Guest of honour, Lanutoshi Yaden (third from left) along with the players during the kick off ceremony for the two-day Futsal Night Tournament at Junkyard Turf Padampukhuri, Dimapur on June 23. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 23
The second edition of the two-day Futsal Night Tournament kicked off on the evening of June 23 at Junkyard Turf Padampukhuri, Dimapur with Dimapur District Football Association (DDFA) General Secretary, Lanutoshi Yaden gracing the occasion as the guest of honour.
Organised by Prodigies club, Dimapur, the tourney will take place from June 23 to 24, with 24 teams set to participate in it. Formed in 2021, the club has aimed to empower and make a positive impact on the lives of the youths of Dimapur. Through this tournament they aimed to spread a positive message and a feeling of camaraderie among the participants.
In his speech, Yaden noted that Nagaland has been associated with football for so many year but could only produce a few national players due to lack of Character, Consistency and Confidence. “Secondly I blame the lack of infrastructure and no strong sport policy,” he said.
However, at the same time he also appreciated the growth and popularity of futsal turfs being constructed by private individuals in Dimapur which gives opportunities plus experience to the young players. “With these kinds of tournaments, we have seen a lot of young players with hidden talents, gaining experience and getting their skills polished,” he added.
This can be seen by the fact that Dimapur has produced a considerable number of footballers who have participated to the Indian Super League.
Imtiwapang Longkumer, Vice President of Prodigies Club meanwhile highlighted that the winning team will walk away with a cash prize of Rs 40,000 while the runners up would receive Rs 20,000. In addition, the golden boot and golden glove player will each get a cash prize of Rs 2,500 as well.
