And the credit goes to Collin Toal, the British coach under whose careful observation the national Under-17 team earned the distinction of qualifying for the AFC U-17 Championship. Toal now boasts of having found a player who fits these criteria and is talented enough to don the senior India shirt in the near future.

Manandeep Singh, the 17-year-old striker from Chandigarh Academy in Haryana, has already begun to repay the faith his football bosses had put on him, having impressed the team management, particularly coach Toal through his excellent show in the recently held AFC U-17 qualifiers.

Manandeep is over five feet eight inches tall and has given the impression that he is one for the future.

Asked about Manandeep, coach Toal told The Indian Express recently: “He is highly potential. He has accuracy in shooting the ball. He looks comfortable in the air also. More importantly, he is extremely opportunisitic wihin the 18-yard box. And since has got a convincing height, he is expected to perform well in international matches for the senior Indian side in the future.”

Toal then went on to mention the name of another upcoming striker who hails from the Tata Football Academy, Abhishek Das. The player had a briliant showing in the crucial U-17 qualifier against Suadi Arabia.

Commenting on Abhishek, coach Toal said: “He looks more skilled and lethal in the penetrative zone. He scored a memorable goal in that important Saudi Arabia tie that helped us earn the qualification for the AFC Youth Championship. But his only big drawback is his short height. And the lack of required height can be a major obstruction in his performance at the international level when he plays in the senior circuit.” However, after returning from a 26-day trip to the United States, the U-17 probables are expected to leave for Portugal in September for another two-week exposure trip. The team management expects the probables to get opportunity to participate in at least four tough friendly matches.