The Premier League giants are attempting to extend their fanbase and commercial activities by targeting the south Asian market.
When will the Indian national anthem play at the football World Cup? The question came from my neighbour's son, Keenan Almeida, as we were watching two Indian states - Goa from western Indian and Manipur from the north-east - battle it out in the national state level Under-16 championship.
Almeida is a young Indian footballer aspiring to make it big on the world stage. Like any youngster taking to the game, he too dreams of playing for his home nation in the World Cup. It is a dream cherished by many youngsters when they start to kick the football around. The World Cup football dream is fuelled every four years when youngsters like Almeida see superstars excelling for their respective countries.
The student at RM Salgaocar Higher Secondary Margao is one of the hopes of the new generation. He is among the dozen players selected from Goa to be part of the Manchester United Soccer Schools’ residential course in the UK this summer and is all set to embark on his dream trip.
The 18-year-old was excited when he was among the first six selected after a mammoth exercise conducted by United staff and assisted by locals involving more than 5,000 aspiring footballers.
A team of sports scientists from the UK, led by Dr Nick Webborn from the University of Brighton, looked at the diet, height and weight of the children to establish their potential for development in football at the highest level. It's an innovative talent identification and development programme in Goa which has not happened on such a scale anywhere in India before now. A coaching team from MUSS supervised the programme, assisted by Brian McClair, head of United's youth academy.
Almeida started his football as 10-year-old from his village Cuncolim in south Goa under coach Levino Dias and has already represented Goa in the Sun-Junior Championship at the national level. He was over the moon when his name was announced last October and he realised he would be going to the UK.
Seven months after the selection and the realisation is beginning to dawn upon him that he and his fellow Goans will be playing on the same grass as their heroes. Almeida said: ''Cristiano Ronaldo is my hero and I am looking forward to meeting him. Hopefully we will get a few tips from him and learn a few tricks after watching him practice from closer quarters.''
Besides the Manchester-bound team, three Indian teams are on foreign tours for exposure - two in South America and one in the United States. The senior team is in Portugal for exposure while the Under-16s are in Brazil and the Under-19s are in the US.
Yes, Indian football has a vision in mind backed by Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Setting up and implementing youth programmes to harness the talent in the country is one of the chief objectives of the football administrators.
Man United aren't the only ones to take notice. Arsenal have also initiated a talent hunt scheme in India - a nationwide initiative in association with Tata Tea includes a two-day hunt for soccer talents, while Chelsea have links with the Vision India programme of the AFC to develop talent in India.
With one eye on advertising revenue, English clubs are eager to find young players in India which will add to their advantage in terms of fans, shirt-buyers and game-watchers. Indian fans of English clubs are growing. With access to the internet and satellite TV, India is being targeted by the advertising, sponsorship and merchandising departments of major English clubs.
If English clubs have an eye on their finances, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) - like Almeida - is talking in terms of India’s future targets. A huge task awaits them, but Keenan Almeida and his group hold the promise which Indian administrators are looking at in achieving their own dream of World Cup qualification.
The day we see the first south Asian footballer in the top flight of English football may not be far away. And if that happens, it would be priceless in terms of both attracting fans in the UK and its former colony. A perfect match for both England and India.
When will the Indian national anthem play at the football World Cup? The question came from my neighbour's son, Keenan Almeida, as we were watching two Indian states - Goa from western Indian and Manipur from the north-east - battle it out in the national state level Under-16 championship.
Almeida is a young Indian footballer aspiring to make it big on the world stage. Like any youngster taking to the game, he too dreams of playing for his home nation in the World Cup. It is a dream cherished by many youngsters when they start to kick the football around. The World Cup football dream is fuelled every four years when youngsters like Almeida see superstars excelling for their respective countries.
The student at RM Salgaocar Higher Secondary Margao is one of the hopes of the new generation. He is among the dozen players selected from Goa to be part of the Manchester United Soccer Schools’ residential course in the UK this summer and is all set to embark on his dream trip.
The 18-year-old was excited when he was among the first six selected after a mammoth exercise conducted by United staff and assisted by locals involving more than 5,000 aspiring footballers.
A team of sports scientists from the UK, led by Dr Nick Webborn from the University of Brighton, looked at the diet, height and weight of the children to establish their potential for development in football at the highest level. It's an innovative talent identification and development programme in Goa which has not happened on such a scale anywhere in India before now. A coaching team from MUSS supervised the programme, assisted by Brian McClair, head of United's youth academy.
Almeida started his football as 10-year-old from his village Cuncolim in south Goa under coach Levino Dias and has already represented Goa in the Sun-Junior Championship at the national level. He was over the moon when his name was announced last October and he realised he would be going to the UK.
Seven months after the selection and the realisation is beginning to dawn upon him that he and his fellow Goans will be playing on the same grass as their heroes. Almeida said: ''Cristiano Ronaldo is my hero and I am looking forward to meeting him. Hopefully we will get a few tips from him and learn a few tricks after watching him practice from closer quarters.''
Besides the Manchester-bound team, three Indian teams are on foreign tours for exposure - two in South America and one in the United States. The senior team is in Portugal for exposure while the Under-16s are in Brazil and the Under-19s are in the US.
Yes, Indian football has a vision in mind backed by Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Setting up and implementing youth programmes to harness the talent in the country is one of the chief objectives of the football administrators.
Man United aren't the only ones to take notice. Arsenal have also initiated a talent hunt scheme in India - a nationwide initiative in association with Tata Tea includes a two-day hunt for soccer talents, while Chelsea have links with the Vision India programme of the AFC to develop talent in India.
With one eye on advertising revenue, English clubs are eager to find young players in India which will add to their advantage in terms of fans, shirt-buyers and game-watchers. Indian fans of English clubs are growing. With access to the internet and satellite TV, India is being targeted by the advertising, sponsorship and merchandising departments of major English clubs.
If English clubs have an eye on their finances, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) - like Almeida - is talking in terms of India’s future targets. A huge task awaits them, but Keenan Almeida and his group hold the promise which Indian administrators are looking at in achieving their own dream of World Cup qualification.
The day we see the first south Asian footballer in the top flight of English football may not be far away. And if that happens, it would be priceless in terms of both attracting fans in the UK and its former colony. A perfect match for both England and India.
