Internet Desk: The All India Football Federation’s plan to keep the India U17 football team in together for the next few years gets a blow as a few key performers of the team in the FIFA U17 World Cup are likely to miss the opportunity to play for Indian Arrows in the forthcoming I-League season.
Nongdamba Naorem, Jeakson Singh, Mohd Shahjahan and arguably the most consistent player of the Indian team in the FIFA U17 World Cup, central defender Anwar Ali will likely be retained by their former club Minerva Punjab for this season as well.
Aa per sources close to the AIFF, the players already had contracts with Minerva and the club is reluctant to release them for the Arrows.
Minerva contributed quite heavily in producing quality Indian players from their academy and the national team got heavily benefited by them.
But with the absence of the players like India’s only goalscorer in the FIFA U17 World Cup – Jeakson Singh, consistent midfielder Nongdamba Naorem and ever reliable Anwar Ali at the back, the colts will no doubt be a bit weak compare to the strength they had in their first ever FIFA U17 World Cup campaign.