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DIMAPUR — Team Kuhoxu from Niuland won the Western Sümi Sports Association's (WSSA) MBE Zhuikhu Memorial Trophy Gold Cup 2024 after a thrilling final match on Thursday, defeating Highway Area Sports Association (HASSA) with a close score of 6-5 in a penalty shootout after the match ended in a 1-1 tie.
Kuhoxu received a cash prize of INR 1 lakh as well as a trophy, while the HASSA team received INR 75,000 in addition to the trophy.
The tournament's top scorer was Mughapu Chishi from Kuhoxu. The best goalkeeper was Ikhuvi from HASSA. Kakhevi from Niuland was recognised as the best player, and the fair play team award was awarded to Xelhoxhe.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, which also marks the 25th year of the trophy, the guest of honour, Hekani Jakhalu, Advisor for Industries and Commerce, commended WSSA for organising such tournaments and encouraged it to bring even greater glories.
While interacting with the media at the event, Jakhalu stated that the department is working to amend the existing industrial policy and that many things have changed. She expressed hope that within the next six months, Nagaland will have a new industrial policy that is entrepreneurial, business, and investor-friendly.
Jakhalu pointed out that although the government has allocated a substantial sum to the Department of Industries and Commerce, it's important to recognise that within the department, there are entities such as Nagaland Hotels Limited, Nagaland Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited, etc. Jakhalu emphasised that while the allocated amount may appear significant, it is crucial for these cooperatives to effectively utilise the funds.
In response to the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) urging a CBI investigation into PDS schemes, she expressed gratitude for the presence of pressure groups, citing that it is important to have transparency and accountability.
Earlier, Jakhalu also laid the foundation stone for the Western Sumi Sports Association Phushito Memorial Sports Centre in Niuland.
Former football captain of India, Bhaichung Bhutia, who was also present at the event, said that to achieve success in football, there needs to be a focus on the grassroots level. He suggested that tournaments like this should be organised and promoted in every village and district, as that's where emerging players are nurtured.
He opined that the Nagaland Football Association needs to intensify its efforts and invest considerable time and energy into initiatives such as grassroots coaching programmes, organising tournaments, and providing the right platform and support.
When asked if training is one aspect that Naga athletes are lacking, he replied that the first thing Nagaland needs is to produce more coaches. He mentioned that the WSSA took a proactive step by sending more than 10 coaches to the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Academy for training last year. He added that such training programmes are very important, as coaching the kids effectively begins with adequately training the coaches.
He stated that both the government and the football association should prioritise the inclusion of many retired footballers as coaches, allowing them to develop into good coaches who can then pass on their knowledge to young players.
He mentioned that football does not require great infrastructure. The problem, not just in Nagaland, but throughout India, is that when people think of infrastructure, they think of stadiums, but they do not need stadiums but rather football grounds.