Jaago Re Soccer Stars discovers 3 ‘Skillful Players’ in Gangtok

The three lads selected for the Tata-Tea Arsenal soccer camp in Kolkata

The Namchi Senior Secondary School team with the winner's trophy

NAMCHI SSS TO REPRESENT SIKKIM IN NATIONAL FACE-OFF OF TATA TEA-ARSENAL SOCCER EVENT
SAGAR CHHETRI
GANGTOK, 20 March: Three outstanding footballers have been selected from the Gangtok leg of the Arsenal Tata Tea “Jaago Re Soccer Stars” matches played here over the weekend for the Arsenal camp to be held in Kolkata. Impressively for Sikkim, three is the maximum number of footballers that can be chosen from individual venues. Also, the Namchi Senior Secondary School team has qualified to take part in the national-level tournament of the event scheduled to be held in Shillong next month.
The selectors shortlisted Tshering Zangpo and Khusen Manger of Namchi SSS and Yougyal Lepcha of Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School as ‘Skillful Players’ for the camp at Kolkata likely to be held in May.
These footballers will join players selected from the other 14 venues of the event across the country in a camp at Kolkata, where they will receive training from coaches and a technical team of Arsenal Football Club for 10 days.

Sixteen players selected from the Kolkata camp will be then taken to UK to participate in the Arsenal International Soccer Festival, where they will also get the chance to train under Arsenal coaches and play two international matches.
The Jaago-Re Soccer Stars is a national tournament sponsored by Tata Tea in association with Arsenal FC and has added Gangtok as a venue for selections for the first time this year in its fourth edition. This was held at Tashi Namgyal Academy ground on 19 and 20 March.
In all, 33 schools from across the state participated in this two-day long tournament, organized by High Life Management under the guidance of the Sikkim Football Association.
The final match was played between Namchi Senior Secondary School and Martam Secondary School, in which the former defeated the latter by 2 goals to nil.
With this win, Namchi SSS has qualified to take part in the National Level Tournament scheduled to be held in Shillong, Meghalaya, next month, in which champions of all 15 legs around the country will take each other.
The two-day long tournament was watched by former international footballer, Jamshed Nassirri, who was the chief selector of the tournament, and who has shortlisted the three players.
The final day of the tournament has the Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, Karma P Bhutia as the chief guest.
Speaking to media persons, Mr Nassirri mentioned that the main objective of the tournament was to provide exposure and platform to young footballers.
He informed that this initiative of Tata Tea in collaboration with Arsenal FC is to encourage talented players and to provide them international exposure and to position them in reputed academies and clubs.
He further informed that many products from this initiative are presently with reputed academies and clubs across the country and receiving coaching and education free of cost.
Speaking on Sikkim, Mr Nassirri informed that he has noticed plenty of talented players but could select only three players- the maximum allowed for individual venue.
He expressed his confidence that atleast two from the three selected players will definitely get selected in the top-16 to go to Arsenal, England.
He further informed that he has also made another list of other talented players of Sikkim, who will be continuously monitored, and may get chance in the next edition of the tournament.
He also expressed his gratitude to the SFA for its support to the event.
SFA general secretary, Menla Ethenpa also expressed hope that the boys from Sikkim will also be selected for the 21st Arsenal international Soccer Festival in London.
He also advised the selected boys to immediately start working on their passports and assured to provide all possible help from the SFA.
At the tournament, Rohit Tamang of Sichey SS was adjusted the Best Goalkeeper, while Tshering Zangpo of Namchi SSS was the Top Scorer for his 4 goals in 3 matches.
Likewise, Suman Rai of Rongli Junior High School was awarded with the Most Valuable Player trophy.