Representatives from thirty State Associations attended the ‘Coca-Cola Cup Workshop 2014’ with All India Football Federation’s Technical Team at the AIFF Headquarters, Football House in Dwarka, New Delhi on Tuesday. The Workshop aimed at explaining the procedure for selection of the Indian national team for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Besides, representatives from Coca-Cola also attended the Workshop.

“This is one of the most important Workshops I am attending as this will guide us as to how to select the Indian team for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup,” Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Federation stated at his opening address. “We need to understand that the Coca-Cola Cup is the primary source for selection for India to field a competitive team in the event,” he added. “I thank all of you for coming here and stay confident about your cooperation on the issue.”

“It’s important to stick to the AIFF philosophy as the selected boys will directly shift to the two Academies which will prepare the squad for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup,” Das maintained.

At present, the AIFF Regional Academy in Goa which had been operational since February 2013 has 34 boys in its roster.

“We presently have 34 players in our Academy in Goa and they are divided into two groups. That means we have room for 13 more players in each of the teams. And if we find better quality players from the Coca-Cola Cup, some of the players presently employed with us will have to go home,” Scott O’Donell, Technical Director, AIFF Academies, also Director of Coach Education, AIFF, uttered.

“This is the preparation for the World Cup and there can’t be any sentiment involved. There just can’t be any compromise” he maintained. “We need to find and pick India’s best players to walk onto the field for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel and Mr. Kushal Das have repeatedly stressed on the importance of using the Coca-Cola Cup as the scouting platform for the tournament.”

Players born on or after 01.01.2000 to 31.12.2002 are eligible to play in the Coca-Cola Cup.

“We will be keeping on looking for players and it will never end. Even if we find a player who’s better than the Academy players even prior to two months of the kick-off of the Championship, we will rope him in,” O’Donell mentioned.

“Youth Development is the key if we are to move forward. I urge full cooperation from all states and all other stakeholders for the success of the Coca-Cola Cup and the selection procedure of the World Cup in the larger perspective. I urge you all to broad base the initiative and involve all the districts for foolproof scouting,” Das further stated.

“It’s also important to State Teams to have a ‘C’ Licensed Coach and register a doctor or a physiotherapist with each of the teams.”

Dr. GD Gandhi, Chairman of AIFF’s Sports Medical Committee urged all to be “honest” and help eradicate age-fraud.

“Age-fraud is a burning issue in the Indian sporting scenario. But if we are to develop football in the country the demand of the time is to check age-fraud in all aspects. It is not impossible at all especially if one is determined to eradicate it,” he said.

O’Donell highlighted that the “easiest way to eradicate age-fraud is to register players at an early age.”

“If you, for example, create a database of players from the grassroot level, it will help, as the age of six, a kid can’t cheat. So when we reach a situation where we have doubts over the age of a player, we can always go back to the database,” he maintained.

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)