AFC U16 Championship 2014 Qualifiers
The India U16 team that is currently training in Kolkata will be training in Dubai later this month. A friendly match against UAE U16 national team has also been arranged in Dubai to prepare for the AFC U16 Championship 2014 qualifiers.
India will most likely leave for Dubai on 11th September. After playing a friendly against UAE, the team will leave for Kuwait where they face Tajikistan on the 21st of September in the AFC U16 Championship 2014 Qualifiers.
But the current team is facing troubles. The Pailan Group which was hosting them in the AIFF FIFA Regional Academy has now pulled out forcing the boys and staff to stay in hotel and train at SAI.
The AIFF is in talks with the Odisha FA and in the most likely event, the AIFF FIFA Regional Academy may shift to Sambalpur in Odisha altogether. The local MLA in Sambalpur runs an academy and if Scott O’Donnel approves it, they may host the academy after an upgradation.
The AIFF spends Rs. 72 lakhs per year on average on each regional academy. The emphasis has been on youth development at various age groups. The Mumbai regional academy boys are currently training for the upcoming AFC U19 Championship.
AFC U16 Championship 2014 Qualifiers: India has been grouped with Tajikistan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Bhutan. The matches will be played in Kuwait City.
