Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS): Royal Netherlands Football Association will start a training program with the Western India Football Association for young footballers in Mumbai, Dutch football legend Johan Neeskens announced on Tuesday.
The former player of Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona brings with him two experienced colleagues to Mumbai for the 5-day course at Cooperage.
Neeskens, who featured in 2 consecutive World Cup finals (1974, 1978) was also the first Dutch player ever to score in a World Cup Final.
"We are very happy to be back in Maharashtra. In December 2019 I was here myself as instructor of World Coaches and in those days we were hoping to intensify the coaching education. In the meantime, the World was closed due to the pandemic. Now it is time that the youth in India, boys and girls, come back to the field and that they are trained by well educated coaches, who not only look at performance on the field, but also look at the well-being of children and guidance off the field," Neeskens said.
"A partnership with a football State like Maharashtra, Mumbai fits perfectly in our International Strategy, where we want to be seen as an Innovative Association, looking for impact and working for the Future of Football. Our new Partnership with Acosa Sports Infrastructure Services will give an extra impulse through the combination of more and better fields to play on and good coaching for children," he said.
"Football is all about collaboration and communication, about fair play, respect for diversity and dealing with frustrations. We can inform children on Healthy Lifestyle and teach social skills to our children in a fun way through football, which will benefit them in all aspects of their life," said Johan van Geijn of KNVB, working with India since 2006 when KNVB did a first course in Mumbai for the local coaches of Magic Bus.
The World Coaches Program has been active around the world since 2010 and more than 16,000 coaches joined the initiative Worldwide from 60 countries, with almost 30 per cent of them being female coaches, a percentage that should grow for equal opportunities. In India the coaching program will be launched in association with Acosa Sports Infrastructure Services.