QPR/India Update...Bhatia/Saksena/Gallen in India

If I got this accurately and Bhatia and Saksena are currently in India - and If Ali Russell truly has departed (even though nothing on the Official Site/and still listed): Then's who's running the shop?

Besides the fact this is happening, I think the fact that Bhatia and Saksena are (again) both over there, is very interesting

And the fact that the Official Site makes no mention (Maybe eventually?) is all too-typical

Butt out Arsenal. India is OURS!

Indiantelevision.com

Fourth edition of Arsenal Tata Tea Jaago Re Soccer Stars kicks off on 13 Dec

(11 December 2010)

MUMBAI: Arsenal Tata Tea Jaago Re Soccer Stars, the tournament from Tata Tea in association with English premier League (EPL) club Arsenal FC, will be kick starting its fourth edition with the inaugural zonal round to be held at the The Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai on 13 and 14 December.

The scouting process in Mumbai is likely to see more than 64 teams from various schools across Mumbai competing for the national finals. The tournament will be a mix of league and knockout matches. The winning team will go on to compete in the national finals with 14 other finalists from different locations across the country.

Simultaneously Jamshed Nassiri, the tournament Head Scout will keenly observe the tournament with an objective to identify promising kids with exceptional talent in the game.

30 such kids from the 15 venues will be selected to be trained by Arsenal Coaches both in India and in London. 16 of these kids will be selected and taken to UK to participate in the Arsenal International Soccer Festival.

www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k10/dec/dec91.php


Goal.com India

India Might Have One Arsenal Academy Soon: Head of Arsenal FC’s Soccer Schools - Paul Shipwright
Kids should start training as soon as they can walk…
By Babua Biswas09-Dec-2010

Paul Shipwright, head of Arsenal FC’s soccer schools, was in New Delhi to launch the 4th edition of the Tata Tea Jaagore Soccer Stars Tournament. Briefing the media at The Park Hotel in the capital about Tata Tea’s venture, which is to kick start in Mumbai on December 13, he took a little time off from his busy schedule and had a chat with Goal.com's Babua Biswas.

Goal.com: How has been your association with Tata Tea Jaagore Soccer Stars?

Paul Shipwright: I have been with them for the last three years. It’s fantastic to be associated with an organization which works to unearth true talent from around the corners of such a huge country. The challenge to find the right group of players from such a large talent pool wanting to make it big, is huge. I am really proud to be associated with an organization working for such a good cause. More corporates should come forward and do things like this.

Goal.com: Does this initiative end with the boys’ participation in The Arsenal International Soccer Festival? What happens to them after returning to India?

Paul Shipwright: No...Our association with the boys doesn’t end with their London trip. On returning to India we try to place them in different clubs and academies like TFA and DDA Soccer School so that they don’t ship away. Our organization remains in constant touch with them. We often get enquiries about our boys from many club coaches. However I wish we could have trained them the Arsenal way for 2 to 3 more years.

Goal.com: What’s the reason behind not training them the Arsenal way for 2 to 3 more years?

Both the Arsenal and Tata Tea management are working on it. In future we hope to incorporate the selected players into our own Soccer Schools and give them proper training and develop them. Right now we are in no position to take them into our Academies for various reasons.

Goal.com: And what is this Arsenal way of training?

Paul Shipwright:(Laughs) There is not much difference in the training regime of all the soccer schools. In Arsenal Soccer School we don’t try to change the kids’ style of playing. We rather build on their strength. We rectify them if their approach is wrong. Moreover making them mentally strong is one area where I would say Arsenal Soccer schools are different.

Goal.com: Any plan of Arsenal opening a Soccer Academy here in India?

Paul Shipwright: (Smiles) I don’t know about that. That’s not my department. But looking at the way we are expanding our Soccer Schools, hopefully India might have one soon. It will be a good investment owing to the large talent pool.

Goal.com: Having been associated with TATA Tea Jaagore Soccer Stars for quite sometime now, you would be having a fair idea about Indian kids. What is your impression about them?

Paul Shipwright: Kids here are really a talented bunch. They have got the stamina, skills, power and the desire to make it big. It’s just the grooming and proper infrastructure that is lacking. Make the infrastructure and proper training facilities available to them and see where they take Indian Football.

Goal.com: Having seen kids from various countries, do you find any difference in the level of commitment and dedication between Indian kids and kids back home in UK?

Paul Shipwright: No… I don’t see much difference. Infact kids here are more dedicated and committed. They work hard and always give their cent percent. I am absolutely delighted to train and coach them. They are such genuine people.

Goal.com: So when do you think is the right time for kids to start training?

Paul Shipwright: As soon as they can walk. They need not be put through strict training regime then but gradually introduce them to the game by making them wear boots and run around with a football. And training should start by the age of 4-5 years so that they can play at the highest level by the age of 17 or 18 years. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the best examples. They became popular as teenagers.

Goal.com: Coming to Indian Football aren’t you surprised that there is not a single player of top international standard from a country of more than one billion people?

Paul Shipwright: Yes absolutely. I am really surprised. I just can’t think of it. I think your Cricket governing body should take over the football also. (Laughs)

Goal.com: Is India progressing in the right direction under Bob Haughton?

Paul Shipwright: There is no doubt about it. Bob is an experienced coach with a great vision. He knows what he does and he does it in his own style. He is the man for India at the moment. He has been around for quite sometime now and so he understands Indian Football best.

Goal.com: What more can be done to take Indian Football to the next level?

Paul Shipwright: Indian Football still has a long way to go. Firstly world class infrastructure needs to be built. Clubs should take the responsibility of developing young players. Corporates should come forward and take the initiative. Appoint good coaches to train kids from grass root level. Make facilities available to everyone aspiring to play. If this can be done now then India surely will do well in the coming 15-20 years.

Goal.com: Lastly you‘ll be aware of Blackburn Rovers coming into Indian hands, can such a take over eventually help Indian Football?

Paul Shipwright: Yes it will to an extent help in popularizing the game. They can bring in coaches here to train aspiring footballers. But it will not help India rise as a footballing nation. What needs to be done is to stress on youth development as India needs to realize that short term goals are short lived. The only way to rise is to develop youth for the future.

www.goal.com/en-india/news/136/india/2010/12/09/2253676/india-might-have-one-arsenal-academy-soon-head-of-arsenal

Shame the QPR Official Site has yet to report on this...Are our Chairman and Managing Director and Deputy Chairman still away? Who's in charge? Are any of our coaches also in India ?

This is what was reported on the Official Site LAST Year about the event.


QPR Official Site
IN MUMBAI
Posted on: Sun 31 Jan 2010

QPR's trip to host the Mumbai Soccer Challenge over the New Year proved a resounding success, as promising youngsters Shaun Fernandes and Hussain Vahanvaty did enough to earn the right to attend a six-week training camp at the Club's Harlington Training Ground.

The sheer scale of the event was best demonstrated by the fact that in attendance was Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel, MP Milind Deora, Indian National Team Captain Baichung Bhutia, as well as QPR Vice Chairman Amit Bhatia and Managing Director Ishan Saksena.

Under the watchful eye of QPR Youth Development Manager Steve Gallen, the Challenge was a unique five-a-side tournament involving municipal government aided and private schools and took place in South Mumbai.

An incredible 2,000 children all participated in the event. Open to boys and girls, the challengers were aged from eight to ten and 11 to 14 years old. A total of 24 children were hand-picked to take part in a follow-up QPR coaching clinic, where the final two were selected to make the trip to West London.

QPR Holdings Ltd Vice-Chairman Bhatia was delighted with how the event turned out.

He explained how finding and promoting talent in Mumbai was always likely to happen at some point as a result of the Club's connection to India through himself and QPR shareholder Lakshmi Mittal.

"With the Club having an Indian association, an initiative was always going to be on the cards," he said, "but it was about what we thought would be right. We have a QPR Football in the Community Trust and this fits there."

"There is a difference between introducing and exploiting. Clubs need to be willing to spend resources rather than earning them.

"That's what we are looking at doing. We are planning long term. We want to give back and are showing our intentions from day one.

"We have been constantly keeping our eye on a few talented footballers from there. There were Visa issues but that hasn't stopped us from keeping track. I don't see why (having an Indian footballer at Rangers) is not a possibility."

Bhatia also explained that such events are not all about marketing the Club. Indeed, he believes backing grass roots football is of greater importance.

"We don't want to come here and sell jerseys and tickets," he added. "We wanted to do something from the grass roots level. Promoting talent in Mumbai is up there on our agenda."

This view is shared by QPR Managing Director Saksena, who added: "Anything is possible. We have many age group teams and if they do exceptionally well, anything can happen.

"Even if they fail to make progress, we will keep track of these kids in India and provide them with the facilities that they require. QPR will keep coming to India every year for such events."

South Mumbai MP Deora welcomed a growing relationship between India and QPR, and he says that the rising popularity of the beautiful game in and around the country suggests that such a partnership can only be a successful one.

MP Deora said: "Football is a rapidly growing sport with youngsters taking to it in large numbers.

"Besides bringing out qualities of teamwork and the spirit of fair play, the sport also provides an ideal platform for children to engage in both health and fitness activities."

Fernandes and Vahanvaty will now travel to West London this upcoming summer and Gallen explained that if either of the two boys impresses, then their respective stays could last beyond the six weeks.

Gallen said: "If they are good enough they might even get the chance to represent the Club in the future.



www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~1947628,00.html