CHENNAI: When Anjali Shah hired a foreign coach to nurture her football-frenzied son, she hardly envisaged that she was triggering a cause for the development of the sport in the country. Six years later, her son Neel is an under-14 Maharashtra player. But it’s magnitude blurs as she and her husband Nirvan (an UEFA B licensed coach), in the meantime, started an Academy— Premier India Football Academy—which has speedily evolved into the foremost breeding ground for aspiring footballers.
The Mumbai-based Academy that started with a handful of students and visiting coaches in 2005 now boasts 850 students— between eight and 18—from eight centres and 26 qualified coaches. Besides, they have tie-ups with youth academies of clubs such as AC Milan, Liverpool FC, David Beckham Football Academy and Rangers FC. “Our mission is to help India qualify for the 2022 World Cup,” Anjali said.
The PIFA follows similar training techniques as these clubs. Outlined Anjali, “Our mantra is to let the kids have serious fun while they hone their skills at our coaching camps. The players are trained for six hours every day with the emphasis on holistic development. There are classes on skills, fitness and psychology besides annual tours to the European clubs.” The results are also showing as many of the trainees are in the U-14 and 17 (Ajit Bhoir, Harshad Meher, Rishi Singh and Prundhvi Kumar) national sides.
PIFA were the only Indian club invited for the U-17 club competition in South Africa and played against eventual champions Boca Juniors, FC Kaiserslautern and Inter Milan. Meanwhile, the Academy bids to spread out to other parts of the country. Hence, Anjali and two UEFA B Licence English coaches from Inspire Sports Education Academy in Manchester— Sean Clancy and Garreth Rafferty— are at the JN Stadium for a four-day camp. “The response has been quite encouraging especially as this is our first visit. I should thank CR Visswanathan (TFA president) and Latha Subramaniam for the support, especially in finding a lovely stadium,” she said.
Sean, a left-back with Fleetwood Town FC based in Lancashire, is optimistic of India’s wealth of talent. “India is a sleeping giant. With better infrastructure and exposure the game can improve. The youngsters here are really enthusiastic,” he observed.
On the sidelines, the Academy brought the bankrupt Colaba Youth Football Club in 2006. In only two years, the club got promoted twice and played last year in MDFA’s elite division alongside Mumbai FC, Air India and Mahindra United. And to its credit finished seventh.