Uzbekistan, Iran, Bangladesh for Tata tourney

PTI - In its bid to provide more international exposure to budding talents of Indian soccer, the All India Football Federation would organise the first JRD Tata football tournament with Uzbekistan, Iran and Bangladesh in the fray in September. 

The Indian under-18 and under-19 teams, who would be undergoing training at Goa under the supervision of chief coach Stephen Constantine from today, would be pitted against the foreigners in the Tata-sponsored tournament in Jamshedpur. 

"We have decided to groom these young boys for the big events like Olympics and Asian Games. For this, we are trying to provide them necessary exposure to the international soccer," AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco said. 

The under-18 team would also be sent to the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in July where they would face the junior squads of top club sides like Manchester United, River Plate, Dinamo Kiev and others, he said. 

AIFF, which had earlier announced the 'Project 2004' and 'Project 2006' focussing on the next Olympics and World Cup, has selected 72 players for the first phase of the camp while another 22 boys would join on May 27 and 28, Colaco said.