IMPHAL, July 5: The semi-professional Indian football team will acquire the professional standards within four or five years, stated AIFF Staff Coaches (AFC-B) license holder Ngangkham Bitan Singh today in an interview with media persons.
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| Coach Bitan poses with the players (file) |
The factors favouring the change in Indian football team is the success of I-League and establishment of various regional football academies. These academies are coaching young footballers in the age of U-12, U-14 and U-16, he noted.
Bitan further maintained that the India could rise up to fifth spot in the Asia ranking. U-16 Indian team will be qualified for the world cup if it reaches up to the semi-final of Asia qualifying round. Four countries will participate in the Asia Cup.
The Indian team has undergone a three-year training camp at Florida and it has won the IMG Cup 2012. The team is currently undergoing training at Goa where he himself is the assistant coach for U-16, he stated.
The matches against the US boys were close encounters and the Indian youngsters were not rewarded for a spiriting performance. India U16 coach Bitan Singh lauded the boys for putting up a brave fight.
“The boys played well. The USA U17 boys are a class act. The match will only add to the confidence of our wards,” Bitan told the media person.
The Indian yongsters who had been trained at the IMG Academy joined the U16 preparatory camp for the AFC Under-16 Championships final phase in Goa. The camp have been undergoing under the watchful eyes Colm Toal since June 1.
The IMG Academy based boys are joining the home-based boys. The Indian U16 national team is scheduled to take on Uzbekistan, Syria and China in Group D of the championship. The matches will be played in the Iranian capital Tehran.
Before the championship, Indian players will be provided a foreign exposure in Turkey.
Maibam Jimmy from Manipur is also a member of U-16 Indian football team.
AIFF is focusing the youth development for the future of the game in the country and Asia continent as well. The federation is planning to bid for the Under 17 World Cup in 2017 and hopping that to host the event can bring a sea change to the sport in the country.
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