AIFF launches global scouting programme
The All India Football Federation and the Sports Authority of India have launched a global scouting programme to find new talent for the Under- 16 national team who are preparing for the 2017 Fifa Under17 World Cup.
The programme, named the SAI– AIFF Overseas Scouting Project, will kick off with trials in Dubai on June 10 and 11 for the for 2000 and 2001- born players, residing in the UAE and nearby states or countries.
The programme, which targets boys currently holding solely Indian passports has been conceived by ex- India captain and AIFF director of scouting Abhishek Yadav and will move to other countries in the coming months.
The Under- 17 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India in September and October next year.
An online video management platform will be launched after the Dubai trials for eligible players residing outside India to submit their playing videos. The scouting team will watch these videos and the shortlisted players will be invited for a round of trials in their country of residence or to a country in that region.
Yadav and his team will supervise the trials along with India Under- 17 head coach Nicolai Adam for a closer look at selected players before drafting them into the programme.
Praising the concept, AIFF president Praful Patel said it is “essential that everyone gets a fair chance”.
“The Under- 17 World Cup is a significant event in the Indian football calendar and to ensure that we field our best team, the AIFF has ventured out to NRIs holding Indian passports to give their kids a chance to represent India,” he said.
AIFF secretary general Kushal Das expressed his gratitude to SAI, the ministry of youth affairs and sports and the ministry of external affairs for supporting this project. “This project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the sports ministry and the SAI. I need to thank them for their support to ensure a foolproof scouting system,” he said.
An online video management platform will be launched after the Dubai trials for eligible players