Kalyani may host under-14 World Cup matches

As part of the AIFF's plan to groom footballers at the grassroot level, a five-day camp started here in Nadia district of West Bengal today.

Debu Mukherjee, AIFF coordinator, said the plan to find and groom footballers from the grassroot level was advised by the FIFA. He said coaches would be trained first in the first-of-its-kind camp.

Scott O'Donell, coach of the Indian Football Team, said, "Grassroot coaching is necessary for the development of Indian football. The coaches will be trained in an unified system. They will train junior footballers in their  respective states. It will help develop Indian Football in a systematic way."

Scott Odonel pointed out that Indian football was lacking in 'organisation'. Twenty-two coaches, most of whom are ex-national footballers, are attending the camp.

Kalyani will also host a Football Festival of under 13-14 boys towards the end of this month in preparation for the under-17 World Cup scheduled to take place in India, Pradip Kumar Sur, chairman, Kalyani Municipality, told a press conference.

Sur said in Kalyani there are modern facilities to host international football matches, but regretted the absence of four-star hotels in the township.

Debu Mukherjee hinted that a few of the world Cup football matches might take place in the Kalyani stadium.