Young Indians will be training at Blackburn Academy

The managing director of Venky’s group, Venkatesh Rao has revealed the names of the seven boys selected for training at the Blackburn Academy.

“This is their first step towards professional football. I hope they seize the opportunity and become superstars in the future,” said Rao. He added that Rovers are interested in nurturing a bigger group of Indian talent in the future.

The Rovers Academy scouts, in a nationwide talent hunt contest in 2011, had selected 6 Indian players to fly to Ewood Park where they would train for two weeks.

The seven boys were presented club t-shirts by chief academy coach David Lowe.

“The boys are going to get a taste of professional football and if they manage to impress the coaches, they can have a long-term future at the club,” said Lowe.

Six of them, Omkar Haveli, Faizi Salim, Ryesh Venkatraman, Carlton Fernandes, Prithvi Satav, Steven Charles are from Pune, while Bipin Mallick is from Goa.

“I want to put on my cleats and go impress the coaches. We have two weeks at the academy and it is important that we do well in order to further our association with the club,” Charles, who is the only U-21 player said.

Prithvi Satav has already been to the Inter Milan academy back in September.