Chandigarh nurseries buoy Indian hopes for World Cup
BIG CONTRIBUTION Four of exinternational Harjinder Singh’s wards make it to the U17 squad
CHANDIGARH: Every third player in the 21-member India squad for the under-17 World Cup has a strong city connection. And the credit for making Chandigarh a major hub for youth football goes to former international Harjinder Singh. He was the coach of the state-run Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) since its inception in 2000 till last July.
Four players – skipper and midfielder Amarjit Singh Kiyam, defender Sanjeev Stalin, goalie Prabhsukhan Gill and medio Jeakson Singh --- in the India squad are CFA products. Another three --- defender Anwar Ali and midfielders Nongdamba Naorem and Mohammad Shahjahan --are with Chandigarh-based Minerva Football Club. Jeakson switched from CFA to Minerva in 2016. “Three of our trainees are also part of the Under-16 India team. Because of CFA, a football culture developed in the city and which helped a number of players don national jersey,” said the 63-year-old coach.
Harjinder Singh, a former JCT and East Bengal star and part of the 1974 Asian All-star side, is now with Delhi United Club. But he played an important part in making CFA the go-to place for India’s young footballers. In 2010, when Chandigarh beat Bengal to win their maiden Dr BC Roy Trophy for under-19 national title, 10 players were from CFA. The 11th was India central defender Sandesh Jhingan. Since the first batch graduated from CFA, 36 cadets have played age-group football for India.
“It was in early 2000 when I read in a newspaper that the new administrator of Chandigarh, JFR Jacob, who was also the governor of Punjab, wanted to open a football academy. The next day, I requested the president of the Chandigarh Football Association to arrange a meeting with Jacob Sir...he was previously the Goa governor and there too he had opened an academy but it didn’t work well. So Jacob Sir had only
Three of our trainees are also part of the U16 India team. Because of CFA, a football culture developed in the city and which helped a number of players don national jersey It was only due to the reputation of our academy that (India U17 defender) Sanjeev Stalin’s father travelled all the way from Bangalore to get his son admitted
one condition and that was the academy should be under the control of the state,” said Harjinder Singh.
“It was in April-may, 2000 when he made an announcement that the academy will start on August 7. I had three months and, in that time, I visited almost all corners of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Following trials, we selected 24 players in the age group of 10-11.”
After the first batch graduated, players from the North-east began arriving. It started with Mizoram but soon the state had its own academy, said Harjinder Singh. In 2011, five-six players from Manipur joined, he said. Among them were Jeakson and Kiyam. Till date, around 50 CFA trainees have played or are playing professionally.
From Karnataka (Bangalore); he joined in 2012 and graduated in March 2017. Sanjeev is from a humble family background. His mother sells clothes on a footpath and father works at the Central Government Health Scheme.
From Punjab; joined in 2011 and graduated this year. Hails from a farming background. Prabhsukhan’s elder brother Gursimrat Singh Gill is also a former junior international and now plays for Northeast United FC in ISL.
From Punjab. Joined Minerva in 2016. Comes from a modest farming family. Anwar had missed the probables list, but Minerva FC took up his issue and fielded him against Tata Football Academy in a friendly where AIFF picked him.
From Manipur. Joined Minerva in 2016.
From Manipur. Joined Minerva in 2016.