Bhutia to launch football school

In his 15 years of international career, Bhaichung Bhutia has brought many laurels to the country. Now, the Indian football icon is now launching a football school, to teach the sport to underprivileged children free of cost.

The Indian football captain is launching the Bhaichung Bhutia Football School in New Delhi on October 30, to teach football basics to school children, of which 30 per cent will be from the underprivileged sections of the society.

The football school has tied up with the Carlos Queiroz academy in Portugal, which will provide two coaches to train the children all through the year. Queiroz, the former national coach of Portugal and South Africa, is famous for his work towards development of football at the grassroot and youth level. He has also authored books and documentaries about the power of football as a positive force for social change.

"It will be a non-residential school and I will get a ground in Delhi on lease. 30 per cent of children will be from underprivileged section and the other 70 per cent will have to pay fees. There will be tie-ups with some schools and NGOs to get the children. For the underprivileged ones, NGOs like Magic Bus will provide them," Bhaichung said.

"This will be the first school in the country and I am looking to spread it in other parts of the country in future. Noida, Mumbai and Bangalore are the places I am looking at for such schools in the near future, provided I get the land," he said.

Asked how the idea to start such a school came to him, Bhaichung said, "All over the world lots of children are interested in football. Even street children play football. The only thing is that they don't have proper grounds and they are not organised. In a way it is good that underprivileged children in the country will get to play football."

"It will not be a school which will be run to provide professional football but one which will encourage children to take up football and enjoy it. They will also learn the basics of football. The talented ones will be drafted into the professional academy, which I am opening in Kolkata and Sikkim with (Bollywood actor) John Abraham," he added.

Bhaichung said the Carlos Queiroz Academy will provide two coaches for 360 days to teach football basics to the children.

"Carlos Queiroz is a guy known for grassroot and youth football in Portugal, United States and Manchester United. I have tied up with his academy. His academy is providing two coaches from Portugal to train the children in Delhi for 360 days," said Bhutia.