Pune Football Club Academy is to establish a residential academy for under-15 players and satellite academies to convert the existing facilities into a centre of excellence.
"The prime objective behind our move is to develop PFC as a centre of excellence for football," Chirag Tanna, Head Operations of PFC told PTI here.
The residential academy for under-15 years, in line with the existing Under-20, will start functioning from next season, Tanna said.
The residential academy, being developed at a cost of over Rs 50 lakh, will come up at the existing PFC premises in Balewadi, 17 kms from Pune.
The academy will have modern facilities for 20 cadets with thrust being on football training and education, Tanna, who is here to encourage the PFC Under-20 team participating in the ongoing I-league tournament, said.
"The identification of Under-15 talent for the new academy will start soon as our head youth development coach Ranjan Choudhury is currently busy with the I-league here," he said.
"After the I-league, we will start identifying football talent across the country for recruitment," Tanna said, adding that proper education for cadets was a priority in the PFC.
"Besides the under-15 academy, we also have plans to open two satellite academies in Punjab and Kolhapur, which are expected to be in place from the next season."
Coaches would be recruited for the satellite academies, who would utilise the expertise available at PFC, he said.
Tanna said PFC also planned to set up academies for Under-14 and 16 in the long run and the best of the cadets would move to the senior group.
