By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Former national football team assistant football coach Savio Medeira said that the young talent of the North East is among the very best in the country.
“Even in Goa we do not have the young football talent like the one in the North East. They are individually and technically better. The physical strength of the young players from the region is also very good,” Medeira, who is also Panasonic Dream Camp Technical Director, said while speaking to reporters here on Monday.
He however maintained that it is very important that these young talents are nurtured in the right time and in the right place.
Stating that he has always felt that the North East is a good thing for Indian football, Medeira said that the young players from the region are heading in the right direction because they know the difficulties that prevail here.
“The young players have seen that some of the good players from the region have been able to earn a good name and money by playing in the national team. I am sure that these are the factors which are motivating the young players to do well,” he said.
The former national team assistant coach said, “I am pretty confident that the young football talent of the region would play an important role in helping Indian football grow in the years to come.”
It may be mentioned that Medeira is here in the city along with Indian national players Gouramangi Singh, Sushil Kumar Singh and Renedy Singh to conduct a training session for 30 young footballers of the state as part of the three-day Panasonic Dream Camp which is being held on the artificial turf at Third Ground, Polo.
When asked about this dream camp, sponsored by Panasonic, he stated that the company has come up with this concept to train young, budding football talent in the country while adding that this is the first of its kind to be held.
While admitting that this three-day camp is a short one, the former national assistant coach said that he is sure that in the future they would be able to conduct the training for more days.
“I have also suggested to the company on the need to spread this training throughout the country,” Medeira said.
He also feels that the AIFF is taking Indian football in the right direction by concentrating on youngsters.
“The AIFF have already set up academies in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. They are also planning to set up similar academies in Sikkim by next year. I always feel that it is these academies which can nurture the young talent in the right perspective,” he said.
Gouramangi Singh and Renedy Singh are of the view that this kind of camp will greatly help motivating younger footballers.
They also feel that these young players are lucky enough to have the vastly experienced Medeira giving them valuable tips on how they can further improve.