Kolkata, India, 30 April, 2024: LaLiga has brought its grassroots football development programme to India with a view to train young and budding footballers through their methodology, which has produced some of the finest Spanish talent to grace the global stage. The programme has been designed by the Global Technical Director of LALIGA Academy, with the help of a team spanning several countries. The programme aims to combine the football cultures of various regions, and add a potent mix of Spanish flair and technique to local football. This team of experts includes Mr. Miguel Casal from Spain, who is the Technical Director of the La Liga Academy Football Schools India.
Bhawanipore FC ProIndia Centre of Excellence has three principle verticals:
• Providing a structured and uniform football curriculum, created by the La Liga Academy, to AFC and LaLiga qualified coaches.
• Introducing Step Out Analytics, a company based out of Bengaluru which manages professional teams from the I-League. The company has already started football analytics from grassroots to youth levels. Step Out will hand over their analytical know-how to coaches and scouts to aid in the overall progress of Indian football.
• Introducing a professional television channel as a platform to showcase Academy matches, the AIFF Blue Cubs, and practice sessions across the country.
On behalf of Bhawanipore FC, Mr. Srinjoy Bose said, “Bhawanipore FC ProIndia will have several player development centres across West Bengal, in various schools from several districts. The AIFF scouts can handpick talents from these centres and take them to our Elite Player Development Centre, and eventually to the Bhawanipore FC ProIndia Centre Of Excellence. At the Centre of Excellence, players will benefit from a holistic La Liga Academy curriculum as they are being nurtured for AIFF and IFA age-category tournaments for the under 13, under 15, and under 17 levels.”
According to Miguel Casal, Technical Director of LaLiga Academy India, , “This is a special tie-up because no one in India has ever thought of introducing professional analytics at the grassroot level. We are excited to contribute our curriculum to the Bengal football ecosystem. I am certain that the scientific approach from Bhawanipore FC ProIndia will be a powerful catalyst for the effective growth of football.”
Aparup Chakraborty, CEO & Co-Founder of Bhawanipore FC Proindia Academy, highlighted the strong Spanish influence in Indian football, especially when it comes to importing our coaches from the land of Xavi and Iniesta. “Several top teams in the Indian Super League (ISL) have Spanish coaches, who bring with them their tactical expertise and inimitable playing style. To structure this progression, the introduction of Spanish football methodology at the grassroot level is essential for early acclimatization. By familiarizing young players with the Spanish system from a young age, we can better equip them to adapt and excel under Spanish coaches later in their careers. This system will also help players avoid potential difficulties in adapting to a different system when they are 21 and at a crucial developmental stage. We will also participate in domestic and Global Tournaments of various age categories like LaLiga Youth Tournament,etc.”
In essence, this project advocates for a more scientific and systemic approach to training young footballers. Integrating the Spanish philosophy from the grassroots can create a generation of Indian players who are comfortable and successful within that system.
