New DelhiL: Liverpool’s commercial director Ian Ayre visited India and held talks with the vice-president of the Western India Football Association (WIFA) Vishwajeet Kadam to come out with a Football Development Centre (FDC).
Ayre, along with Lynx Group International’s commercial director Steve Bellis, had discussions with Kadam on Monday and also spoke on having a football centric reality show.
Speaking to Goal.com, Kadam confirmed saying, "Yes, Ian Ayre was in Pune and this was regarding developing a Football Development Centre in association with Bharatiya Vidyapeeth University.
"The trip was more to understand the atmosphere and footballing culture in Pune and Maharashtra as such."
Incidentally, Kadam is the CEO of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth University. When asked to elaborate on his idea of FDC, Kadam said that the plan was ready but it couldn’t be revealed for now.
"We cannot disclose the finer elements but FDC is not just about coming out with exceptional talent. If someone doesn’t have the best skills, we will ensure that the player does have something to fall back upon."
It is reliably known that Vishwajit Kadam and Steve Bellis plan to kick-off a football based reality show named ‘Soccer Prince’.
"Steve Bellis is accompanying me in this project and it’s our joint idea," said Kadam.
So when did Kadam first contact Liverpool?
"It was in the first week of September. But it isn’t just Liverpool as I had earlier travelled to England and met a few clubs. A few more delegations are expected in the next months, including a couple from Spanish clubs."
The trio of Ayre, Bellis and Kadam had met in September during the Soccerex Convention in a debate titled ‘Developing the game from inside and out – the importance of emerging markets.’
Vishwajeet Kadam conducts an annual football tournament called Abhijeet Kadam Memorial Invitational Tournament for the last five years where some bigwigs of Bollywood are seen slugging it out on football fields.
"We plan to come up with a new football ground as well in Lavelle. Let’s see how it goes."
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