AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: National Coach Stephen Constantine has selected eight players for final registration from the U-22 trials camp which was conducted by All India Football Federation in Mumbai for the forthcoming AFC U-22 Qualifiers which are slated for July 2017.

The trials, the first of its kind in many years were attended by 40 players who were scouted from all over the Country by AIFF’s scouting team lead by AIFF Director of scouting Abhishek Yadav.

Understanding the importance of reaching every nook and corner, AIFF has been stressing on implementing a fool-proof scouting network in place to ensure a better development for Indian Football.

Yadav and his team had tirelessly tapped talent from various tournaments ranging from inter-university championships, inter-college tournaments, the Santosh Trophy, the 2^nd division League, Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) as well as the overseas scouting programme. The spotted boys were then summoned for trials in Mumbai under Constantine and his Assistant coach Shanmugam Venkatesh.

Speaking on the venture, Constantine said: “I have always been looking for players. India is a vast country and I believe there is plenty of talent lying all over which we need to discover. Hence, the scouting team employed by AIFF tapped all untapped tournaments and leagues to select players for us.”

“The players were given an idea of the output which is expected from a National Team player and they went back much improved as players,” he added.

The list of the 8 players who would be registered stay as follows:

GOALKEEPER: Satyajit Bordoloi (selected from inter-university championship).

DEFENDERS: Davinder Singh (selected from inter-university championship), Umesh Perambra (Reliance Foundation Youth Sports), Assumption Soares (selected from Goa’s Santosh Trophy Team).

MIDFILELDERS: Jishnu Balachandran and Asharudeen (both selected from Kerala’s Santosh Trophy Team), Enester Malngiang (selected from Meghalaya’s Santosh trophy Team).

FORWARD: Manvir Singh (selected from West Bengal’s Santosh Trophy Team).