GUWAHATI: Chief Operating Officer (COO) Moritz Mattes of Goalplay, a training academy for optimizing goalkeeper’s performance, called on Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday here and expressed his academy’s desire of setting up of centre of excellence for goalkeeping in Guwahati.
It may be noted that Goalplay to which former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is associated with as founder and chief executive officer as a part of its expansion plan will set four centres of excellence in India one each in east, west, north and south. Guwahati will be the venue for centre of excellence for the goalkeeping academy for the eastern region. Oliver Kahn earned golden boot for his dream performance in the football World Cup 2002,
During the meeting, COO Moritz Mettes has informed the Chief Minister that Goalplay with the help of the sports department will pick two potential young goalkeepers from the state for them to be sent to Goalplay in Munich for advanced training.
Sonowal hailing the initiative of Goalplay thanked Oliver Kahn for choosing Guwahati as one of the venues for goalkeeping academy as the government will help in all possible aspects for Goalplay to materialise its plan.
Sonowal also agreed in principle that two talented goalkeepers from the state will be picked and sent to Munich for advanced training. He also asked Moritz Mattes to train potential coaches from the state to help them learn all modern traits of coaching so that they can help players from Assam to make them competent for the international level.
Sonowal also requested Moritz Mattes to convey State government’s invitation to Oliver Kahn to come to Assam and encourage the football playing talents in the state.
Later, during an interaction programme with the media at Sarusajai Sports Complex Moritz Mattes stated that Goalplay will likely to pick up the potential goalkeeper in the month of September for training in Munich. He later had an introductory meeting with some young footballers in Sarusajai Sports Complex. Member Secretary State Level Advisory Committee for Students and Youth Welfare Lakhya Konwar was present during Moritz Mattes’ meeting with the Chief Minister.