20 hill boys set for German training.... EINTRACHT FRANKFURT PICKS DARJEELING BOYS

VIVEK CHHETRI , TT, 09 Dec 2018, Darjeeling: German soccer club Eintracht Frankfurt has picked 20 boys aged below 12 in the Darjeeling hills for training in the team's home country.

Sisir Subba, the son of a carpenter from the remote village of Karmatar in Bijanbari block, and Rupa Lama and Thendup Tamang from Vah-Tukvar tea garden play football and have occasionally dreamt of making big.

Their dreams got wings on Sunday as they were among 20 hill boys who would fly to Germany for training at Eintracht Frankfurt. The club is currently placed fifth in Bundesliga, the top-tier football league in Germany, and is only a point behind Bayern Munich.

The 119-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt has partnered with Darjeeling police and Calcutta-based Football Next Foundation to scout for 24 talents in the hills to build an under-12 soccer team.

Akhilesh Chaturvedi, the superintendent of police, Darjeeling, said: "The process Boys selected by Eintracht Frankfurt pose with the club's flag in Darjeeling on Sunday started almost a month ago and 24 children have been selected. Out of them, four were picked up as reserve." The talent hunt was spearheaded by three persons, Nicolai Adam, Felix Hansvencl, the heads of international sports project and international partnership at Eintra- cht Frankfurt respectively, and Mike Ansstadiou, the advisor to the Football Next Foundation.

Adam has also served as the head coach of the Indian U-17 team. "We found at least 20 talented players. Talent always counts but this is just the beginning as only hard work can bring success," said Adam.

Kaushik Maulik, the founder of the Football Next Foundation, said: "The team will be flying to Germany for training-cum-competition in March-April next year." Hansvencl said the 20 boys would undergo training in Germany where matches would be organised with other U-12 teams. "They can experience the competition, learn about culture of Germany and Eintracht Frankfurt, go on a stadium tour and watch Bundesliga matches. It will be a complete package," said Hansvencl.

The children will be evaluated over a period of three years.

Chaturvedi said the children would be trained at Dali Police ground here for the next two-three months.

"Mike Ansstadiou will return and base himself in the hills to draw up the plan. With nearly 3,000 children participating in the German club's talent hunt in the hills, it must be the biggest exercise of the sort in India," said Maulik..