Academy In India

[Alan D]

Special: Manchester City To Open Football Academy In India
After the Big Four, now Manchester City eyes Indian market...

Manchester United have their café in Mumbai and Delhi, Arsenal have their Soccer Star programme, Chelsea tried to work with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and so did the Red Devils, while Liverpool have tied up with Abhijit Kadam Football Development Centre in Pune to offer football related courses.

Following their footsteps, Manchester City, who are keen to expand their fanbase and reach this part of the world as well, shall come up with a residential academy.

The place chosen for the academy is a new township named Lavasa city which is about a three hour drive away from Mumbai.

Confirming the same, Manchester City’s Chief Marketing Officer David Pullan said, “We are setting up an academy in every sense of the term. Our physical and digital presence will be there all through the year. The entire academy training module followed at Manchester City will be replicated in Lavasa and we are positive of a successful result.”

The academy will include football in the curriculum of students in India. Interested footballers within the age of 9-19 will be allowed to have access to the academy.

Manchester City will initially help the academy by sending their own youth coaches to India to impart the training methods until they are able to create a successful model to ensure that the local coaches can continue the trend.

The hosts, Lavasa City are pleased with the agreement with the Citizens.

“We are building academies in eight different sports and football is definitely a key element there. To have a big club like Manchester City on board is absolutely great," said Lavasa City’s Vice-President, Mr. Nathan Andrews.

The project is stated to be functional from the month of November 2011 might see some Premier League stars coming down to India for inaugurating such an academy.


http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/136/i ... y-in-india

[Vhero]

Best thing to do open academys worldwide.

[ant london]

Funny old game this academy lark and I think that many of us are slightly at crossed-purposes as to what the real aim/benefit of these set-ups is.

I had always assumed that these things were for us to conduct "overseas Platt Lane" operations, ie we would scout the overseas playing resources and invite the best to come and train/sign as a junior player for the various representative teams run out of the academy.

I'm sure there is an element to that and that there is an "elite" level within the overseas academy....HOWEVER....the real every day purpose of these places is that kids whose parents are rich enough, pay to send their kids along to what is, in effect, a soccer school where they can benefit from a high level of coaching and good facilities.

In effect the main aim (as I see it) is to raise the profile of the club within that local market by creating bonds with kids who pass through the schools and go on to follow City/spread the word.

The revenues these places raise would be negligible in the grand scheme of things but I'd imagine that the agreements with the local partners are such that the club is insulated from making any significant losses.

The side benefit is that you may be better placed to spot a star....but, just by looking at the market in question here (India) tells you that sourcing future first team stars really is not even remotely one of the main aims.

Here in Egypt both Arsenal and Barcelona have these "local academies" and it's no surprise that both teams are heavily supported amongst the locals....especially the younger ones.

So, I'm all for it but I don't ever expect to see even a fringe first team player to come out of either our UAE set-up or this new Indian one.

This is what Arsenal and Barcelona have done here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 169965.stm
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/ ... 10203.html

And I can see us starting to do these in the not too distant future too...

http://www.manutdsoccerschools.com/

[dazby]

Eggsactly Mr Cairo. You are bang on sir.

[Slim]

And in shear numbers theory, plopping an academy down in a country of a billion people might increase the chances of finding a star.

[DoomMerchant]

The Arse also run "soccer camps" in the US every summer.

good stuff. get some City schools in the US.

Also, my 4 year old can't learn at the local Futsal academy until he's 6...total bullshit. The local brasilians are afraid of his strong right foot already. fuclers.

cheers

[Slim]

The Arse also run "soccer camps" in the US every summer.

good stuff. get some City schools in the US.

Also, my 4 year old can't learn at the local Futsal academy until he's 6...total bullshit. The local brasilians are afraid of his strong right foot already. fuclers.

cheers

So not a bald, left footer then?

Fucking pathetic job you've done there.

[john@staustell]

Wonder what our 'digital presence' is?

I agree with Ant, Cairo although I thought that long ago. This is a Frank plan isn't it, now 'the Cook plan'? The presence overseas is to raise the profile of the club and sell shirts and TV/digital products, not to develop overseas players (apart from the Thailand bit originally obviously). Lets face it if overseas youngsters are any good we are buying them anyway, so why go to the expense and bother of setting up academies everywhere if not for commercial purposes?

Let some bugger else find them.

[Vhero]

Wonder what our 'digital presence' is?

I agree with Ant, Cairo although I thought that long ago. This is a Frank plan isn't it, now 'the Cook plan'? The presence overseas is to raise the profile of the club and sell shirts and TV/digital products, not to develop overseas players (apart from the Thailand bit originally obviously). Lets face it if overseas youngsters are any good we are buying them anyway, so why go to the expense and bother of setting up academies everywhere if not for commercial purposes?

Let some bugger else find them.

If you have them on the books already it will make it a LOT easier in the future getting work permits for starters. Not only that you can keep them away from prying eyes. Plus like you said commercial purposes. Our owner wants us to be bigger than the scum and this is one of the many ways to go about it.

[Dameerto]

Some countries dont let their under 18's sign for foreign teams - no idea about India though. If you have an Academy in a region where they arent allowed overseas you at least ensure some level of control over their early years.

[Im_Spartacus]

This of course has absolutely zero to do with City nurturing talent.

The world's 2nd most populous country, but as yet pretty much untapped in terms of exploitation of Premier League football, which is still a big distance behind Cricket and Kabbadi is what its all about. Make inroads on that market and the opportunities are immense.

We should have an academy presence in every city with over 2m population in Asia and Africa if you want to do it properly, and every now and again we might find a player worthy of the Premier League. Even if we didnt, we could probably have a decent affiliate side in each of these countries main leagues from the talent that is unearthed. The brand would be untouchable within 5 years.

Nb: Were we seeing United do this, we would have been going mad about the evil empire, plastic fans etc etc etc

[Fesan]

Top Indian club to form partnership with an English club:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/pre ... glish-club

How can this NOT be us? Has to be right?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Top Indian club to form partnership with an English club:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/pre ... glish-club

How can this NOT be us? Has to be right?

Probably yeah.

Am I the only one who completely misses out on the point of these Partnership Clubs? I mean it's all fine and doesn't cost much anything at all and all that so no harm there either but what's in it for us?

[Grob]

Top Indian club to form partnership with an English club:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/pre ... glish-club

How can this NOT be us? Has to be right?

Probably yeah.

Am I the only one who completely misses out on the point of these Partnership Clubs? I mean it's all fine and doesn't cost much anything at all and all that so no harm there either but what's in it for us?

Exposure in a new market?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Top Indian club to form partnership with an English club:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/pre ... glish-club

How can this NOT be us? Has to be right?

Probably yeah.

Am I the only one who completely misses out on the point of these Partnership Clubs? I mean it's all fine and doesn't cost much anything at all and all that so no harm there either but what's in it for us?

Exposure in a new market?

In theory yes but how much do we actually get that exposure? I mean some Finnish Clubs had these partner deals with some bigger European Clubs in the past but you couldn't notice it in anyway. Well, one Finnish club got some players on loan (Marlon Harewood, Wayne Brown) on loan for few months but that was it. Can't really see us sending players to India.

[Grob]

Top Indian club to form partnership with an English club:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/pre ... glish-club

How can this NOT be us? Has to be right?

Probably yeah.

Am I the only one who completely misses out on the point of these Partnership Clubs? I mean it's all fine and doesn't cost much anything at all and all that so no harm there either but what's in it for us?

Exposure in a new market?

In theory yes but how much do we actually get that exposure? I mean some Finnish Clubs had these partner deals with some bigger European Clubs in the past but you couldn't notice it in anyway. Well, one Finnish club got some players on loan (Marlon Harewood, Wayne Brown) on loan for few months but that was it. Can't really see us sending players to India.

We employ a marketting department, maybe they will come up with some ideas. Friendly every couple of years etc. India is a reasonably untapped source when it coes to premier league football. There maybe alot of poor areas but theres alot of wealth in the country too.

[john@staustell]

Bet it's the last we ever hear of it. Like the others.

[Blue Since 76]

There's a huge and growing middle class in India, so potential for revenue which will be important to make us self financing (unless you all want £1000 season tickets).

Statistically, there's a good chance the next Messi will be Indian as well, if you can find him, nurture him and keep him away from cricket.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

There's a huge and growing middle class in India, so potential for revenue which will be important to make us self financing (unless you all want £1000 season tickets).

Statistically, there's a good chance the next Messi will be Indian as well, if you can find him, nurture him and keep him away from cricket.

Yeah, but how is partnership deal with Indian club going to help us reach those people?

[Ted Hughes]

There's a huge and growing middle class in India, so potential for revenue which will be important to make us self financing (unless you all want £1000 season tickets).

Statistically, there's a good chance the next Messi will be Indian as well, if you can find him, nurture him and keep him away from cricket.

Yeah, but how is partnership deal with Indian club going to help us reach those people?

There must be some technical reasons that make it worthwhile, perhaps different ones in each case.

Re having an academy in India though; I think it's a great idea as India is a growing force in the world & I can actually see us getting one or two players from there in the future as well as raising our profile.