Liverpool FC to open an academy in India

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/enter-li...6;./407442/

There could soon be more Indians dreaming of the tricolor fluttering at the football World Cup. When ‘Soccer Prince’, the first ever football reality show hunting for budding football talent kicks off on Indian TV screen, it will have a distinct Pune touch.

That is because Liverpool, the renowned English soccer club, is planning to set up a football development centre at Pune, the first of its kind in India. And feeding this centre with talent would be the resource pool thrown up by this reality show.

Ian Ayre, the commercial director of Liverpool and Steve Bellis, the director of the global football promotion firm ‘kickworldwide’ shared plans of this unique endeavor with reporters here on Tuesday. Also present was Vishwjeet Kadam, the host of the proposed football development centre.

“The policy decision to kick off the football revolution has been finalised. We are working out the modalities. An official announcement will be made within a month,” said Ayre.

‘Soccer prince’ is already a hit on Chinese television with more than 20,000 taking part in the show. The Indian model of ‘soccer prince’ aims at attracting more teenage soccer players, said Bellis, the main brain behind the show.

Outlining the nature of the Indian version of ‘soccer prince’, Bellis said talks were on with one of the leading media houses to telecast the show.

“Our goal is to provide a platform for football players from the grassroots as we will be rolling it out in hundreds of schools, colleges and football clubs. Like their Chinese counterparts, winners of this reality show will get a chance to train for one year with leading clubs in England,” he said.

Ayre said merely setting up a professional football league would not help the cause of improving the overall standard of Indian football. “The whole system has to be professional and receptive. The proposed football centre will strive to create this kind of infrastructure. It will project football as a lucrative career option not just as a player, but as a manager, coach, administrator and support staff as well.”

“Only merchandising Liverpool products in Indian market will not serve the purpose. The aim is to create the right ambience for football in the country and ultimately produce local football heroes like Sachin Tendelkar is for cricket,” Ayre said.

Sounds like a good idea, not only in terms of enhancing Liverpool's brand name worldwide but also at improving football in the world's second most populous state.

...the world's second most populous state.

The pertinent part, I think.

A great Idea,this is a massive untapped market.Another idea to get us commercial better in India,would simply be to get Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni in a Liverpool shirt!!and watch the money flow in.

A great Idea,this is a massive untapped market.Another idea to get us commercial better in India,would simply be to get Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni in a Liverpool shirt!!and watch the money flow in.

We could slot Sachin in at left back he'd probably do better than dossena

We could slot Sachin in at left back he'd probably do better than dossena

Nice one.

A great Idea,this is a massive untapped market.Another idea to get us commercial better in India,would simply be to get Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni in a Liverpool shirt!!and watch the money flow in.

Just getting Dhoni or Tendulkar to present them in liverpool shirt is not going to make a massive difference, although winning the league in this or the next 2 years will do us more favours in terms of merchandising and following. It is good to see the likes of liverpool understanding the importance of tapping and getting hold of the huge potential of the Indian market earlier than others.

IMO Its a good marketing initiative and shows that Mr. Ian is really up to the task of promoting the club and the sport  at all levels of training, management, players in the emerging markets and economies. To be fair football has a long way to go in India, it is hardly seen as a career  as the level of infrastructure, grounds, coaches, training methods and facilities, sponsership, the popularity of the league is not world class. The govt support and grants for improving football at grass root level and the existing structure is insufficient to produce the desired level.
Then if India can get a few decent players playing the top leagues or the top clubs in Asia thats when it will give much hope to such intiatives and the organisors of this kind.

I know this sounds stupid but I know only about 1-2 players playing in the national league where as you ask me about the EPL, Laliga and maybe even the Siera A, can go on talking about them.

the popularity of the league is not world class.

You really don't know anything about Indian football.

The standard is poor of course I agree, but it's pretty popular and will Calcutta (Kolkata) does have a 120,000 seater stadium so the facilities are there.

Personally I would have liked to see this centre opened in Calcutta as football is hugely popular there and there are some good facilites (good training pitches a couple of smaller stadia as well).

IMO Its a good marketing initiative and shows that Mr. Ian is really up to the task of promoting the club and the sport

That is his job.  That's why the reds apponted a commercial director. 

Pity he made such a foolish job when he tried to copyright the Liverbird.

You really don't know anything about Indian football.

The standard is poor of course I agree, but it's pretty popular and will Calcutta (Kolkata) does have a 120,000 seater stadium so the facilities are there.

Personally I would have liked to see this centre opened in Calcutta as football is hugely popular there and there are some good facilites (good training pitches a couple of smaller stadia as well).

You are right in saying that a few places such as Calcutta, Karela have more football following and I too would have liked the centere there but talk about any other Indian city boasting of such popularity for the game, I doubt it. Most other places its cricket which dominates in sports.

Dmasta,you simply don't know India,Tendulkar and Dhoni aare Gods there names on on everything,simply putting there name to something makes it instantly popular!!!and normally a huge excess.

no matter what their stadiums are like or their training facilities, this is 1 of the most highly populated countries on earth. therefore, there must be a wealth of talent just waiting to emerge. for liverpool to win the league this year and also put a huge amount into the development of indian football can only stand to benefit us as a club. if not 1 1/2 decent player should emerge from india in the next 20 years, winning the league this year and at the same time being the team that rings in the ears of every young indian potential will bring huge financial benefits to our commercial development.

Dmasta,you simply don't know India,Tendulkar and Dhoni aare Gods there names on on everything,simply putting there name to something makes it instantly popular!!!and normally a huge excess.

How does me saying tendulkar would be a better lb than dossena make me not know anything about India and cricket. I am perfectly aware of their popularity you obviously wouldn't know a joke if it bit you on the backside.

ok mate,fair play,mis read your message!!

ok mate,fair play,mis read your message!!

No worries.

 This could be the ideal opportunity for Rick Parry to broaden his executive skills  and run the show there.This could be our chance to get rid of him.

it's great becoming the first to get in deep in a such a big country, United were the first in Asia, followed by Chelsea before we got there. Not to mention the mancs have already made their mark in Africa.

I think football will work well in India, anyone in any class can be a footballer, goals don't discriminate against the lower classes, namely untouchables. Most of the football world doesn't even know what that means

its great to here that a  club like liverpool is interrested in coming to a country like ours ..hope some great  players come through this and i deeply wish this will do Indian football a lot in future

it's great becoming the first to get in deep in a such a big country, United were the first in Asia, followed by Chelsea before we got there. Not to mention the mancs have already made their mark in Africa.

I think football will work well in India, anyone in any class can be a footballer, goals don't discriminate against the lower classes, namely untouchables. Most of the football world doesn't even know what that means

yes u r rite this is going to work............. its about time to do some thing like this cause before it was like most of the youths only followed cricket expect some in kolkata ,Goa and kerala .....but now things have changed thanks to most of the European football especially the epl people are will in to football nowadays ...hope it will work....

i was over the moon as soon as i read it.i am from india & its about time we got a football powerhouse really interested in us.though i have gotten a bit over-age but it would be awesome to have rafa scouts pick up some quality kids from india & getting them at melwood, i know its a bit far-fetched but i am just too happy to have some liverpool presonce in our country.waiting for the time when the squad makes a visit

The centre opened today then.

A good move in my view as there is very high interest in the Premier League over there.

Hopefully the lads head over to India for a pre-season tour in the near future to cement their position in India ahead of the other big three.

There is a link to a BBC article which talks about the footballing opportunities below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8083210.stm

I wasnt aware of this until today.

But the country is developing, football is probably the 3rd choice sport there but this should grow our commerical side in India as well as the developing reasons.

Untapped. Its about time we do something productive both footballing wise and financially.

I have many friends from India. One of them, from Bangalore recently came to Mauritius and I gifted him a Red shirt, I mean Liverpool shirt. He actually did not know anything about the team etc..and I took pride and honor in telling him the Kops history. The other day he was saying he wore the shirt at his place and his mates thought that was a really cool shirt and what Liverpool & Anfield etc was? So, in turn he told them about this mighty club..I was so happy to contribute in a minute way, to enhance their knowledge about Liverpool and let people know about my favorite team!  

well all this to say that Football is not a popular or important game in India, only Cricket is the craze. its actually a very good initiative to take this game there. Here, English football and premier league is a major thing! And I really mean M.A.J.O.R! Every little child knows about Rafa, Fowler, Owen,..ok and even Manure. Manure Liverpool share the most important supporters number, and then the other teams like Chelski, Arse-nal etc come later. When my friends from India come here, looking about the popularity of football (in general, but mostly English PM) they tell me "Oh, what is this thing about English Premier League, cricket is also a great game!".

This is really good that Liverpool has taken initiatives to create an ambiance of 'football festivity' and encourage a 'footballing environment', with even more supporters around the globe! This is so cool , viva Liverpool, Jai Ho!    


YNWA!