Basel's youth academy head to oversee Chennai City trials
Massimo Ceccaroni, head of the youth academy at the Swiss Super League club with which Chennai City signed a strategic partnership earlier this year, will also provide feedback for selection.
Published : May 16, 2019 18:19 IST
I-League champion Chennai City FC has called for state-wide trials for youth players across various age groups which will be overseen by the head of FC Basel's youth academy and team.
Massimo Ceccaroni, head of the youth academy at Basel, the Swiss Super League club with which Chennai City signed a strategic partnership earlier this year, will oversee the trials and provide feedback for selection.
According to Chennai City manager G. R. Ingulab, Ceccaroni and his team from Basel are also interested in looking out for the best under-13 and -15 talents for its academy.
Chennai City owner Rohit Ramesh said the club is keen to revamp its youth development programme and will take Basel's inputs to chart a blueprint for the club's academy.
"This year we want to ensure we focus on our youth setup and target how we can get the best out of the youth players. In previous years, we had trails two months prior to the commencement of the youth leagues. This time we want to take a pragmatic approach, just like we did for the main team last year," said Rohit.
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Players picked at the trials will be divided into residential and non-residential categories in Coimbatore, where the club is based, and Chennai, respectively.
"Residential players will be training out of Coimbatore, where 20 extraordinary talents across each age groups will be given boarding and schooling. While non-residential are the ones who will train out of Chennai," said Ingulab.
Rohit believes a restructured academy will be the next important milestone in the club's history.
He added, "We want to tap players at a young age and mould them into our philosophy. A player who is with us right from the U-13s and 15s before playing for the first team. That will be an exceptional story."
The trials for the under-13, -15 and -18 boys' teams will be held at Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu's Nehru Park in Chennai between May 18 and 22 from 6-9 a. m.