Pune-based DSK Group has tied up with Liverpool Based English Premier League football club 'Liverpool FC' to setp a full time coaching academy in Pune.
The company is investing Rs 50 crore for this venture. The academy features residential complex featuring full-size pitches, practice areas, classrooms, changing rooms, a gym, canteen, lecture theatre and medical facilities.
This is the first time an English top-flight club has partnered with an Indian team to help them bring through local talent. DSK Group owns a local club DSK Shivajians.
The name of this academy will be 'LFC International Football Academy DSK' and will officially opened in the first week of January 2014. In the first year, academy will provide advance training to players of age group between 17 to 19 years.
Speaking about the partnership with Liverpool FC, Shirish Kulkarni, executive director of DSK Group, said: "This is a strategic move for us at DSK Shivajians FC which will give aspiring young footballers the opportunity to be coached by one of the world’s most famous football clubs – Liverpool FC. Coaches from Liverpool FC will work on the project in India and will pass on technical expertise from the club to the players and coaches involved in the academy.This will give them an opportunity to realise their potential. I am very confident that this academy will go a long way in placing India strongly on the national and international professional football map."
Commenting on this Dan White, head, Soccer School, Liverpool FC said, "The results speak for themselves, as last season seven Academy players made their first-team debuts. Education and community work is key to the development of our young players and we look forward to taking our knowledge and experience of developing young footballers to India."
DSK Shivajians FC will utilise their facilities at DSK Supinfocom International, situated in Loni, Pune, for the new academy, where Liverpool FC will also run its world-renowned soccer schools programme, giving youngsters the opportunity to learn how to play football. Liverpool FC has plans to introduce more full-time coaches from Liverpool to oversee each age group at the new academy.
