Head coach Venkatesh Shanmugam feels that Indian Arrows' participation in IFA Shield is a good chance for the new batch to soak in some experience of playing senior football.
The All India Football Federation's (AIFF) developmental side, Indian Arrows, is all set to take part in the 123rd edition of the IFA Shield as part of their pre-season preparation for the I-League campaign, starting from December 6.
"The IFA Shield is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in India, a lot of history is involved in this competition," AIFF quoted Venkatesh as saying.
"It will be an honour for these young boys to play in the tournament and they are very lucky in that regard. As a coach, I am very happy to take this team to the tournament," he added.
The current Arrows batch has come through the ranks of junior football, having been promoted from the U-17 level, where they trained under head coach Shuvendu Panda in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The boys, who have now progressed to the Indian Arrows team, will assemble in Bhubaneswar for their training camp on November 20, before heading to Kolkata for the IFA Shield and subsequently the I-League.
The Indian Arrows are drawn in Group C of the IFA Shield, where they are set to play their first match against Southern Samity on December 6, followed by a clash against George Telegraph SC on December 9.
Head coach Venkatesh feels that his charges are prepared to face the upcoming challenge in Kolkata.
"They can compete with any team in the IFA Shield. But our main focus will be on getting the boys ready for the challenges coming ahead. It is a great way to prepare for the I-League," said Venkatesh.
( With inputs from ANI )
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