New Delhi, Oct 13: After successfully launching the Vision India programme in Manipur and Kerala, and with Tamil Nadu to follow, it is now the turn of Goa and West Bengal to get the benefits from this project which aims at development of football at the grassroots level.
The two power centres of Indian football have been shortlisted by the All India Football Federation for the programme.
“We were told by the AIFF to sent a proposal which we have already submitted,” Goa Football Association secretary Savio Messias told reporters.
“The federation had also asked us to obtain the state government's consent and that too we had done,” Messias added.
“But it has been six months since and we are yet to hear from the AIFF. Hopefully, it will start soon.”
The Indian Football Association too had submitted a similar consent from the West Bengal government and is awaiting a reply.
But IFA secretary Utpal Ganguli informed that the association won't entirely follow a programme that is being carried out in Manipur and Kerala.
“We have our own developmental projects and we will discuss the issues once the AFC team visits Kolkata,” said Ganguli, who is here on a personal visit.
Messias too echoed similar sentiments. “We don't have to necessarily follow the Manipur and Kerala model. We might alter it to suit our own state,” he said.
In another development, the Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai has been allotted the next two matches of the I-league.
The ground has been hosting matches on experimental basis owing to problems related to infrastructure.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, October 13, 2008, 00:00