Bhaichung’s Delhi boys train in Gangtok

Sikkim,Gangtok, May 25,TT : Seventeen boys from Bhaichung Bhutia football schools in New Delhi are honing their skills at Paljor Stadium, which will become the hub of the soccer player’s post-retirement programmes.

With its newly laid artificial turf, Paljor Stadium will be the base of United Sikkim, the football club co-owned by Bhaichung, from June. It will also be a camp for the summer training of players from his three football schools in New Delhi.

Besides, the Indian football captain is also planning to establish a soccer academy within the 30km radius of the state capital.

Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools (BBFS) had been set up in New Delhi last November and have currently 150 students aged between five and 19. Bhaichung has tied up with a Portuguese football academy, run by Carlos Queiroz, the 2010 World Cup coach for Portugal and the present coach of the Iranian football team, to train the budding talents.

A 22-member team, including four coaches, from the three schools arrived here on Monday for the weeklong residential camp. Among the four coaches, two are from Portugal — Jose Tavares and Guilherme Faria.

“We have come here for a weeklong residential camp as our boys have summer vacations back in Delhi. Our boys will get an opportunity to practise for two sessions daily on an artificial turf in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country. We don’t have artificial turf in Delhi and our boys learn football skills only after school hours thrice a week,” said BBFS director Kishore Taid.

The agreement with Queiroz stipulates that two coaches from the Portugal academy have to be present in the schools throughout the year, along with 16 Indian coaches.

Sikkim sports secretary Karma P. Bhutia said ten football coaches from his department and various clubs in Gangtok would attend the camp from tomorrow. “Seven kids from Namchi sports hostel run by the sports department are also joining the camp with BBFS kids. Another group of kids will start the session tomorrow,” he said.

According to Farai, the camp in Gangtok will provide a unique experience to play on an artificial turf in a cool climate.

“Since we are getting enough hours to practise in such cool climate, we want our boys to play as a team so that their skills can be improved in a competitive environment. The Sikkimese boys will also get to know a different training methodology. It’s a great ground here,” said Faria.

Taid said they would come back here every summer with more kids from the BBFS. “We are planning to open 10 schools in a couple of years all over the country,” he added.

Talented kids from the schools will be sent to Gangtok for trials in the United Sikkim football club which had recently played in the second division I-League.

The club will set up a base in Gangtok in June with a new team led by Bhaichung and Rennedy Singh. The duo will arrive in Gangtok tomorrow to play for United Sikkim in an exhibition match against Ministers’ XI to mark the inauguration of the artificial turf at Paljor Stadium on May 28.

The chief minister, Pawan Chamling, is scheduled to inaugurate the turf laid at a cost of Rs 3.77 crore.