Kolkata: Indian Super League side Atletico de Kolkata starts their Nursery Football League from today at the Barasat Stadium. Atletico de Kolkata Secretary Subrata Talukdar, Assistant Coach Bastab Roy, player Jewel Raja and IFA Academy Coach Goutam Ghosh were there in the inauguration. The league has been divided in two groups, as Group A is for U14 kids and as many as 40 teams are participating in it. On the flip side, Group B is for U12 kids and as many as 48 teams are participating in it. The ATK academy too, has been doing a commendable job and has been participating in this competition. The Secretary Subrata Talukdar too informed some good news for the academy boys as he said, “From the next season, we are planning to bring a foreign coach for our academy. We believe, in Indian football, foreign coaches are required. We are focusing on foreign coaches who know English and the short-listing process is on.”
The ATK Secretary also stated his thoughts on the proposed merger of the I-League and ISL. He said, “The city of London too has 7 Premier League clubs, then why don’t we have three clubs from Kolkata. But at the same time, in a league of 8 teams, where the intention was to have 1 city, 1 team, I don’t know how it’s going to work. I have no idea how it’s gonna work if you suddenly bring three teams from a single city.” He added, “Let the organizers handle the trouble, I have nothing to say.”
In the opening game of the Nursery League, Atletico de Kolkata met Kankurgachi.