The All India Football Federation may take over the running of the four-year-old Mohun Bagan-SAIL Football Academy in Durgapur. According to Anjan Mitra, general secretary of Mohun Bagan FC, the club has approached the AIFF to get involved as the national football body does not have an academy of its own. The Durgapur facility is currently sponsored by Sambad Pratidin, a Bengali daily newspaper owned by Mohun Bagan president Swapan Sadhan Basu. Mitra admitted that the academy was not functioning properly owing to lack of funds. SAIL does not contribute financially but provides essential infrastructure.
"It is a must to give trainees a couple of foreign trips per year, but we can arrange only one. The club does not have that much of money", Mitra said. "The AIFF should come forward to make our dreams true," he said. The AIFF has reportedly asked asked Mohun Bagan to submit the annual reports, audit reports and other related papers so that it can have a clear picture about the club.
According to sources quoted by Chandan Banerjee of the Financial Express, the AIFF will take over the academy shortly and will work with SAIL only. Mitra, however, claimed that the club will continue to be a part of the academy.
"It is a must to give trainees a couple of foreign trips per year, but we can arrange only one. The club does not have that much of money", Mitra said. "The AIFF should come forward to make our dreams true," he said. The AIFF has reportedly asked asked Mohun Bagan to submit the annual reports, audit reports and other related papers so that it can have a clear picture about the club.
According to sources quoted by Chandan Banerjee of the Financial Express, the AIFF will take over the academy shortly and will work with SAIL only. Mitra, however, claimed that the club will continue to be a part of the academy.