By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With an aim to promote youngsters to the various senior teams, the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) is planning to start its Under-19 Premier League for the current season by the end of May.
SSA Honorary Secretary B Diengdoh said that they would start the season with the Under-19 Premier League to give exposure to the younger lot before the commencement of the bigger tournaments later in the season.
“The main reason to start with the Under-19 Premier League first is to allow the various teams in the Shillong Premier League (SPL) with an opportunity to promote players from their U-19 side into the senior squad,” Diengdoh told reporters here on Sunday.
Majority of the teams had benefitted from the Under-19 Premier League, first organized by the association last year, as it provided the young players the necessary platform and exposure to showcase their talent.
The Association is also planning to start a Third Division League which would be followed by the Second and First Division leagues.
“We are targeting to start the SPL within August and look to complete all the leagues much earlier than last year,” SSA honorary secretary said.
Diengdoh informed that during the meeting of the Council of the Association, it was decided that forms for the transfer of the players would be issued to the clubs from March 20-30 and the signing of new players would be completed between April 16-21.
With the First Division Ground of the SSA still under renovation, the Association would request the Government to allow them to use the newly laid artificial turf of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Polo to conduct their league matches.
When reminded that the Government charged an amount of Rs 50,000 from Shillong Lajong to host the I-League matches, Diengdoh said “We would request the government to keep it (the charge) minimal as local leagues can’t be compared with the I-League.
“In fact, taking into account the bare minimum revenue collected (by the SSA) through the sale of tickets, we might as well ask the government to consider allowing us (to use the artificial turf) for free.”
The renovation work in the First Division Ground is likely to be completed by August.