The FIFA Youth Course which aims to broaden the base of the player pyramid structure by producing impeccable Grassroots Coaches and Instructors kicked-off in Gurgaon, Haryana on November 21, 2015. The Course which has 25 attendees will conclude on November 25.

In an exclusive interview, AIFF Media caught up with Course Instructor Islam Akhmedov, also a former India U-17 and U-20 Coach on the importance of the course, its significance and other details.

INTERVIEW

What does the Course aim at?
The Course aims to make better Indian coaches. It syncs the coaches with the modern trends of world football, hence, evolving them in the process. It also gives them insights on how to harness grassroots and build an efficient grassroots structure.

What is the significance of this Course?
It’s simple – to understand what happens in modern day Grassroots Football, while raising the bar of Indian coaches in the process. If the Indian coaches implement what they have learned in this Course, the quality of players at the grassroots level will increase.

How imperative it is to conduct such Youth Courses?
A building is only as strong enough as its foundation and so is the case with football. This Course is engineered to construct a solid foundation by creating good Grassroots Coaches. If you develop good Grassroots Coaches who in turn will harness sterling talents, then you will have a viable footballing network.

How important it is to harness grassroots?
Harnessing grassroots does not only widen the base of the player pyramid structure but it also gives a sterling scouting system, thus, helping any country to strive towards excellence. The foundation of a strong footballing nation is laid by the grassroots of the country.

What is your assessment of the participants thus far?
The Indian coaches are eager to learn and sync themselves with the modern trends of world football. Some of the coaches have more knowledge than me and that is a really positive sign for Indian football. The coaches need to have a belief through knowledge that they too can produce good players in grassroots. I just want to show them the way.

(Interview & Photo courtesy AIFF Media)