Sudeep Pakrashi:

Namdhari FC, the Ludhiana-based I-League club, will assess its new six-seven academy boys in the IFA Shield, starting on Wednesday. The club that finished seventh, garnering 29 points from 22 matches in the I-League last season seems satisfied with the prospect of its youth development program and it is believed that the club management is already in talks with UK-based second division club academies for a tie-up for an exchange program of their potential youth footballers and also coaches’ education. The academy has three age-group teams from under-13 to under-17 and a reserve team.

The club which is likely to rope in a Serbian coach before the I-league this season, has also roped in two new foreign strikers, from Brazil and Ghana respectively.

The team which will start their campaign in the IFL Shield on 11th October against Srinidi Deccan at Kalyani Stadium consists of a few experienced footballers from I-League last season.

Coach Harpreet Singh revealed while speaking to Parallel Sports, “With most of the new footballers including the foreigners, IFA Shield will be our preparatory tournament before the I-League. Still I am hopeful of the boys’ performance. We will be able to make an assessment of the academy boys as well as the foreigners also.”

Harpreet has not yet gained any updated information on their two opponents, East Bengal and Srinidi Deccan. “I am aware that East Bengal have won the CFL. But I heard they are planning to field most of their reserve footballers and I also do not have any updated information about Srinidi Deccan. Their first match on Wednesday at Kalyani Stadium will be crucial for me. I will be able to understand their strength and weaknesses,” divulged Harpreet.