India U-16s enjoy training camp at Dubai Sports City

The India Under-16 National Football Team have been at Dubai Sports City in order to provide their players with real-time match experience as they begin long-term preparations for the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

During their time in Dubai, the Indians played the resident Under-16 outfit of the Football Academy’s flagship Spanish Soccer School programme.

Nicolai Adam, the India Under-16 coach, was very pleased by the conditions in Dubai.

“I have worked in football my whole life. I have been to Dubai

Players pose for the camera. many times. This is the best location to work at this time of the year,” he revealed. “In Europe, it’s getting too cold, in India, it’s still too hot, and it’s just a short flight so Dubai is the place to come.”

Coach Adam went on to say that the facilities at the Football Academy suited his boys perfectly.

“We find everything we need here to prepare them professionally. We have perfect conditions here, we have a good hotel, we have a good training pitch, today we had a good opponent,” he explained.

“That was a good test match,” he added, reflecting on his side’s victory. “I wish in India that we would have something like this. In India, the right infrastructure is not there. Something like this as our national training center, that would be fantastic.

“I am used to good training pitches and good facilities but this is beautiful,” he finished.

The Indians, who will be hosting the prestigious tournament in two years’ time, beat off competition from Ireland, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to gain the rights to hold what will be their first ever FIFA tournament.