In biggest Subroto Cup yet, U-14 boys sole representatives from Nagaland

Nagaland Youth Resources & Sports Advisor  Er Zale Neikha and officials with Nagaland team in Delhi on August 20.

Morung Express News 
Dimapur | August 20 

The Diamond Jubilee edition of International Football Tournament, the Subroto Cup, billed as the Asia’s largest youth football tournament—kicked off at the Ambedkar Stadium on August 20. 

According the organiser, the tournament this year will see a record 112 teams, including 16 international sides, vying for top honours in the sub-junior boys (U-14) and junior (U-17) boys and girls categories.

For football crazy Nagaland, the representation however is dismal, with participation in only 1 category (U-14 boys).

 
The state could not send participants for other sub-junior (U-17) for boys and girls. It was not sure whether the non-participation was due to lack of players or lack of preparations.  

Either way, this is strange as the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio most recently in his Independence Day messages on August 15 cited the first-ever FC Nagaland (U-15 Girls) team representing India in 2019 Gothia Cup, Sweden as a glorious achievement of the present government.

The Nagaland Youth Resources & Sports Advisor Er Zale Neikha on Tuesday also cited the recent performance by the team as a state player having potential “to compete with any team at the international arena.”

However, no girls’ team or boys team are representing the state in the U-17 category. Departmental sources attributed the non-representation to lack of preparation. 

Meanwhile, Nagaland is in Pool–C along with BKSP (Bangladesh), CBSE, Haryana and Team 15. The State’s team will kick off campaign against BKSP on August 21 at 8.30 AM, and will play a total of four matches in the preliminary rounds.  

In the inaugural U-14 match on Tuesday, Reliance Foundation School (RFS) defeated Jharkhand’s Lilanand High School 4-1 in Pool A. The final is scheduled at the Ambedkar Stadium on August 29.

The U-17 girls’ and boys’ competitions will start on August 30 and September 7, respectively, with the finals scheduled for September 6 and September 18.

The U-14 boys’ category has 36 teams; the U-17 girls’ section has 31 teams while the U-17 boys’ category has the maximum participating teams, 45.

Apart from Bangladesh and Afghanistan, other countries participating in this season include Nigeria, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan, having representations across categories.

The tournament has enhanced its prize money in all three categories by Rs 50,000 this year. The winners in the sub-junior boys’ section will walk away with an attractive cash prize of Rs 3,00,000, while Rs 4,00,000 each will be awarded to the winners in the junior boys’ and girls’ sections.

The runners-up in the sub-junior boys’ category will receive Rs 1,75,000 while those in the junior boys’ and girls’ sections would earn Rs 2,50,000 each.

The best player and best goalkeeper awards have also been increased from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.