Apollo
Tyres, the Global Tyre Partner to Manchester United, has launched the United
We Play programme to encourage young football talent from across the
country. Talented kids will be trained by the Manchester United Soccer School
(MUSS) coaches, with the best performers receiving once in a lifetime
opportunity to train with the Manchester United’s U-18 team, which will be
visiting India for the first time in May this year.
Ronny Johnsen, ex-Manchester United centre back
and midfielder, who has won 4 League titles (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001), one FA
Cup (1999) and one UEFA Champions League (1999) with the club, launched the ‘United
We Play’ programme along with Rajesh
Dahiya, Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service (India, SAARC
& Oceania), Apollo Tyres Ltd in Mumbai, India.
The United We Play
programme will be held in two age groups — U-13 and U-16 — in Delhi,
Chandigarh, Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai and Bengaluru in the next
two months, with around 3000 young footballers expected to take part. The
initial programme will be run by local coaches, before the young footballers get
a chance to impress coaches from the Manchester United Soccer School (MUSS).
During this stage of the programme, participants will be taught some of the
same skills and techniques imparted at Manchester United.
The 32 best performers,
selected by the MUSS coaches from across the country, will congregate in Mumbai
to participate in two training sessions with the Manchester United U-18 squad,
who for the first time, will be visiting India on tour later this year.
