Despite being promoted to the elite I-League this season and taking the initiative to build a formidable senior squad, Diamond Harbor FC’s youth development program continues. In a bid to provide ‘quality’ match-time for the promising youngsters, DHFC has made an association with First Division club Young Corner this season and Young Corner will be fielding all the promising footballers of DHFC in the forthcoming CFL First Division this season.
The club’s secretary Akash Banerjee, when asked about the issue, revealed, “We will also field reserve squad in the CFL Premier League this season. However, several young potential footballers have been recruited who may not get proper exposure. In that case, we made the arrangement and got the consent from Young Corner. The team will be participating in the CFL First Division with our juniors.”
He continued, “The purpose is to assess the juniors in the First Division as we also take part in youth competitions like RFDL, and AIFF youth leagues. So, these boys’ participation in the First Division will help us to build up teams for the national-level youth tournaments. Finally, our purpose is to promote quality footballers to the reserve squad and then finally to the I-league squad. We want to build up a process of bringing up quality footballers gradually.” The Young Corner is currently training with around 20 DHFC footballers at Bata ground.
Dipankar Sharma, who guided Chanmari FC to the elite I-league this season, explained when asked about the prospect of the boys in the CFL Premier Division, “The real prize will be how many quality players come up after the end of the CFL Premier League who could be promoted to the I-League squad. Simultaneously, the purpose is to make them mature before the national-level youth football tournaments. Although we started preparation only a week ago, I am optimistic about the boys performance.”
Diamond Harbor FC will start their campaign in the CFL Premier Division on 2nd July against Sreebhumi FC.
