An U-12 league to promote future Rovers

The under-12 league has been in my mind for a long time but I never had the opportunity to work on it. This is sure to produce a new set of talented footballers. The league is set to begin this October, Shebby told The Indian Express.

With his grandparents and parents born in Punjab,Shebbys Indian connection prompted him to take up the project. This is a personal project for me. I am happy to be involved in contributing to the development of Indian football in any way possible, he said.

The idea would be to make it compulsory for every team in the local league to have an under-12 team of at least ten players. The league will be conducted in a five-a-side format. The idea will be to have the kids enjoy their football without worrying too much about their fitness at the start while at the same time improving their touch,dribbling and skills. Putting together teams will not be a difficult task, he said.

The league will provide the proposed Roverstars Academy in Pune with a good crop of youngsters. We will pick ten to sixteen of the best who will go through the academy and may even be taken to the Rovers academy in Lancashire for a training stint, he says.