Soccer talents get skill boost - Kurseong club trains 30 youths

VIVEK CHHETRI

Players of the United Kurseong Football Club. File picture

Darjeeling, May 23: Thirty youths, mostly from rural areas in the age group of 15-24 years, are being trained by the United Kurseong Football Club.

The training in Kurseong marks a new trend in the Darjeeling hills where local clubs are now looking at setting up youth football academies in an effort make a mark in the national football circuit.

“This year, we have signed a contract with 30 boys, most of whom hail from areas like Bijanbari, Chamong tea garden, Naxalbari and the Dooars in Jalpaiguri district,” said Dinkar Chettri, the president of the club.

The club authorities in the hills claimed that although they didn’t have any major funding sources, they offered contracts, medical insurance and scholarships to the players.

“The players have been classified as A level, B plus and B level players. We have signed 13 players in A level for a contract of Rs 8,000 each a year. Seven B plus players will get Rs 6000 each, while those in the B level (who are mostly schoolchildren) will be provided with Rs 5000 each to fund their education. Apart from the monetary contract, we are also providing all the 30 players with insurance against accidents, accommodations and football kits,” said Dinkar.

“There are immense talents in the hills but we lack a system to spot them. Our club, which has won the most number of trophies in the recent years, is looking at building a system through which we can produce quality players and also make the club compete in the second division I League,” he added.

The UKFC team is being coached by Ugen Lama, a well-known footballer from the hills.

Recently, the Kalimpong-based Share Football Club also started a similar system. The UKFC, which was formed in 1989, has produced players like Crispin Chhetri, who was a member of the national Under-21 team. Crispin also played in I-League for Prayag United.

“Jiten Rai, who also came through our club, had played for East Bengal and also the Under-21national team just like Crispin. I have personally seen that there is immense talent in the hills but we need to build a team and teach the techniques of the game at a very young age to make it big,” said Dinkar.

“The UKFC team has been providing around nine to 10 players to the Darjeeling team (a combined team for prestigious events like Brigade of Gorkhas) but Kurseong does not even have one stadium to talk about,” said Dinkar.

The team currently practises at the grounds of Victoria Memorial School. Funding has been a major problem for the hill clubs.

“It is very difficult to find sponsors. We are funding the club through our patrons. David Robinson, from Chelsea in England, who is a curator of football fields, is also helping us. Non-government organisations like Manyata Welfare Society has also come forward to help us,” added Dinkar.

Officials of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council’s sports department admitted that there is paucity of funds. “Nevertheless, we did give Rs 50,000 to a volleyball tournament that was organised in the hills recently,” said a source.

Dinkar is a well-known footballer from Kurseong who played for East Bengal from 1994 to 1996, before switching over to Mahindra and Mahindra and Peerless Football clubs.(TT)