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443432_heroa.jpgSlack: ISL is born out of Ambani and Forstmann’s vision The global business development officer of IMG discusses the challenges they faced ahead of the inaugural edition of the ISL... Jefferson Slack believes that the Indian Super League (ISL) wouldn’t have been a reality had it not been the vision of Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and late Ted Forstmann, who was the chairman and CEO of IMG. It was back in March, 2010 that they announced an equal joint venture, IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd to develop, market and manage sports and entertainment in India. “Development of sports and the sporting culture is a social imperative for India in the 21st Century. World class infrastructure, frugal engineering, technology and scientific coaching are integral parts of development of today's sporting talent globally," Ambani said. "With IMG's five decade experience, we are embarking on an exciting journey to transform the sporting fabric in the country. Our joint venture company will actively work with like minded organisations and invest in developing immensely talented young Indians," he added. Slack refers to the above statement and highlights that it was the foresight of Ambani and Forstmann which has seen football become the buzzword in the Indian sports circuit, at least in the last couple of months with the ISL taking important steps towards its inaugural edition. “As you say it is easy today sitting here with the fact that we have got franchisees and that Star is our partner and say like it was all destined to be. I think it was the vision of the two guys which are the big views of the world - Mukesh Ambani and Ted Forstmann, made the difference,” Slack told Goal. He acknowledged there were several trials before the ISL could see light of the day given that they wanted the new league to be ‘approved’ one instead of creating a rebel entity as was the case with cricket’s Indian Cricket League (ICL). “If you get into the execution part of it, we had lots of challenges with the existing league (I-League) that was in place. Obviously there was a lot of push back on that and we had to work on it with the stakeholders as we are partners with the AIFF (All India Football Federation). We had to do things in the correct way as this was not a normal league but it had to be a sanctioned league under the auspices of AIFF and FIFA. So that took some time,” he said. The former Inter Milan CEO hailed the idea of bringing in a broadcaster on board as a partner in Star as opposed to selling television rights which is followed by most leagues across the world, including cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL). 427275_heroa.jpgSlack explains the challenges faced by ISL “I think it took us time to get the business model right. It also took some time to get the right people. We have a great organisation of people now and then the final piece was the idea that instead of just selling the television rights to the highest bidder, we will bring in a partner. “Star has been essential and I don't think we could have done without them. So that was another very innovative idea that came to the table and once we had that, the momentum gets started.” Just over eight months after IMG-Reliance was born, they signed a 15-year partnership with the AIFF to radically restructure, overhaul, improve, popularize and promote the game of football throughout India, from the grassroots to the professional level. With this agreement, IMG-Reliance had all commercial rights to all properties controlled by the Indian FA. One criticism levelled on IMG-Reliance has been that it took them close to four years in order to kick-start the new league they had been planning all along. Slack explains that the interim period also saw football gain more foot-hold amongst the youngsters in India which would obviously aid in popularizing the game further. “I think the year when we signed the contract in 2010, football in India continued to grow, so the premise and promise of Indian football only increased. Now we have just come out of World Cup and you feel that buzz. Unfortunately, the Indian team wasn’t playing but it’s because people are enjoying football in India and the demographics continue to grow that way with a lot of urban kids more into it. It’s just the power of football that continued to grow in the four years. So that has helped too,” he said. "That’s how all these things have helped to overcome the some of the challenges. But none of it was inevitable. This is the product of lot of work and lot of investment, lot of financial commitment. You wouldn't have been here today if IMG-Reliance hadn’t agreed to put a lot of money in this,” he highlighted the commitment of the organisers. The invitation to bid for the eight franchisees saw an overwhelming response, according to Slack given that there was a market who was waiting for a sound environment to invest in football domestically. “It’s like you are trying to have the baby for the first time but you are not sure. We didn't know and we only follow the premise was that there was an underline demand for all these franchisees in a football league. What else we just opened the envelopes; we didn't knew how many people came for the bid. Then we had the drama of opening the envelope and that's what actually happened. “And that was another huge step forward because without that we wouldn't have been here. The premise that we had is now a fact and the fact that we have is that we have good partners who will invest significant amount of money and in addition, we have biggest names in Bollywood and Indian sports as part of it,” he remarked. With every franchisee expected to spend around Rs.40-to-50 crores per season, Slack stated that the growth of capital asset in the long term would make up for the operational losses. “The IPL has shown that there was a demand for ownership but it’s also shown that economically it's a good asset. If you can own a sport franchise and make the league work, the capital value of that asset grows significantly because it is de facto monopoly of a major sport. If you believe that, then you are okay for some operating losses to get there. The losses will go into this capital appreciation of this monopoly asset.” Slack stressed that the ISL has maintained lucidity with the franchisees who are being treated as partners. “People got into that vision and what we have tried to do is to become partners with them. I’m sure most of them share that view that we have changed lot of things, we have toned up certain rules and procedures because they wanted it differently. We are very upfront, transparent and operate in the best practice way in the way the franchisees were chosen. “Once we have got them on board we demonstrated that there is great flexibility. We could see the spirit of that was great and the dialogue was back and forth. We know that we will not be successful without them. “So that was another question mark because that we weren't sure. If we hadn't sold the franchisees, all of this idea of Indian football and ISL would not have been here today. I think all the good ideas when you look back and say, ‘Oh, it was the obvious thing’ but it wasn’t the obvious thing really. We weren’t sure of how many people would bid and how much they would bid for.”
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285951_heroa.jpgSlack: ISL franchisees to break-even by the fourth season The IMG official stated that the amount invested by Hero into the ISL is the maximum any corporate has set aside for domestic football in India... Jefferson Slack, IMG’s global business development officer for football, believes that the Indian Super League’s (ISL) franchisees will be in a position to recover their costs by the fourth season. With every ISL team expected to spend between Rs.40-to-50 crores per year on an average, Slack backs the financial model of the new league which is dependent on central and localised sponsorship apart from the gate revenues and space selling on television. “We are projecting that by year three or four, there would be operation break-even for the franchisees. I think some of them are already doing ahead on the sponsorships which is good. We just announced our title sponsor, Hero and at a number which I think is extraordinary. It is more money than that is committed to football in India by a major company,” Slack told Goal. He hoped that with Hero backing the ISL, there will be more corporates lining up to associate themselves with the league and the franchisees as well. “So we have again begun the demonstration of fact that we can plan major corporate sponsorship. We will continue to do that and I hope that same thing happens with the franchisees,” he further added.
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344700_heroa.jpgFive Atletico PR players part of ISL’s draft The seventh placed outfit in the Brazilian Serie A shall loan five players for the inaugural edition of the ISL... The international players’ draft of the Indian Super League (ISL) to be held later this month in Mumbai shall see five under-23 players of Brazilian side, Atletico PR. The deal with IMG-Reliance, organisers of the ISL was initiated back in April this year when Luiz Greco, the International Director of the Brazilian club was in India. It must be noted that Greco served as the Technical Director of the Mohun Bagan academy a few years back. Erwin Spitzner (centre-back), Gustavo Marmentini dos Santos and Bruno de Lima (attacking midfielder), Guilherme Felipe de Castro (defensive midfielder) and Pedro Adriano Veloso Gusmao (striker) will be part of the ISL’s international players’ draft and are product of Atletico PR’s youth team. Meanwhile, Anglian Holdings have joined hands with Atletico PR to bring in more Brazilian players to India. Apart from the above mentioned players, there are three French centre-backs in Sylvain Monsoreau (former Lyon and AS Monaco), Cedric Hengbart (former Auxxerre) and Youness Bengelloun (former PSG ‘B’) in the elite roster. Four Colombian and a Serbian player have also been roped in for the international players draft.
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Five Atletico players take the path of India The Erwin defender, midfielder Gustavo Marmetini, flywheels Guilherme Batata and Bruno Pelissari and striker Pedro Gusmao. noticia_511524_img1_10f1.jpg Erwin: defender was on loan from Atlético for the new football league in India (photo: Play / TV) Five Atletico players will play in the Indian Super League (ISL), India. The Erwin defender, midfielder Gustavo Marmetini, flywheels Guilherme Batata and Bruno Pelissari and striker Pedro Gusmao. were loaned by the Brazilian club. The competition was created in 2013 and follows the same lines of the Major League Soccer (USA), in which the clubs are franchises and there is no relegation. The ISL will also use the system to "draft" used by the NBA basketball league in the United States, in which the athletes are in a list and choose the clubs in a specific order, in an attempt to give more balance in the competition. The ISL begins in October and ends in December. There are eight clubs, who face off in round-robin. The top four face off in the semifinals. Among the highlights of the competition are the French striker Trezeguet, 36, and the Spanish side Capdevila, 36 years. The Athletic in April signed a partnership with IMG-Reliance, one of the largest economic group in India, which will manage the ISL. The five players were assigned by the Athletic Club under-23 group. And just played at Campeonato Paranaense. Erwin who else was served. He started in 2013 with 21 games and one goal. In 2014, only made one game. Bruno Pelissari arrived to work in nine games games in 2013, but none in the current season. Gustavo played two games in 2014 Pedro Gusmao never played for Atlético-PR professional. "My expectations are very high," said midfielder Gustavo Marmentini, who was named Player of the Tournament Blue Stars FIFA in May, in Switzerland. "It will be a great experience to know a new country. We will help to develop football and have the opportunity to experience a new culture, "he said to the official website of Atlético-PR.
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Slack admits IMG-Reliance not considering a ‘long’ league for now 427275_heroa.jpgThe senior IMG official stated that the organisers have had to adopt in order to ensure that football is taken to the masses... IMG-Reliance, the official marketing and broadcast rights holders of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) have chosen to have a unique tournament of two-and-a-half month duration for the Indian market with the hope that the shorter format would capture the imagination of the nation. However, with the basic premise of promoting football and hoping that in the next decade, India will make into the World Cup, the Indian Super League (ISL) will have to be a successful initiative both from a marketing and technical perspective. FIFA have asked the AIFF to work on a four-year strategic plan which would cover all aspects from youth development to the I-League to national team and more. With regards to the ISL, the Indian FA have requested IMG-Reliance to the best explain their goals, objectives to be achieved until 2018 which would be included the plan thereafter which FIFA general secretary, Jerome Valcke is expected to unveil. With several franchisees such as the Delhi Dynamos wishing that the ISL’s duration to be extended in the near future, IMG’s global business development officer for football, Jefferson Slack comments on the said topic holds massive importance. “We are going to walk before we run. I have worked in football for a very long time. Football is a very traditional game where we have various technologies for this traditional game. I think it is going to be affordable because it is so successful commercially and we would like it to be seen a little bit more in order,” Slack told Goal. He mentioned that the most popular game on the planet is very conventional and follows an established pattern across the world. What it, as a game hasn’t done is, adapt to suit various cultures which would have taken its popularity to a different dimension altogether. Slack points that a short term league with all razzmatazz and entertainment factor, works for India as has been demonstrated in cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL). “One of the challenges football possesses is its tradition in ways of doing things when it goes through new cultures. I think within India, you have a different culture. You have a very successful example in the IPL; it’s a model which does not exist anywhere else in the world. IPL has been the most successful league launched in the last 50 to 60 years, maybe the EPL (English Premier League) but it had existing clubs and was only reformatted.” He highlighted that the immediate concern of the organisers is to ensure that the inaugural edition proves to be a success. “Given that we had to adapt (to the Indian market), we took this approach, and I think it does work. We are thinking about a year one and we are not thinking about year two. “We are thinking about making sure we have a year two because the first year was successful. But you are absolutely right. The rest of the world and the traditional football league is a full season which is of six-to-eight months. We understand that but that's not what we are thinking about right now.” On being further pressed that should ISL see several Indian kids take to football, would the organisers consider changing the format of the league into a longer one, Slack admitted that it is indeed a natural process in the world of football, but for now, patience is the need of the hour. “You are right, what we are doing as IMG-Reliance with Star and the owners, it all now depends on the success of Indian football. These clubs could become centres of excellence for young children to play football and they can start developing coaches. Throughout the world, club football is about developing players so that they become national players. This is a beautiful virtuoso circle.” “It has to happen for us and it has to happen for them (franchisees) but that takes time. The modern world doesn’t have a lot of patience which is why we have drafted the strategy (of a short term league) that we have. “Instead of having marquee players from outside, we have Indian players who can be marquee players and probably go somewhere and play for Manchester United. This country will be nuts about it. And if the national team qualifies for the World Cup, all these visions are what we have. However, again our focus today, from now until December is to have a great product in the ISL.”
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Screwvala, Abhishek may bid for Chennai franchise CHENNAI: Ronnie Screwvala, founder of media and entertainment group UTV, may bid for a Chennai-based Indian Super League (ISL) team along with actor Abhishek Bachchan, it is reliably learnt. The city was not among the eight ISL teams initially, but with Sun Group pulling out of the Bangalore franchise recently, the organizers decided to shift the venue. "Chennai is most definitely going to be the replacement for Bangalore. Abhishek Bachchan is keen on bidding for a team. He may do so along with Screwvala," said a source. "If the partnership with Screwvala doesn't work out, India Cements or GMR will look to partner with Bachchan as these groups had bid for a team earlier," the source added. Screwvala supposedly had bid for Bangalore franchise during the bidding process. Three parties - Sun Group, JSW and a consortium led by Abhishek Bachchan - had bid for the Bangalore franchise. With Sun Group pulling out, the franchise must have gone to JSW. But due to serious disagreements between JSW and IMG Reliance, the promoters and organizers of ISL, the Bangalore franchise did not go to JSW. Del Piero to play for Delhi? Juventus legend Alessandro del Piero is in advanced talks with Sameer Manchanda of Den Networks, the owners of Delhi Dynamos, to sign up as the marquee player for the team. Many websites had earlier reported that del Piero might be considering a move to India from Sydney. "Delhi is looking to sign him as he is among the biggest names playing in the ISL," said a source. IMG R have almost finalized on shifting from Bangalore to Chennai also due to problems with the two Bangalore stadiums. "JSW, also the owners of Bengaluru FC, are taking a long time to renovate both stadiums (KSFA and Kanteerava Stadium) in Bangalore. While it only takes three weeks to lay a standard international pitch, the organizers decided to shift the venue itself because this renovation seems to have been going on for a long time," the source said. Another source said it remains to be seen whether Bachchan agrees for the venue change to Chennai as he had opted for Bangalore during the bidding process.
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Dattaraj to head Goa franchise, launch on Aug 26 Panaji: The Goa franchise of the Indian Super League, set for launch on August 26, will be headed by Dattaraj Salgaocar. The Goa franchise, registered as Goan FC Pvt Ltd under the societies act, has three directors -- Dattaraj Salgaocar, Shrinivas Dempo and Saurabh Dhoot -- but according to documents submitted by the company for registration with the Goa Football Association, Dattaraj Salgaocar has been named as president, while Rajeev Kulkarni, employed with Dempo group of companies, has been enlisted as secretary. Officials in the know said the franchise will be launched on August 26 at a popular hotel in the city and the name will be announced as well. "There are several names that are under consideration," said the official. The franchise had invited suggestions from fans about the possible name and there were as many as 600 entries. From among those names, Viva Goa and FC Goa are understood to be the most popular, while other suggested names include Goan Gladiators, Goan Dolphins, Beach Boys and Goan Flavours. "There are two different thoughts to the name. First, if we want to make news as a serious football side, especially in the European market, the name has to be football-centric. There are some who feel the name can have a fun element with a strong Goan connect," said a source. It was not immediately known if the franchise would announce the manager at the launch. There are reports, and some strong indications, that Steve Clarke, formerly assistant to Jose Mourinho, the Special One, at Chelsea FC, has agreed a deal to take over the franchise as manager. There is also talk that India cricket star Virat Kohli will be involved with the Goa franchise, either as a partner with sweat equity or purely in an ambassadorial role. "There is lot of interest in the Indian Super League. Even sponsors are showing keen interest in the competition, and although we have not yet confirmed any deals, we remain confident that the future is bright," said another official. It is understood that Adidas will be the kit sponsor for the Goa franchise. The ISL is a new football championship, aiming to foster local talent and feature international stars, making the game one of the country's flagship sports. The ISL will feature eight franchises from Bengaluru, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. FACTFILE Company name: Goan FC Pvt. Ltd. President: Dattaraj Salgaocar Secretary: Rajeev Kulkarni Directors: Dattaraj Salgaocar, Shrinivas Dempo, Saurabh Dhoot Home ground: Nehru Stadium, Fatorda Training ground: Tilak Maidan, Vasco Colour: Blue/White
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Chopra to play in the ISL Ipswich-v-Watford-Michael-Chopra-Lloyd-Doyley_2903209.jpgMichael Chopra to play in the inaugural Indian Super League. Former Newcastle and Sunderland striker Michael Chopra says he will relinquish British citizenship to play for India after it was announced he would play in the inaugural Indian Super League (ISL). The Newcastle academy product has scored 114 goals in his career in England and has featured for clubs including Sunderland, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest, Watford and Ipswich. Released by Blackpool this summer, Chopra - whose father is Indian - insists he cannot wait to begin a new chapter in his career. "It's an amazing feeling and I am very excited and privileged to be part of this fantastic opportunity to develop football in India," he told Sky Sports News HQ. “After playing in England for 12,13 years now I'm ready for a new challenge. I’m looking forward to the Indian Super League and getting into the I League after that. “In the future I'd like to open up academies and hopefully one day represent India which has been a dream of mine for some time. My desire to play for India is well known and now I must do all I can to prove my ability and show fans that I'm worthy. “I'd have to give my British passport up to do so but I want to fulfil my career and in years to come I want to tell my son that I was a part of all of this.” The 30-year-old will take part in Thursday's ISL draft for the eight team inter-city league which is the brainchild of the All India Football Federation and its marketing partner IMG. Andy Knee, vice-president of business development at IMG football, said: “We're thrilled that he's signed to participate in the Hero Indian Super League, and look forward to seeing him in action for the very first time on Indian soil." Ajay K Mahan from Michael’s agency SME added: “This opportunity realises Michael’s goal to progress his football career and to reunite him with his Indian heritage which has been a desire of his for a few years.” World Cup winners and European champions Robert Pires and David Trezeguet, and Champions League winner Luis Garcia, are among the marquee names that will play in the league which begins October 12. European sides Atletico Madrid, Fiorentina and Feyenoord have all signed strategic partnerships with Super League clubs while Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham are team co-owners. Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are also among the co-owners of different franchises in the ISL which Chopra hopes will help the league mirror the success of the IPL. “The Indian Premier League cricket is on Sky (next year) and is really big,” he added. "While the sport has become increasingly popular all over the world the ISL will put Indian football on the map. The Super League is only just kicking off so I think in years to come it will turn out to be a bit like the IPL. “I think people will start following football more, watch it more and start wanting to play it more." Asian Football Awards founder and football agent Baljit Rihal from Inventive Sports added: “I have worked closely with the SME Group and IMG to ensure that Michael is part of what we believe is a poignant moment in the history of Indian football.”
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ISL to kick off grassroots program in Kolkata KOLKATA: The Indian Super League's grassroots development programme is all set to kick on Sunday with a three-day workshop with an aim to popularise and develop football in the country. ISL's grassroots program is an important aspect of the League's initiative. The commitment for grassroots program was one of the key pre-conditions set by promoters IMG-Reliance and Star India among the bidders, in owning the club other than the financial aspect. The three-day workshop is the first initiative in the grassroots development program by the League organisers and is designed in association with All India Football Federation. Scott O'Donnell, Technical Director - Academies and Director Coach Education at AIFF will conduct the theory as well as practical sessions. The workshop will have participation from the Clubs' grassroots program development managers. Each ISL club have appointed Development Managers and Development Officers who in turn will be responsible for running their respective club's grassroots program and in-school training activities in their city/region. Piet Hubers, Member UEFA Grassroots Working Group and UEFA Grassroots Panel, will also be present at the three-day workshop as special invitee. Hubers has been a member of the UEFA Grassroots Panel since year 2000 and has vast experience in football development at grassroots level. He will oversee the workshop and provide his guidance to the ISL club representatives. The theory session will be held at Camellias Banquets, Axis Mall, New Town, Kolkata while the practical aspect will be organised at Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Complex, Salt Lake.
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ISL offers Rs 15 crore in prize money Panaji: Indian football is set for exponential growth, courtesy the Indian Super League. If money is the key parameter, the ISL's payload -- 11 times the prize money that India's premier football competition offers - promises to take the sport an echelon higher if not more. The I-League, India's top competition which provides winners with a ticket to compete with Asian football's elite, offers a purse of Rs 70 lakh for the winners but the ISL has offered a jaw-dropping Rs 15 crore in prize money which includes Rs 8 crore for the winners. The losing finalist will walk home with a purse of Rs 4 crore while the two other semifinalists who miss out on a place in the final will have to settle for Rs 1.5 crore each, according to tournament rules issued by IMG-Reliance, organizers of the ISL, to all eight participating franchisees. The ISL prize money is second only to the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket for sports competitions in India. The IPL, which inspired the formation of the ISL, a franchise-based tournament, has Rs 35 crore in prize money alone, with the winners getting richer by Rs 15 crore. Hockey India League (HIL) offers Rs 2.5 crore for the winners, while the ongoing Pro Kabaddi League is a lot less lucrative with prize money of Rs 1 crore. Besides the stated prize money in the Indian Super League, participating clubs will also receive a sum determined by their respective teams' position in the league table at the end of the league matches. The sum, also called the performance bonus, will be calculated as per the participation agreement. "Each team will at the end of the league matches be given a certain number of League Points depending on its final position in the league table before the play-off matches for that ISL season," states the ISL rules, a copy of which is with TOI. "The ISL is a money-spinner and there is no denying that. The I-League, really, is an extremely poor cousin," said one club official. The All India Football Federation, which governs the game and organizes the I-League, has often struggled to get sponsors on board for their blueriband competition. Worse still, at times, they have failed to pay the I-League winners even a year after the competition has ended. Significantly, ISL franchisees and I-League clubs spend an almost equal amount on the players for the season -- approx. Rs 11-12 crore -- although the ISL will involve several other cost like accommodation, infrastructure, youth development, support staff, media and match organisation. The ISL is a new franchise-based football tournament on the lines of the hugely-successful IPL T20 cricket. When it started... Indian Super League Winners: Rs 8 crore Runnersup: Rs 4 crore Indian Premier League T20 Winners: Rs 4.08 crore Runnersup: Rs 2.40 crore Indian Badminton League Winners: Rs 3.5 crore Runnersup: Rs 2 crore Hockey India League Winners: Rs 2.5 crore Runnersup: Rs 1.25 crore Pro Kabaddi League Winners: Rs 50 lakh Runnersup: Rs 25 lakh
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ISL grassroots workshop to train million kids KOLKATA: Aimed at scouting and nurturing a million budding footballers, the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday kicked off its ambitious Grassroots Development Programme with a three-day workshop here. All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Technical Director of Academies and Director Coach Education Scott O'Donnell, who is supervising the programme, said the ISL will play a catalytic role in raising the sport's profile in the country. "There is no doubt the ISL and the involvement of international stars including the likes of Michael Chopra and Freddie Ljungberg will play a big role in raising the game's profile in India. Indian football is now getting into the newspapers and the media, this is what you need," said O'Donnell. "The aim at working at the grassroots is to make kids enjoy the game and its following increases. We want as many boys and girls to come forward. The programme aims to train at least a million kids." Under the programme, each of the eight ISL franchises have pooled Rs.2 crore and appointed development managers and officers entrusted with the responsibility of scouting and training budding talents. O'Donnell and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Grassroots Working Group member Piet Hubers held a theory session Sunday with the development managers and officers as a part of the initiative. "It's not only about the basic skills of football but also about the approaches the trainers need to adopt while scouting and training the kids. The theory session involves lessons on the technical aspects of the game and scientific approaches about motivation, fitness training etc," said an ISL official. "Contribution of the franchises towards the programme was one of the basic qualifications during bidding because our aim is to take the game to every nook and corner of the country." The next workshop is expected to be held in New Delhi or Mumbai at the end of the month.
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Trezeguet: India move a dream football-david-trezeguet-juventus-france_3192384.jpgFormer Juventus player David Trezeguet greets fans prior to the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma Former Juventus striker David Trezeguet says playing in the inaugural Indian Super League is his opportunity to help build a dream for a billion people in the sub-continent. The 36-year-old has been signed up as the marquee player for Pune City FC in the eight-team league devised by IMG and the All India Football Federation, commencing October 12. Trezeguet, a former European Championship and World Cup winner with France, has just finished a three-year stint playing in Argentina with River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys. And the former Monaco striker insists the challenge of helping develop football in the world’s second most populated country is his chance to give something back to the game. “India is a special country in so many ways and I have always had the desire to go to India,” Trezeguet told Sky Sports. “Of all the possibilities that I had, the Indian opportunity was the one I enthusiastically wanted and not just for football reasons. “When I learned about this project and the role I would play in building a dream, not just for one, but for one billion people, my heart just said ‘I have to do this’. “For me the role and the connection with my heart is the most important thing. This is a new step for me and an important experience in my career – now it’s time to give something back.” Joining the Frenchman in the ISL are players including former Liverpool forward Luis Garcia and the man who set Trezeguet up for the winning goal in the final of Euro 2000, Robert Pires. “For both me and Robert Pires it will be another meeting in this new experience,” Trezeguet added. “He is a great person and I consider him a great personal friend.” Pune City FC CEO Gaurav Modwel says he is delighted to have lured a player of Trezeguet’s calibre to the ISL. “David is the absolute top name in the ISL up until now,” he said. “We always wanted our marquee player and our best player to be a striker. “David has achieved so much in the game and will be a big motivator for the rest of the players here at Pune City FC. We’re all very, very excited and proud to have him in our team.” Prashant Agarwal, CEO of Kshatriya Sports - the agency that brokered the deal taking Trezeguet to the ISL - added: “It’s my personal passion and dream to develop football in India. Football was the tool used my Mahatma Gandhi to start his movement of non-violence and freedom - it can change many things. “David is the perfect role model to do this in India. India needs people like him as he brings hope to 1.2 billion people there.”
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#HeroISL is happy to unveil the names of all footballers participating in the International Player Draft this week. Complete lists are attached. The comprehensive list boasts of experienced footballers and young promising talents from across the world with an average age of 28 years, having played 8197 competitive matches in various leagues globally with an average of 186 appearances per player. A warm welcome to all 49 players! BvUjC3iIYAEv8yG.pngBvUjIKcIMAAHp9L.pngBvUjXonIIAAEQpi.pngBvUjkQXIEAAYBjI.pngBvUjucNIcAADg-c.png
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Pune: Rajesh Wadhawan Group-owned Pune franchise of Indian Super League, FC Pune City on unveiled its full players` list along with the official team jersey for the inaugural edition of the IPL-style tournament set to commence on October 12. Following the selection of five international players in the draft yesterday, the team has a full squad of 10 international players and 14 domestic players. Eleven out of the 14 Indian players were present at the unveiling of the team here. This is the first time that the 11 Indian players have come together here as they prepare themselves to represent the team in the ISL that is set to conclude on December 20. The Squad: Former Juventus striker David Trezeguet as the marquee player, Bruno Cirillo, Emanuele Belardi, Daniele Magliocchetti, Davide Colomba, Lenny Rodrigues, Dharmaraj Ravanan, Ashutosh Mehta, Joaquim Abranches, Pritam Kotal, Manish Maithani, Israil Gurung, Deepak Devrani, Tapan Maity, Arindam Bhattacharya, Anupam Sarkar, Pratik Shinde, Lalit Thapa, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Andres Felipe Gonzalez Ramirez, Saidou Mady Panandetiguiri, Omar Andres Rodriguez Martinez, Ivan Bolado Palacios and Park Kwang-Il. The team has also got on board former Serie A Italian midfielder Franco Colomba as the head coach. "Following yesterday`s international player draft, the entire playing squad is in place and shall be led by our marquee player David Trezequet who will play a big role as a team mentor and player. I am confident that the Indian and overseas players will blend in together and play some great football for the Indian fans," said the team`s CEO Gaurav Modwel. "It is FC Pune City`s objective to provide aspiring and young Indian football players an opportunity to play alongside international football players. Our association with ACF Fiorentina provides our players the unique benefit of being trained and coached in a globally acclaimed football ecosystem," he added. Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi, with a seating capacity of 12000, is the home ground for the team. Incidentally, it is also one of the eight stadiums selected for the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, to be hosted by the country. The team would commence their practice sessions from August 24 and utilise facilities at the Symbiosis University, Infosys Pune DC (Development Centre) and the Balewadi Stadium. FC Pune City has a strategic tie-up with Italian football major ACF Fiorentina, which boasts of a robust legacy of being among the top five clubs that have played the maximum number of Series A matches. The team launched its official jersey as the first visual merchandise of its brand identity. DIDA has come on board as the team`s official kitting partner. In addition, the team also launched its Facebook page - www.facebook.com/FCPuneCity. BvpH8l7CYAEdB70.jpgBvpXmZ7IAAABeYq.pngBvpYWqLCcAARiSE.jpg

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