T H EF O O T B A L L

L I N KINTERNATIONAL CLUBS | 5IN THE PIPELINE | 21 SOCIAL INITIATIVES | 9//////

SPECIAL EDITION - NOV 2012 FEATURE - INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2012

This magazine is an initiative by TheFootballLink aimed at highlighting the interests and opinions of football lovers across India.

This edition of the magazine covers TheFootballLink International Festival 2012 held at the Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi during the month of October. By spreading the message of football, we will connect various stakeholders supporting, participating & contributing to the game. We look forward to your ideas and suggestions.

TRUE TO THE PLAYER. TRUE TO THE GAME.

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Legacy of IndIan footbaLL An insight into the glorious past of Indian football today.

cycLe of footbaLL Business, Social & Performance aspects of Football

can footbaLL A campaign revolving around 6 questions to highlight ways in which football can benefit our country

tfL InternatIonaL festIvaL 2012 The largest football festival ever organized in India

InternatIonaL cLub Partners TFL International Festival 2012 partners - AC Milan & Manchester City

festIvaL In PIctures Fcube, Corporate, Schools, NGO’s and Coaching & Skill Evaluation Camp

testImonIaLs Find out what people had to say about the festival

Past InItIatIves Initiatives organized by TheFootballLink

book PrevIeW Stop Dribbling, Pass Now!

In the PIPeLIne Find out what the future holds in store for TFL

P R E L U D E

S P O T L I G H T

F E A T U R E

A B O U T U S

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CONTENTS

Football started its journey in India when the British rulers brought it with them and in no time, it became popular among the masses. The first recorded game held in India took

place between the Calcutta Club of Civilians and The Gentlemen of Barrackpore in 1854. The first ever football club in the history of Indian Football, the Calcutta FC was established in 1872.

In 1898, the oldest in India and also the third oldest football tournament in the world, the Durand Cup football tournament was started in Shimla. The first mentionable achievement for the Indians in Football came in 1911, when Mohun Bagan AC became the first Indian team to win the IFA-Shield Trophy. The AIFF got affiliation from the international governing body for Football, FIFA in 1948 and it was also one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1954.

The period from 1951 to 1962 is considered the golden era in Indian football. Under the tutelage of legendary Syed Abdul Rahim, India became the best team in Asia. The Indian team started the 1950s with their triumph in the 1951 Asian Games which they hosted. India then went on to finish second in the 1954 Asian Games held in Manila. At the 1956 Olympic Games they finished fourth, which is regarded as one of finest achievements in Indian football.

Legacy of Indian Football

India has hosted its first-ever international football friendly with Argentina beating Venezuela one-nil in the eastern city of Calcutta.BBC World | 2 SEPTEmBER 2011

Tata Tea team wins Under-15 crown in Arsenal tourneyzEE NEWS | 7 SEP 2011

India defeat Afghanistan to retain the SAFF CupNDTV | 11 DECEmBER 2011

Bayern Munich make Baichung Bhutia testimonial an occasion to cherish for lifeTImES OF INDIA | 11 JANUARy 2012

FC Barcelona sets up football school in DelhiSPORTSkEEDA.COm | 16 mAy 2012

India rejoices at Nehru Cup trebleFIFA.com | 3 September 2012

Didier Drogba visits Delhi for the Pepsi T20 Football Tournament Grande FinaleTImES OF INDIA | 18 JUNE 2012

Bharti Airtel and Manchester United to kick-off youngsters’ football dreamsECONOmIC TImES | 26 JUNE 2012

Football Link International Festival kicks offINDIAN ExPRESS | 9Th OCTOBER 2012

Diego Maradona arrived in Kerala to a tumultuous welcomeThE hINDU | 24 OCTOBER 2012

Luis Figo to don Goa colours in friendlyTImES OF INDIA | 28 OCTOBER 2012

IMG-Reliance in talks with Chelsea to develop football academy in IndiaECONOmIC TImES | 10 NOV 2012

Latest in Indian Football

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TheFootballLinkInternational Festival 2012

The success of Football relies on how effectively its message can be spread

to the billion people across India. These festivals and talent scouting initiatives act as a communication platform to spread the message and at the same time give opportunity to everyone across the country who can benefit from football.

The Football link International Festival 2012 was the largest Football Festival ever organized in India and saw the participation of more than 5000 football players. The festival was organized in partnership with AC Milan Junior Camp, Italy & Manchester City Football Club, England with multiple tournaments - 80 team School Championship, 64 team Corporate Championship, 256 team F-cube College/Club Championship, 8 team NGO Tournament - Coaching & Scouting camps and various Social initiatives revolving around the underpriviliged children.

Special thanks to Delhi Soccer Association, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Hindustan Times, Turkish Airlines, Rishi Narayan Sports Marketing, Blackberry, Coke, Hero, Sara Towels, Special Olympics Bharat, Literacy India, Prive Networks, Thyagaraj Stadium management & staff, Delhi Development Authority Sports and other numerous supportors and contributors to the festival.

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FasdasdaAC Milan is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy that plays in Serie A.

They are the most successful club in world football in terms of international trophies along with Boca Juniors, with 18 officially recognized UEFA and FIFA titles. Domestically, with 18 league titles Milan is the joint-second most successful club in Serie A.

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FasdasdaManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester, England.

They are the current title holders of the English Premier League, and have become a force to reckon with under the leadership of coach Roberto Mancini. They boast a star studded lineup including David Silva, Mario Balotelli, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany amongst others.

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Manchester City FC academy coach Nick Cushing conducting a drill during the Coaching & Skill Evaluation Camp

The 256 team FCube Championship Finals between Delhi Leo’s and ISS Football Club

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A match between AIFF and IBM during the 64 team Corporate Championships’ League stage

Modern School Barakhamba (Winners - Girls Category) playing a game during the 80 team School Championship

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‘I think this event was a great success and a very good promotion of the football in India. I noticed a good level of ability from a technical\tactics point of view and very good physical skills of participants, which surprised me a lot. Certainly, football in india will grow gradually in the near future and this will be depend a lot on the coaching level and on what kind of investments can be done in order to support the development of football in this country’ CLAUDIO BALESINIFormer proffesional football player who works as a football trainer and supervisor with AC Milan since 2006

‘The Football Link International Festival was a very exciting event, that could give a big opportunity and huge exposure to local players, giving them the opportunity to improve their skills under the supervision of top coaches from AC Milan and Manchester City. This initiative was very important for the Indian Football and could give a great opportunity to unpriviliged kids to enjoy and an opportunity for coaches to see new talents. I hope this Festival will keep growing and that next edition will be even more successful’DEBORA zOLIPlayer Agent

The Football Link International Festival was great and the presence of top coaches made the event even more exciting. For sure, it is an event that must be repeated, as this would allow indian football to grow. Also, it is a great opportunity for kids and talents to have more visibility from coaches and scouts from abroad. GIANLUCA mARINIFIFA Agent & founder of GMSA

‘The Football Link International Festival was great and the presence of top coaches made the event even more exciting. For sure, it is an event that must be repeated, as this would allow indian football to grow. Also, it is a great opportunity for kids and talents to have more visibility from coaches and scouts from abroad’ GIANLUCA mARINIFIFA Agent & founder of GMSA

‘Such festivals are very important to encourage talent at the grassroot level. The kids displayed excellent potential, talent and enthusiasm. The model is great and the whole festival including the training camps were well organized’NIChOLAS CUShINGAcademy Coach at Manchester City Football Club

‘The Football Festival was very well organized and all the local staff was very professional and prepared. Surely it is an event that can bring a certain importance to football in India and give a huge opportunity to the kids to improve their skills in this sport’DANILO TEDOLDIFormer Inter Milan player and currently works as a technical manager of the AC Milan Junior Camp

‘I think the country has real potential for elite players due to their passion for football, its large population and their desire to learn and take on new challenges’LEWIS ChILDSAcademy Coach at Manchester City Football Club

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‘Chetan Misra, 30, is a football enthusiast who tapped into India’s boom of cultivating champions’TEhELkA mAGAzINE

‘FootballFirst plans to hold tournaments for even younger kids to discover India’s very own Messi’s and Rooney’s’CNN-IBN

‘FootballFirst Sports, a young budding company aiming to promote the beautiful game’ThEhARDTACkLE

‘TheFootballLink – aimed at bringing together all the pre-requisites for the growth of the sport at grassroots levels in the Capital’ThE ASIAN AGE

‘Largest ever display of football talent in the country’SPORTSkEEDA.COm

‘Over 4,000 football players of all age groups come together to take part in the largest football festival of the country’JET AIRWAyS INFLIGhT mAGAzINE

‘Enjoy a week of football at the Thyagraj Stadium’SUNDAy STANDARD

‘World Class Coaching at the FootballLink International Festival’ hINDUSTAN TImES

‘AC Milan and Manchester City coaches to train children in Delhi’ TImES OF INDIA

‘TheFootballLink International festival kicks off ’JANSATTA

‘The largest football festival in the country kicks off ’ NEWS.LOTSBUzz.COm

MEDIA COVERAGE

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‘Former AC Milan player Claudio Balesini said that focus would be on identifying players with potential’NDTV SPORTS

‘TheFootballLink International Fest kicks off ’ThE INDIAN ExPRESS

‘Top international coaches to train kids of the Capital’STATESmAN

‘TheFootballLink International Festival with AC Milan & Manchester city scouts begins today’BUSINESS STANDARD

‘Week long football showcase begins at the Capital’ThE SPORTSmIRROR.COm

‘Footballing Mega Event with multiple tournaments to begin this Sunday’ hINDUSTAN TImES ‘Coaches from Manchester City and AC Milan lined up for the TFLIF’AMAR UJALA

‘Exciting week long Football Festival’DAINIk JAGRAN

TheFootballLink International Festival ends with a bang’PUNJAB kESARI

‘The Week long TheFootballLink International festival ends today!’mAIL TODAy

‘Week long football extravaganza with International Coaches in Delhi’CURRICULUm mAGAzINE

‘Football festival with a social difference’yAhOO! NEWS

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INVEST INTO A SPORT[MONETARY & HUMAN RESOURCE]

FOOTBALL PLAYERS: TRAINING EQUIPMENTINVESTORS: EQUITY LOANSFANS: ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANDISEGOVERNMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL WELFARECORPORATE: ADVERTISING BRAND BUILDING CSR

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CONVERT FANS INTO CUSTOmERSPRODUCTS: DIRECT INDIRECTSERVICES: DIRECT INDIRECT

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GENERATE REVENUE FOR FURThER INVESTmENTS

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CyCL FOOT

E OF BALL

a Perfect baLanc Performance, so

asPIratIons of

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GROW ThEECOSySTEm PERFORMANCE: COACHING SCOUTINGSOCIAL: HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ENTERTAINMENT CHILD DEVELOPMENTR&D: TECHNICAL PAPERS EDUCATION TRAININGAWARENESS: SEMINARS FESTIVALS MEDIAUNDERPRIVILEGED: UPLIFTMENT OPPORTUNITYBUSINESS: INVESTMENT PROFESSION ADVERTISING

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BUILD A FAN BASELOYALTYLIFESTYLEENTERTAINMENTPRIDE

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E OF BALL

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e betWeen the cIaL & busIness a communIty

INTERNAL LINK[DEMAND]

B Y L I N K I N G T H E T H E F O O

W I L L P L A N , C R E A T E ,V A R I O U S

T O P R O M O T E

FOOTBALLPLAYERS

NG

Os

COLLEGES

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INTERNAL LINK[SUPPLY]

EXTERNAL LINK

F O O T B A L L C O M M U N I T Y T B A L L L I N K P U B L I C I Z E & E X E C U T E I N I T I A T I V E S F O O T B A L L I N I N D I A .

BUSINESSSOCIAL

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PERFORmANCE | hEALThy LIFESTyLE | RESEARCh | ENTERTAINmENT | AWARENESS | UNDERPRIVILIGED

COACHING ACADEMIES

STREET FOOTBALL

CASE STUDIES

INDIAN FOOTBALL SCENARIO

COACHES WORKSHOPS

SUMMER CAMPS

CORPORATE TOURNAMENTS

COACHING PAPERS

EVALUATION CAMPS

JUNIOR LEAGUES

ADVANCED TRAINING

Initiatives - 1Teams - 150+

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PAST INITIATIVES...

PERFORmANCE | hEALThy LIFESTyLE | RESEARCh | ENTERTAINmENT | AWARENESS | UNDERPRIVILIGED

INTERNATIONALFESTIVALS

NGO TOURNAMENTS

SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

COACHES SEMINARS

FCUBE CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

Flower for a Child

NGO COACHING

FOOTBALL FIESTAS

ADOPT A FOOTBALLER

FOOTBALL FOR FUN

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Book Preview

STOP DRIBBLING PASS NOWby Chetan misra (Founder, TheFootballLink)

‘Why football, the most popular sport in the world, is giving us Indians a lot less than it gives to people in other countries? We can produce the world’s brightest minds but are unable to produce world class footballer, not because we lack the ability but because we lack trust. We need to unite and work for each other instead of working for ourselves. We need to give every child an opportunity to benefit from a game’.

‘Stop Dribbling. Pass Now.’ provides a first hand insight into the current scenario of Indian Football and explores ways to grow the sport in the country.

Chetan Misra graduated from Delhi Public School, RK Puram, New Delhi and completed his Electrical Engineering/Economics degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, USA.

During his time in the US, he also explored the reasons behind the phenomenal success of the sports industry worldwide and the Social/Business benefits that a sport provides. Having played football throughout school and college, being a keen observer/coach of the game, and most importantly, an avid football fan, he researched the tremendous success of grassroots football programmes in the USA (especially for young girls) and identified ways to translate the processes and methodologies to benefit a developing country like India. In early 2010, he came back to India to pursue his passion for football, and drive a collective effort to popularize the world’s most popular game in its second most populous country.

He, along with other football enthusiasts, setup FootballFirst Sports Pvt. Ltd with a focus on setting up grassroots coaching academies. He then setup TheFootballLink Sport Pvt. Ltd, an online and on-ground football platform to connect all the stakeholders involved in football by organizing various football initiatives including fiestas, tournaments, festivals, seminars, leagues and more. He has also conducted various case studies to explore Indian Football and has written research papers on ways to improve the current scenario.

In 2011, he launched ‘Can Football?’, a campaign which revolves around questions to highlight ways in which football can benefit India – To aid a healthy lifestyle, through the social benefits that a sport provides, to create jobs for a potentially huge industry, to spread happiness that a game brings, to harness our national pride as fans with India becoming a soccer powerhouse in Asia & the world.

He has received various accolades and recognition for his work in India and has introduced football initiatives to more than 20,000 children and youth across Delhi/NCR.

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IN THE PIPELINEContinuing our efforts in promoting grassroot Football in India, TheFootballLink has many projects lined up for the future.

COAChING ACADEmIES[NGO, mERIT & PAID]The academies provide a platform for all children irrespective of their backgrounds to experience and learn football in accordance with the latest international coaching methodologies.

CORPORATES FOR FOOTBALLAn initiative to get our working population outdoors where they can have fun playing a popular sport, engage in a healthy lifestyle and at the same time support various football initiatives for underprivileged children.

FOOTBALL CLUBS[COmmUNITy & PROFESSIONAL]TheFootballLink plans to start various communities and professional clubs to provide an outlet to players where they can play football in a professional setting.

FCUBE - INDIAThe crowd favorite F-Cube now goes national! With 400 teams from 4 cities, the futsal madness gets bigger and better.

FOOTBALL FOR FUNTo popularize the beautiful game, we plan to organize football tournaments for players from all walks of life - Corporates, Colleges, Schools, NGOs & RWAs.

yOUTh FOOTBALL TALENT AWARDSTheFootballLink along with reputed international coaches and scouts will award talented youth football players from schools across India in an Annual Football Convention.

CAN FOOTBALL? DOCUmENTARIESStay updated with all the latest happenings of TheFootballLink.

‘CLICk TO SUPPORT’ ONLINE PLATFORmSee your team grow by pledging support for your team in an online e-commerce platform for an on-ground initiative.

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Can Football?23

Football can benefit our country – To aid a healthy lifestyle, through the social benefits that a sport provides, to create jobs for a potentially huge industry, to spread happiness that a game brings, to harness our national pride as fans with India playing in the Football World Cup Finals.We feel if one billion people think as a country, We Can!

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©TheFootballLink Sport Pvt Ltd, 2012

TheFootballLinkK 53-A Kalkaji

New Delhi - 110019info@thefootballlink.com

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