Tendulkar meets Kerala CM, discusses plan to set up football academy

Legendary cricketer and co-owner of Kerala Blasters, Sachin Tendulkar, on Wednesday met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his office to discuss about setting up a state-of-the-art residential football academy in the state.

The state government of Kerala and the Kerala Blasters football club are in the process of drawing up a blue print for a five-year plan for football in the state.

The objective is to propel Kerala football to greater heights whereby over the next five years the goal is to create 100 footballers of international standard.

The project will see creation of a year-round residential academy in which local talent from the state can be nurtured, and to whom the academy can provide coaching and guidance.

The Kerala Blasters FC will provide the technical know-how for operating the academy besides creating a scouting system for the program with the state government offering infrastructure needs for the same.

The state government will also promote Kerala Blasters grassroots programme in the schools which will effectively work as a feeder system for the proposed academia.

The academy team will participate in various local, national, and international tournaments through the calendar year.