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Under-19 women’s team arrives to warm welcome

Special Correspondent

— Photo: R. Ragu

BRINGING HOME GLORY: The team returned to a warm welcome on Friday.

CHENNAI: Members of the triumphant under-19 Tamil Nadu girls’ football team, which won the junior National title, were given a tumultuous welcome when they arrived from New Delhi by train on Friday. A band was in attendance, a goodly crowd of officials led by the Tamil Nadu Football Association Secretary R. Sadatcharam and Treasurer D.S. Sivasamy was there too, as were several onlookers.

Also present was T.R. Govindarajan, for a long time the TFA Secretary and a keen observer of the way the women’s wing has been coming up in the State. Once the team members alighted, photographers took over even as the girls and officials were engulfed with garlands.

It was a proud moment for each of the 21 players and the accompanying officials, for this is the first outright title-win for a football team from the State in any National.

In 1984, the under-15 boys had shared the title with Bengal in the sub-junior Nationals held concurrently with the Federation Cup in Tiruchi.

Growing in confidence

Coach R. Inbamani, who is based in Namakkal said “the confidence level in the team grew once the girls beat Manipur in the semifinals.

That header by Jaya for the second goal virtually was the turning point.

In the final, even though Orissa beat us in the quarterfinal league, the girls were confident and the two goals by Chiranciyal and skipper Kalpana ensured victory,” he said.

Mr. Sadatcharam said a big credit for the team’s preparation should go to the Dindigul FA for it was the planned and structured training started by it that set the tone. He thanked DFA Secretary R. Shanmugam, who is also the TFA women’s coordinator, for arranging the 21-day preparatory camp in Dindigul at the NPR College.

Mr. Shanmugam said: “In 2004, when we hosted the National, we saw the well-equipped Manipur and Orissa teams. We learnt that both these States had the benefit of academies to improve women’s football.

“We appealed to the Government for sanctioning an SDAT academy in Dindigul. It helped immensely and though the academy now has been shifted to Erode, the training continues with private sector help,” he said, indicating the extent of development of women’s football talent in the districts.

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