Andhra Pradesh-based Srinidhi FC, which was formed in 2015, are all set to make their debut in the I-League from the 2021-22 season.
The Southern outfit have established a quality facility and have been taking part in the youth leagues of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). But now, they have been handed an opportunity to start their senior team.
Chairman of Sreenidhi Group, Dr. KT Mahi spoke about the club’s infrastructure and how they are looking to improve it further.
“I have travelled extensively in Europe. In order to produce world class players, we need to have world class infrastructure. This is one commitment we made and that was to provide world class facilities. That is what we will provide at our club.
“In May 2018, we started the construction of a world class football centre, SFC Football Village, with four international standard grounds. Two are already ready with floodlights. We have gyms, medical rooms and residential facilities. The construction will end in the next one and a half years and it will be a world class facility.
For youth development we already have youth teams playing in the youth leagues and we provide everything for free to our players. Our elite program runs throughout the year,” said Dr. Mahi in an online session with the AIFF.
I-League CEO Sunando Dhar was extremely appreciative of Sreenidhi’s facilities.
“I haven’t seen it in person but saw it virtually and we were pleasantly surprised. Amazing infrastructure. Every young player aspires to grow in such atmosphere. I congratulate Sreenidhi on that and hope they keep growing on infrastructure and in other aspects,” he said.
While there is still a year’s time before Sreenidhi FC will make their I-League debut, the chairman suggested that the club has already made progress in team recruitment and have shortlisted coaches’ and players’ names.
“I-League is highly competitive and we have to make a team that can compete and perform immediately. As a club, we have clearly defined our principles and philosophy which is to develop young players and it is a long process. In the senior team, it will be more about performance. With this, we have identified potential coaches which will be finalised in September itself. We have three or four very good candidates who can spot good players and are familiar with the Indian scenario. We have a tentative list of players and we are talking to them. Some of them are very keen to join us.”
Dr. Mahi informed that several young girls already train at their facility under the tutelage of Portuguese technical director Fabio Ferreira and they will soon launch a girls youth team.
“At the school level, we already have girls football teams. We have our technical director from Portugal (Fabio Ferreira) and we have coaches and fitness coaches. A lot of girls have shown interest and even though we don’t have a proper youth team we will soon have a girls youth football side,” said the Sreenidhi Group chairman.
