NEU FC's state players bat for proper guidance

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NEU FC's state players bat for proper guidance :: Pix - Chronicle News Service

NorthEast United Football Club (NEU FC) left back defender Tondonba Singh has said that as players of Manipur are talented and have potential to excel, more players would emerge at the national and international levels if guided properly from the grass roots level.

In a recent chat with The People's Chronicle on the Media Day of NEU FC held at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, Assam, Tondonba said the standard of Indian football has improved significantly with the introduction of biggest football league of the country 'Indian Super League-ISL' and Manipur continues to have highest representation of Indian players in both the ISL and I-League.

With in-born talents and high potentials, Manipur produced many players at international level in different sports and is able to occupy a significant space in the held of football in the country. Manipur could produce more top class footballers and dominate the sport in the country if young players are exposed to better training modules.

Football development in Manipur seems to be lagging behind other states of but could plug the gap if the parent body - All Manipur Football Association - conducts tournaments like premier league, state league, CC meet and other state level tournaments in time.

This will also help in emergence of more talented football players, he said adding that talents of state players could be tapped if football development programmes under the aegis of All India Football Federation are conducted frequently.

NEU FC midfielder Konsam Falguni also informed The People's Chronicle that many talented players of Manipur lost their career as they lack proper guidance and many of them could not continue football due to financial conditions of their families. He said that AMFA could save talented players if major state level tournaments are conducted as per the schedules.

Another NEU FC player Dinesh (midfielder) said that emergence of more football sympathisers and academies would help improve standard of football in Manipur but nothing will improve if state level tournaments are not conducted in time.

Altogether five players from Manipur are currently playing at NEU FC and they are Ton-donba Singh, Falguni, Dinesh, Huidrom Thoi and Dany.

Dany is the youngest midfielder of the club at present.

Both Thoi and Dany also shared their thoughts on improving the standard of football in Manipur.