Gangtok, Oct 28 : Shillong Lajong FC will invite selected boys from Sikkim for trials to set up an Under-15 side from the Northeast keeping an eye on the India leg of the Manchester United Premier Cup.
MUPC is organised annually by English Premier League giant Manchester United where selected countries, including India, participate. The Lajong Under-15 side had represented India in the last edition of the qualifying tournament. The players were mostly from Meghalaya at that time.
According to Lajong FC coach Pradhyum Reddy, only I-League teams are eligible to field their Under-15 teams for the MUPC qualifiers and therefore, young players from the northeastern states including Sikkim do not get an opportunity to play in the India leg and eventually in the MUPC.
Although the Shillong outfit has been relegated from the I-League, the coach believes that his side will be allowed to play the qualifiers for the MUPC by virtue of being the defending champions of the India leg tournament. “We want to give a chance to players from Sikkim and other northeastern states. We will go all over the region to scout for talents. These kids are the future of Indian football. Even if we are not allowed to participate in the MUPC qualifiers, we will take our players to various youth tournaments of other countries,” Reddy said.
The Lajong coach said they had written to the Gangtok Boys Club to send few of their talented players for trials to Shillong in December.
“We want to set up an Under-15 side comprising players from all the eight northeastern states for playing in the MUPC India qualifying round,” Reddy said here today.
He attended an almost two-hour-long coaching camp for the Under-14 and Under-16 players of the Gangtok club at Paljor Stadium here this morning.
The Shillong club is in Gangtok to participate in the All India Governor’s Gold Cup Football Tournament. It drubbed Sikkim Police 4-0 in yesterday’s match and entered the quarter-final round.
The Lajong coach and a few of his key players, including striker Anil Gurung, goalkeeper Gumpe Rime, Nigerian imports Kelechi Okoye and Michael Ochei Emeka, passed on technical tips and demonstrated their skills over ball control to the 45 young players of the Gangtok club at the stadium.
“They were good with sound technical skills. We concentrate on giving the technical tips. Everything we did today was with the ball. They have potentials,” Reddy later said commenting on the Sikkim players’ ability.
The Lajong club has also persuaded the Sikkim Football Association to give free passes to the Gangtok club players to watch the matches.
“It was wonderful to learn from the Lajong coach and players. We learnt new techniques like how to control, trap and dribble the ball. It was very helpful,” said Lakpa Sherpa, 16.
The Gangtok club had started a football academy two years ago and the players practised daily at the Tathangchen grounds under the watchful eyes of former players of Sikkim.
“We give our boys free training daily. We run the academy on our own and also on contributions from individual donors. The team has shown great progress and in a couple of years, these boys will be ready to play in tournaments,” said club general secretary Nima Thendup Bhutia, who had been part of the Calcutta giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
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