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Vying for a chance to train at QPR

SINGAPORE — More than 100 teenagers from the Football Association of Singapore’s National Football Academy (NFA) and the Singapore Sports School took part in a coaching clinic-cum-selection trial by English football club Queens Park Rangers at The Cage Sports Park in Turf City yesterday in the hope of landing a week-long training stint with the London side’s academy next March.

QPR in the Community Trust CEO Andy Evans (fourth from left) and  FAS Assistant Director (Commercial and Business Development) Rikram Jit Singh (third from left) at the Cage Sports Park for the Coaching Clinic Tour. Photo: AirAsia

QPR in the Community Trust CEO Andy Evans (fourth from left) and FAS Assistant Director (Commercial and Business Development) Rikram Jit Singh (third from left) at the Cage Sports Park for the Coaching Clinic Tour. Photo: AirAsia

SINGAPORE — More than 100 teenagers from the Football Association of Singapore’s National Football Academy (NFA) and the Singapore Sports School took part in a coaching clinic-cum-selection trial by English football club Queens Park Rangers at The Cage Sports Park in Turf City yesterday in the hope of landing a week-long training stint with the London side’s academy next March.

The session marked the first day of the three-day AirAsia-QPR Coaching Clinic Tour conducted by four coaches from the QPR Academy.

Over the next two days, more NFA trainees will be attending the trials and coaching clinics. The top two will be selected to fly to London in March to train with the English Championship side’s youth set-up.

The tour will then head to Malaysia, where it will conduct similar clinics and trials for a week to select six Malaysian teens for the week-long London stint.

Said Andy Evans, Chief Executive Officer of QPR in the Community Trust, the club’s project to reach out to students and young players in the local community: ”We are giving the young ones the chance to dream about what life as a professional footballer is all about.

“At our Academy, the youngsters will get to see and experience how we go about developing young talents, and educating and moulding them into professionals.”

AirAsia is an official partner of QPR. The budget carrier also inked a three-year S$1.8 million deal with the FAS in July to become the national football body’s official airline.

Apart from looking out for outstanding trainees, the four QPR Academy coaches — Martino Chevannes, Danny Edwards, Stephen MaCarthy and Adam McLachlan — also conducted professional training drills for the teens yesterday.

According to Evans, the quartet have been impressed with what they have seen from the Singapore aspirants so far.

“There is no doubt about the talent they have. Their passion for the game is also beyond doubt,” he said. “People say Asians will find it hard to adapt to English football because of their size, or lack of it. But the football philosophy in England is changing.

“The coaches are less obsessed with the players’ physique or whether they are big enough to compete with other players. What matters more now are the players’ skills and speed.” DAN GUEN CHIN

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