Aim to expand football's reach in India: FC Goa Sporting Director on RB Leipzig partnership
Nov 13, 2020
Panaji (Goa) [India], November 13 : After entering into a three-year strategic partnership with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Goa's aim is to expand the growing reach of football in the country with a focus on the grassroots level play to make the game popular in the tier-two cities.
RB Leipzig has been one of the rising forces in German football in recent times ever since their formation in 2009 and Ravi Puskur, Director of Football, FC Goa feels the partnership will not have any effect on the style of "attacking football" that the ISL club is famous for.
"It's a great honour to be a part of this technical cooperation we've got in place with RB Leipzig. Since seeds have been sown, I am sure it will help us develop Indian and specifically Goan football and we'll try and tap the potential that really exists in India," said Puskur in a virtual press conference.
"FC Goa's vision since its inception has been to play an attacking brand of football and we've also tried to take in different sorts of perspectives on how we approach the game in India. So, in that sense, nothing will change (partnership) and with RB Leipzig's assistance we will try and make more advancements on how we look at the onfield and off-field preparations," Puskar explained.
"Style of football won't change as we have always played the game on the front and RB Leipzig too is famous for doing the same. So, you see there won't be many changes and we'll rely on the experience of the Bundesliga club to take us forward," he added.
The Bundesliga club worked its way up the league structure and within a period of seven years, secured promotion to the Bundesliga by 2016.
FC Goa's Director of Football said the primary focus of the partnership will be youth development and explained the step by step procedure of how they gonna achieve the goal.
"The immediate step will be to start with camps we have got because that will allow us to focus on the grassroots of Indian football. From there we will try and build the youth programmes and then steadily we will take it to academy level football," said Puskar.
"We want to try and bring football to the cities where football might not be that popular. The aim is to expand the growing reach in India. Make football popular in certain states and tier two cities. We will identify several locations across the country and will put up soccer camps," he further said.
"The camps will be focused on two perspectives, first to find the right talent and second to grow the football in India from the grassroots level and popularise the sport as much as possible," the Director of Football added.
