Bhaichung Bhutia with his academy kids (Photo Credit: BBFS)
KOLKATA: The collaboration between the
Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools
(BBFS) and Premier League club Southampton FC will see a couple of new additions with the launch of two residential
football
academies in Karnataka and Punjab.
With campuses already running in New Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya, Bhutia said the newest ventures will be a continuation of BBFS’s commitment to provide world-class football education across India and further extend access to aspiring footballers in key regions.
“Our partnership with Southampton FC brings global best practices in football coaching to India. With the opening of these two new campuses in Punjab and Karnataka, we aim to provide unparalleled opportunities for young footballers to develop their skills and prepare for success at the highest levels,” Bhutia said in a statement.
While the academy in Punjab will operate in association with Om Parkash Bansal Modern School, Akash International School will be BBFS’s associate in running the one in Karnataka.
With the objective of providing not only football excellence but also the holistic development of its student-athletes, the three-star AIFF-accredited academy has been operational since 2018 with some of its youngsters like Manbhakupar Malngiang, Lionel D Rymmei, Bonifilia Shullai and Ribahunshisha Kharshiing having represented India in age-level tournaments.
The newly opened campuses will be one of the first to fully implement BBFS’s collaboration with Southampton, integrating an advanced coaching curriculum developed by the English club. This collaboration has the goal of offering young Indian athletes the exposure to global leagues, exclusive training opportunities and expert guidance in India and the UK.
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