Chandigarh buoys India hopes
Coachsays
CONTRIBUTION Four of exInternational Harjinder Singh’s wards from Chandigarh Football Academy make it to U17 squad 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
opened an academy but it didn’t work well. So Jacob Sir had only 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. final squad. From Manipur; joined in 2011 and left it in 2016 to join Minerva. He is the cousin of India skipper Amarjeet. Jeakson was introduced to the sport by his father, a football coach. Jeakson’s mother started selling vegetables after his dad suffered a heart stroke.
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.