A touch of Anfield in Pune

Does your son dream of being the next David Beckham and leaves you wondering how would that happen in a country where football is only about fandom and less of the sport? Well, there is a solution. DSK Shivajians – a second division I-League club from Pune – collaborated with Liverpool Football Club to establish India’s first international club residential football academy to train youngsters.

The academy, called Liverpool International Football Academy - DSK Shivajians, and located at DSK International Campus at Loni on the outskirts of Pune, is presided by a former Shivajian player-turned businessman Shirish Kulkarni. He says, “I could not hold myself back when I got a chance to bring an English Premier League club’s (EPL) school of thought to India. There will be two resident coaches from Liverpool who will be available throughout the year.”

EPL fans in India mostly worship Manchester United.

So, what made him turn to the Reds for the alliance? “Liverpool too, is one of the most successful clubs and they have their unique way of doing things. Their philosophy of going beyond football while ideating on formations and set pieces is in tune with the Shivajians,” adds Kulkarni, who is also the executive director with the DSK Group– one of the leading business conglomerates in India.

“A coach is a critical part of a team’s performance and the ones coming from abroad will also bring in their technical knowhow which will prove beneficial for the students. The philosophy of the Liverpool coaches can also be used to further develop coaches within the country,” he says.

The academy will house 64 boys chosen out of 2,500 candidates across India in the U-19 and U-17 categories by coaches Ray Curtis and Michael Rice. As part of training, few hand picked students are also likely to visit Liverpool for a week. The institute will offer single room accommodation with attached bathroom, an air conditioner and an electronic safe apart from an artificial 4G pitch and a natural turf.

“Thirty-two players out of these will be charged a subsidized fee of Rs 3.5 lakh per annum and Rs 4.5 lakh per annum for the U-17 and U-19 class respectively exclusive of taxes. The other half, specially chosen by coaches but are unable to afford the fees have been provided full scholarship,” says Kulkarni.

Now, when the Indian Super League (ISL) promises to develop the sport in the country, the establishment of the school is a bonus and Kulkarni agrees to that. “Sports, as serious business India, received a boost with the launch of Indian Premier league. Cricket, though already popular, received an influx of investment and excitement. Similarly, ISL is a fantastic initiative. Now it is understood that there is global interest in Indian football market. Even FIFA proved it by awarding the hosting rights of the U-17 World Cup,” adds Kulkarni, who thinks that the school will also help DSK Shivajians have better footballers in future. But, “all 64 boys cannot play for the club. I am hopeful some will have a career in coaching and management too,” he says.