Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Former Indian football team captain Renedy Singh visited Guwahati recently to oversee the selection trial organized by the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA). During the trial, 17 players of U-19 categories were shortlisted for advanced training in Spain. In a brief chat with The Sentinel, Renedy shared his thoughts on the initiative of Guwahati Football Association along with the current football scenario in North East and India. Here is the excerpt.
The Sentinel (TS): How do you see the initiative of the GSA to send young players for higher training in Spain…
Renedy Singh: It’s a very appreciable move. GSA has taken a commendable step by sending talented U-19 players to Spain for higher training. I believe this decision will yield great results in your State in the near future.
TS: You have worked closely with young players from Assam. How do you assess their talent?
Renedy Singh: There is no doubt that Assam has good football talents. In the last couple of days, I’ve worked with several promising players and found many of them to be highly skilled. With proper training, they can scale great heights. If GSA continues this kind of support, Assam will become a force to reckon with in Indian football.
TS: Is it better option to place the players in a single team after they returned from Spain?
Renedy Singh: Absolutely. Once their training is complete, most of these players should ideally play for a single club or team which can give better results. This would foster better teamwork and onfield cooperation. Also, the style of play they’ll learn in Spain can be consistently applied when they play together.
TS: What major changes have you observed in the football scenario of the North East from your time to the present day?
Renedy Singh: A significant change is the rise in the number of training schools across the region. During my time, there were no football training schools in the North East—I had to go all the way to TATA Football Academy in Jamshedpur to get proper training. Now, access to training and increasing levels of competition locally are making a big difference. You have perhaps noticed that the number of players from the North East in various clubs of the country and also in the national team is huge now. It could improve further if we can increase the number of training schools across the region.
TS: What is your opinion on the current scenario of Indian football?
Renedy Singh: A lot of positive works have been done to improve Indian football. Today’s footballers are able to earn well and play throughout the year. However, I still feel that we need to work harder to elevate the game to the next level.
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