As Indian colts move from the training ground to playing a series of friendly fixtures against sides of varying pedigree,the focus will be to get a feel of how the team is shaping up for the AFC U-19 Qualifiers to be held in Qatar in October. In Goa,under the watchful eyes of Colm Joseph Toal,the All India Football Federation's Elite Academy,comprising of the Under-19 national team,is working to meld the dazzling array of breath-taking talent into a unit that can bring glory to the country. Toal needs to get the permutation and the combination of the team right. And even though the nucleus of the Elite Academy helped India to the final phase of the AFC U-16 Qualifiers in Tehran last year,taking on heavyweights like Uzbekistan,Qatar,Turkmenistan and Nepal,the teams which have been clubbed with India in Pool A,will be a big challenge. Since April 5,the day when the squad got together for training after a break,the AIFF's Elite Academy convincingly won all their practice matches in Goa and reigned supreme against teams comprising of current I-League and Goa Super League players. The way the players displayed good quality team work on the field and raked in goals,Toal must have been impressed. However,there is one player,someone who has methodically worked his way to the top,who has,over the last few months,become an integral part of Toal's plan. Right from the team's first friendly match against Chowgule Tigers on April 20,Daniel Lalhimpuia,Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) trainee,who netted a brace in the team's 6-0 win,has shown a good scoring form. There is no doubt that Daniel is the most valuable player of the Indian Under-19 team at present. His scoring skills and the assists he makes is something that every coach covets. Last time when I spoke to him,he said he was happy with the training and the way things were working out for him, shared Harjinder Singh,coach of CFA,who has helped Daniel blossom into a fine player. With the national duty keeping him busy all the time,Harjinder last saw Daniel play in the Administrator's Challenge Cup,which Chandigarh Football Academy won. In that tournament,Daniel emerged as the top scorer as he plundered more than a dozen goals. It has been almost ten months when I last saw him play. He is growing into a mature player and has a bright future ahead. I keep hearing reviews about them from the AIFF officials and it seems he is heading into the right direction, added Harjinder. Daniel is not the only player from Chandigarh who is part of the AIFF's Elite Academy. There are Khiangte Lalramzauva and Mohammad Sajid Dhot,who both have served as captain of Indian Under-16 team in the past. Lalramzauva was injured when he joined the camp but after returning to full fitness,has been playing an instrumental role in team's victory with his visionary passes and leadership skills. But how time flies. After taking Chandigarh to glory with their valuable contribution in most of the national and international tournaments,Daniel and Lalramzauva,fondly called Arjit by his teammates,will cease to be part of the CFA team as they will pass out from the academy next year. While it means unfolding a new chapter in their lives,there certainly will be lump in Harjinder's throat when that moment arrives. They will be with the national time till October or November. After that,they will come to Chandigarh and perhaps play in two three tournament in the winter. Then,they will appear in the exam and bid adieu to us. It will definitely be an emotional moment. But being a coach,out job is to groom the players and train,prepare them for the national sides. That is what I have done, said the former international. Apart from national tournaments and bidding adieu to their coaches and teammates,in the the coming times,Daniel and Arjit will face new challenge and predicaments: like choosing I-League academies over the AIFF academy. Pune FC and some other academies are after Daniel and Arjit and waiting for AIFF to release them so that they can secure their services. However,I don't think AIFF will release them for the next four to five years. I will prefer them to stick to the AIFF Academy where they will be groomed in a better way since AIFF have good management and better staffers. Going to Pune FC or Mohun Bagan will not serve them in any way. Moreover,sticking to AIFF Academy will help them gain entry into the national side. Having said that,I think AIFF should protect them and encourage them to realise their full potential, said the coach.
