Bayern Munich to host junior event in Delhi

MUNICH: In an endeavour to form a bond with the country, Bayern Munich and their partners Adidas India and Audi India will conduct a five-a-side Youth Cup football tournament in New Delhi in October this year.
"The essence of the tournament is to unearth talent and nurture them professionally" said Michael Perschke, brand director, Audi India. The tournament conceived by Adidas India's Tushar Goculdas (director, sales and marketing) and Damyant Singh (AGM, Brand Communications and Sports Marketing), in collaboration with their partners, will have schools in and around Delhi participating in the event."We also have plans to take the project to three or four other cities, including Goa, once the pilot project is a success," pointed out Tushar.
"We believe the nation will be an important spot for us, and hopefully we should be able to set up a huge base in India," said Andreas Jung, member of the board, Bayern Munich. Talking on the occasion, head of international affairs of Bayern Munich, Martin Haegele said India had grown strong economically. "We also believe, they are a growing sporting nation, so we feel it is the right time to take our plans forward," he added.
"We already have players from Japan, China and Iran, someday we could have one from India. There is a growing potential and loads of talent, all that needs to be done is for that talent to be harnessed with care and professionalism," Haegele said.
Perschke is gung-ho about the event and India's potential. "The popularity of the sport is growing in India, so we are keen to have a long-term association with India and what better way than through football. This is a great opportunity for both countries to take advantage of the event and take Indian football to a new level through the project," he added.