Manipur football development programme concludes

Imphal, Jan.19: Manipur’s football experts expressed the need to intensify the regular grassroot football development programme across the state in a move to explore young talents in producing quality footballers in days to come. “We need to identify young talents and give necessary training the way the European countries are practicising since many years ago,” says State government’s consultant and former commissioner Dr RK Nimai Singh, a football expert. “We also need to introduce popular footballers besides coaches in developing young footballers.” Football expert Dr RK Nimai who is actively involved in grooming women football here was speaking at the concluding function of the 15 days grassroot football development programme which started from January 5 at the Thangmeiband Athletic Union(ThAU) ground in Manipur’s Imphal west district on Thursday. The football development programme was organised with the active participation of more than 140 children aged between 6-14 years.Former sports director W Bhaktaraj Singh, President of ThAU Dr K Arunkanta and senior football coach (Retd) Th Dhanabir Singh who were the functional president and guests of honour on the concluding function also shared their experiences. The objective of the programme was to groom football players from the grassroots levels in the state which is currently having more than 200 footballers playing for the premier football clubs of the country, according to VSAI secretary Hawaibam Imo. On January 10, a number of I-league players from Manipur including Gouramangi, Malemnganba and other players from Japan, Nigeria and state favourite NEROCA FC interacted with the young footballers during the programme wherein the visiting I-League players urged the young players to give their best in whatever endeavours they choose and set the sky as the limit.