test yourself. They are the defending champions and have been playing the best football in the U-19 Meet for the last two years. The fact that we could beat them and how is truly incredible. This result will do wonders to the confidence of the Boys.”  

The Regional Academy boys came back from a goal down in the first half to seal the fate of the tie with a commanding second half display. They not only scored three goals but also dominated proceedings for the latter 45 minutes of the encounter.

“It was at the end of the first period that we started dominating and had a couple of gilt edged chances too. After the break, we were all over them,” Dar informs.

Captain Milan Basumatary, Rakesh Oram and Robinson Singh got on the scoresheet for the Academy Boys in the second period.

Occupying pole position with a all-win record to show for so far, the Boys play Pune FC on the road on February 28, 2014before making trips to Mumbai FC U-19 , PIFA Sports FC U-19 apart from hosting Kenkre Sports Club U-19.

  

Dar feels the boys will go into the away tie against the reigning champions with the same mentality of having nothing to lose.

“I have always maintained that we have nothing to lose in this Tournament. We are looking at exposure. That’s what we will be taking back home. With our philosophy and the potential these boys have, that we are doing so well and if we stick our plan on and off the pitch of playing freely with any burden, we will pass with flying colours.”

This is just the beginning of things to come.