Novy Kapadia
Precocious teenager K. Thoi Singh became the youngest player to score in a Durand Cup final when he notched up the winning goal for Mahindra United against Churchill Brothers in the 121st edition of the tournament. Manipur’s Thoi is a junior international and according to club coach Derek Pereira has the temperament and speed to play for the national team in the near future.
Another talented youngster, Malswamfela of Mizoram, scored a brace as India U-16 held Manchester United U-16 to a 3-3 draw during their visit to England. Mizoram’s Lalrindika also scored in this match.. The confidence gained from such a result should help India in their bid to qualify for the sub-junior Fifa World Cup to be held next year. To achieve this stupendous feat, India have to reach the semi finals of the Asian U-16 championships scheduled for next month.
Manipur and Mizoram have become the catchment areas for junior talent in Indian football.
There was further evidence of this in the line up of Churchill Brothers, runners-up in the recent Durand final. In their starting XI, there were five from the North-east, defenders Govin Singh and Gourmangi Singh and midfielder Jogeshwar Singh (all from Manipur) and Robert Lalthlamuana and Khentang Paite (both Mizoram). Substitute midfielder Chitrasen Chandam Singh was also from Manipur.
Durand semi-finalists Sporting Clube de Goa, also had five from the North East in their first XI.
When they played Churchill Brothers in the semi final there were at one time 11 players in all from the region on the field. Sporting Clube de Goa’s striker Thoudam Joychandra Singh impressed with his scintillating hat-trick against Tata Football Academy in the quarter-final league. The 23-year old Joychandra Singh, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan was groomed at the Sports Authority of India’s Imphal centre. Bisheshwar Singh also from Manipur excelled in midfield for Sporting Clube de Goa with his exemplary work-rate.
Three of the five most promising players who were rewarded in the 121st Osian’s Durand tournament were also from the North-East, Paite (Churchill Brothers), midfielder Z. Gordon(Army XI) and striker Subash Singh (Air India). Army XI had eight players from the North East in their playing XI. The All India Football Federation, which intends to start national academies in both Goa and Haryana should start a centre in Manipur, Meghalaya or Mizoram, to tap the latent talent in the region.
An Indian football team beating current European champions Spain would be considered a figment of the imagination. But it happened in Paris last week. India’s U-12 years champion team Mohun Bagan upset Spain’s champion team 1-0. Later Bagan beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 but lost by solitary goals to Poland and Italy. Mohun Bagan finished a creditable 12th out of 40 countries in the U12 Danone Cup in Paris. They lost to the Czech Republic in sudden death in the pre-quarter finals but impressed with their skill and game sense.
Evidently, at the age-group level, Indian footballers can cope with the best in the world.
NewsSource:Howarah.org
Precocious teenager K. Thoi Singh became the youngest player to score in a Durand Cup final when he notched up the winning goal for Mahindra United against Churchill Brothers in the 121st edition of the tournament. Manipur’s Thoi is a junior international and according to club coach Derek Pereira has the temperament and speed to play for the national team in the near future.
Another talented youngster, Malswamfela of Mizoram, scored a brace as India U-16 held Manchester United U-16 to a 3-3 draw during their visit to England. Mizoram’s Lalrindika also scored in this match.. The confidence gained from such a result should help India in their bid to qualify for the sub-junior Fifa World Cup to be held next year. To achieve this stupendous feat, India have to reach the semi finals of the Asian U-16 championships scheduled for next month.
Manipur and Mizoram have become the catchment areas for junior talent in Indian football.
There was further evidence of this in the line up of Churchill Brothers, runners-up in the recent Durand final. In their starting XI, there were five from the North-east, defenders Govin Singh and Gourmangi Singh and midfielder Jogeshwar Singh (all from Manipur) and Robert Lalthlamuana and Khentang Paite (both Mizoram). Substitute midfielder Chitrasen Chandam Singh was also from Manipur.
Durand semi-finalists Sporting Clube de Goa, also had five from the North East in their first XI.
When they played Churchill Brothers in the semi final there were at one time 11 players in all from the region on the field. Sporting Clube de Goa’s striker Thoudam Joychandra Singh impressed with his scintillating hat-trick against Tata Football Academy in the quarter-final league. The 23-year old Joychandra Singh, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan was groomed at the Sports Authority of India’s Imphal centre. Bisheshwar Singh also from Manipur excelled in midfield for Sporting Clube de Goa with his exemplary work-rate.
Three of the five most promising players who were rewarded in the 121st Osian’s Durand tournament were also from the North-East, Paite (Churchill Brothers), midfielder Z. Gordon(Army XI) and striker Subash Singh (Air India). Army XI had eight players from the North East in their playing XI. The All India Football Federation, which intends to start national academies in both Goa and Haryana should start a centre in Manipur, Meghalaya or Mizoram, to tap the latent talent in the region.
An Indian football team beating current European champions Spain would be considered a figment of the imagination. But it happened in Paris last week. India’s U-12 years champion team Mohun Bagan upset Spain’s champion team 1-0. Later Bagan beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 but lost by solitary goals to Poland and Italy. Mohun Bagan finished a creditable 12th out of 40 countries in the U12 Danone Cup in Paris. They lost to the Czech Republic in sudden death in the pre-quarter finals but impressed with their skill and game sense.
Evidently, at the age-group level, Indian footballers can cope with the best in the world.
NewsSource:Howarah.org
