AIFF Elite Academy

AIFF Elite Academy

Full name	AIFF Elite Academy
Founded	2013
Ground	Chowgule Sports Centre, Goa
Head Coach	Floyd Pinto
League	I-League U19
2014-15	Champions

The AIFF Elite Academy is the elite academy of the overall AIFF Academies. Started on 1 February 2013, the Elite Academy was started under a youth development project that was started between the AIFF and FIFA.^[1] The Elite Academy is the final frontier for players who train at the AIFF Regional Academies in various parts of India.

History

In September 2011, it was announced that both the All India Football Federation and FIFA would work together to set up various regional academies and one elite academy in India with the goal to develop footballers in the country.^[2] The first phase of planning would see regional academies starting in Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. The Sikkim regional academy, if finished before the end of 2011, would also be added to the first phase.^[2] The second phase would see Chennai, Chandigarh, and Kerala getting academies by March 2013. Each academy would comprise 30-35 under-14 players who would eventually develop to the under-16 level which is what the Elite Academy would comprise.^[2]

Problems with the academies started early with the Bangalore, Kolkata, and Delhi regional academies delayed while the Mumbai Academy was started with future India U23 coach, Arthur Papas, at the helm in Mumbai.^[3] The reason given for the delay of the opening of the other regional academies was due to the rampant age-cheating that was going on during trials for the regional academies. Of the 120 players selected after playing in the Subroto Cup and other youth competitions, 84 were found to be over-aged and not even acceptable for the under-16 age category.^[3]

Eventually the AIFF Elite Academy was launched in 2013.^[1]

Squad

As of 12 November 2015.^[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Deepak Kumar Bulani 2 DF Prosenjit Chakraborty 3 DF Jerry Lalrinzuala 4 DF Jayananda Singh Moirangthem 5 MF Ragav Gupta 6 MF Kyntiewshaphrang Kharlukhi 7 FW Footballer 8 MF Bedashwar Singh 9 DF Surya Tirkey 10 FW Baoringdao Bodo 11 FW Nijwm Muchahary 12 MF Deependra Singh Negi 13 GK Tamal Naskar 14 MF Anirudh Thapa

No. Position Player 21 FW B Lalnuntluanga 23 DF Namgyal Bhutia 29 MF Yadav Rahul 31 FW Jacob Vanlalhimpuia 33 DF Amit Tudu 36 MF Abhishek Halder 42 DF Zonunmawia 45 MF Santosh Kumar 46 DF Amal Das 47 DF Asraf Ali Mondal 48 MF Biswa Kr. Darjee - FW Gopan Unni - MF Rollwin Almeida

References

1. "India gear up for Qatar in AFC U-19 qualifiers". FirstPost. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
2. "AIFF-FIFA to set up academies in India". Times of India. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
3. Kapadia, Novy. "A look at the AIFF's regional academies". SportsKeeda. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
4. "AIFF Elite Academy Squad". I-League U-18. Retrieved 23 October 2015.

External links

• Elite Academy page on the AIFF website.