115 hill teams in soccer hunt

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling: A whopping 115 teams have registered for a football talent scouting programme of Darjeeling police, which is indicative of the passion for the Beautiful Game and the lack of exposure in the hills. 

It is rare to attract so many teams to any football tournament, soccer enthusiasts say. 

Darjeeling Police, in association with Calcutta-based Football Next Foundation, and supported by a top Germany club Eintracht Frankfurt, will be organising the event for under-12 years players from December 7 to 10 at Dali Ground in Darjeeling. 

“The response has been very good and we are ready to organise such tournaments in the near future too,” said Akhilesh Chaturvedi, SP, Darjeeling. 

Already 115 teams have registered at 11 police stations under Darjeeling police. 

“The numbers of teams are expected to increase as registration will also be done in Kalimpong district for the event which has been christened Darjeeling Football Stars,” said Siddharth Dorji, DSP (town), Darjeeling. 

The police are looking at hosting around 1,500 players. 

Since the Germany talent scouters will be in Darjeeling for four days, the organisers have now decided to hold preliminary football matches under the respective police stations before December 7. 

“Talent spotters from Calcutta will be brought to these preliminary rounds so that we can select a pool of around 100 to 200 students who would showcase their talents at Dali Ground. 

Officials of Eintracht Frankfurt will personally scout for talents in Darjeeling. 

“Nicolai Adam and Felix Hansvencl of international sports projects of Eintracht Frankfurt will visit Darjeeling to scout for the talents,” said Kaushik Moulik, founder, Football Next Foundation. 

These talent spotters will identify 20 players who will be trained for a period of three years. 

Sources said there were plans to try and send those players to Germany during the three years coaching. 

Earlier, Darjeeling police in collaboration with Football Next Foundation and Eintracht Frankfurt had also sent Manish Subba, a Darjeeling resident to Germany for a training-cum-exposure tour. Subba's potential was spotted by Darjeeling Police after he was adjudged man-ofthe-series in the recent football tournament organised by the police.

"Plans are also afoot to hold an interactive session between the Germany and local coaches during their stay here," said a police official.

A hill resident said: "The unprecedented number of participants in the contest clearly shows the passion for football in Darjeeling and is also indicative how desperately the hill players are looking for exposure."