Indian Arrows I-League 2017/2018I-League

I-League: Indian Arrows to begin pre-season camp from June 14

The Indian Arrows squad will be begin their pre-season camp in Goa from June 14 ahead of the 2018-19 I-League season. 

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) revived the Arrows project that was disbanded in 2013 after successfully hosting the 2017 U-17 World Cup in India. Majority of the players from the World Cup squad along with a few from the then India U-19 national team comprised the make-up of the squad last season.

"We should be training on the artificial turf behind the Fatorda stadium and we will be retaining the maximum core squad of the World Cup players," Indian Arrows assistant coach Floyd Pinto told Goal

"The core squad will include the 2000-born boys. The 1999-born boys have gone back. We will be having trials for the first 10 days for which we will be calling in a lot of players," he added.

The team finished at the bottom of the pile in the I-League last season with 15 points from 18 games but famously gave Mumbai City FC a run for their money before going down 2-1 against the Indian Super League (ISL) side in the 2018 Super Cup qualifiers.

Jitendra Singh Floyd Pinto Indian Arrows Shillong Lajong I-League 2017/18AIFF Media

Scouting programmes for the Arrows project is currently underway in Jharkhand, Odisha and Amritsar.

"We are scouting for boys born between 2001 and 2002, as well as girls from various age groups. India women's coach Maymol Rocky is also is with us," Pinto, who is accompanying India national team director Abhishek Yadav, informed.

"It's difficult to find someone for the Arrows project because the level is very high. If we find someone for the Arrows project, it will be very good. We are looking for 2001-born boys because once the I-League is done, the focus will shift on the AFC U-19 Championship in 2019 which has a 2001-born cut-off.

"We already have several players Jitu (Jitendra Singh), [Prabhsukhan] Gill and others who are 2001-born boys."

Meanwhile, the India U-16 national team under Bibiano Fernandes is set to participate in the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship to be held in Malaysia from September 20 to October 7.

Given that the top four teams in the competition will be awarded a direct spot in the 2019 U-17 World Cup in Peru, Pinto mentioned, "We are also looking for boys who are born after September 2002 to add to Bibiano's squad which could help him. The 2003 and 2004-born boys will be for the next (India U-16) team. We have about 260 to 270 players to look at."

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