The company, following an agreement that was reportedly signed last month with Mohun Bagan Club, has bought exclusive rights for conducting events on behalf of the MBSFA. And as a result, the MBSFA is going to conduct an international youth championship comprising five foreign academy teams and five Indian academy sides this September this year.
Apart from a European academy side, teams from Malaysia and Thailand are expected to be seen in action in the championship. In addition, following Sports Active’s efforts, the MBSFA is also in the process of making an official tie-up with a top European academy. It has been learnt that talks are on with top club representatives like Arsenal and AS Roma regarding a tie-up.
However, the MBSFA management is expecting that its students will benefit after the new Portuguese coach Roy Maicol Barreto joined the academy a week back. It is believed that Roy Barreto has been signed up by the MBSFA following suggestions from chief national coach Bob Houghton. Shyam Thapa, the former Indian international has also joined the academy as technical director.
This apart, Mohun Bagan Club management has decided to sign seven promising MBSFA players for its senior team this season. The players are Arunjit Singh, Lal Daniela (defender), Suraj Singh, B Malswmzuala (striker), SanjoyBoro, Souvik Chakrabarty and Suman Bose (midfielders).
And Bagan assistant coach Satyajit Chatterjee, who started the senior team’s training yesterday for the team’s historic exhibition tie against Bayern Munich on May 27 here in the city, said that he is expecting the MBSFA juniors as well as eight promising juniors from the Tata Football Academy (TFA) will give him the required boost against Oliver Kahn & Co.
“I am not sure whether Jose Barreto and Bhaichung Bhutia will be available for the May 27 friendly match against Bayern Munich. But I will have this bunch of young quality juniors along with the team’s other senior players,” said Chatterjee.