By IANS
Margao (Goa) : In a bid to promote football, the Goa Football Association (GFA) in association with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced Wednesday the launch of youth programme Kick-Off, the first in the series of Manchester United Soccer Schools programme here Wednesday.
“On behalf of the AIFF, I am delighted to welcome children to take part in our Kick-Off initiative,” said AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco.
“We have a bold vision for the future of football in India and this exciting scheme will only help to accelerate our progress on the world stage. We are also delighted to welcome Manchester United Soccer Schools to India – their worldwide reputation for youth development precedes them,” he added.
The Government of Goa and Bharati group will support the programme, which would be held from Oct 27 to Nov 2. The programme will provide an opportunity for thousands of aspiring young soccer players within the state to undertake a series of skills tests.
A coaching team from Manchester United Soccer Schools will supervise the programme, assisted by Brian McClair, who is the head of Manchester United’s Youth Academy. Brian played 470 matches for Manchester United during a distinguished career in which he scored 127 goals.
From each of the initial four days of the programme, a small group of the most talented players will be selected to attend intensive training from Oct 31 to Nov 2.
These selected players will take part in a series of coaching sessions and small-sided games with the objective of identifying talented young players capable of playing high quality, and technically sound football.
Players selected for the second phase of the programme will receive a full Nike training kit plus, for a select few, an opportunity to attend the Manchester United’s residential football school in the UK in 2008.
With the backing and support of many local schools, it is anticipated that up to 6,000 young players will take part in the initial stages of the programme.