[1]A first of its kind residential football academy in the state is expected to roll out in two years as the Kerala football association envisions a five-year plan.
KFA sources have revealed their master plan of grooming a focus group of select under-12 kids with the 2017 under-17 FIFA World Cup in mind.
The academy will come up at Kochi with the support of second-division side Eagles FC. The project is expected to function on the academy syllabus of England's Championship side Reading FC, who have agreed to offer technical assistance to the KFA.
Kids born after 2002 will be selected for the academy and their progress will be evaluated systematically.
The academy plans to maintain a set number of 30. Trainees who fail the evaluation programme will be eliminated.
Even as India's bid to host the World Cup is yet to be accepted the KFA aims to prepare a good number of youth footballers for the national team, who might get an opportunity to play at the biggest level.
The KFA has also proposed an annual football festival for kids in the age groups 6-12 from next season. “We will have three training centres for the kids in each district and there will be regular football festivals,“ said Anil Kumar, KFA secretary .
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/football-symbolic-ed81jpg-568