Disha deliver with aplomb

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Disha overwhelmed St. Michael’s 3-0 in the U-13 inter-academy final of the 4th Chennai Football Association-Disha champions league recently.

Valz, the top scorer of the tournament, bagged a brace and his fellow forward Diwakar completed the rout. The final of the five-a-side event turned out to be a no contest as Disha boys ran rings around their hapless opponents.

The title must have tasted sweeter for Disha because the tournament was organised by them. The champions are fortunate to have two seasoned coaches, Robin Charles Raja and Chandrasekar, at the helm. Robin holds AFC ‘A’ licence and Chandra is an expert in coaching goalkeepers.

Robin is delighted at the way his charges played throughout the tournament. “They were able to express themselves without any fear. Confidence is important in football,” he said.

The coach said St. Michael’s physical superiority didn’t intimidate his team. “We played our natural game without worrying about St. Michael’s strengths. The boys grew in confidence as the match progressed. In the end, we emerged victorious comfortably. Our triumph indicates that size is not everything in football,” he added.

According to Robin, his team reaped the reward for their hard work in training. “We put our heart and soul into practice. The boys never missed a session in the run-up to the tournament. Even the unusual cold mornings in December and January failed to dampen their enthusiasm,” he said.

The former Chennai Customs coach stressed the importance of imparting the basic skills to youngsters. “Our focus in practice is on fundamentals: keeping ball possession, reception, trapping and passing. Proficiency in the basic skills helps one adapt to various situations. Youngsters can also play with more confidence if they know that their foundation is strong,” he added.

Robin attributed the success to team work. “Everyone played his part to perfection. The team has a great future. I derive utmost satisfaction when my football philosophy is translated into action. I enjoy training school children,” he said.

Disha squad: Valz, Akshay, Mukesh, Diwakar, Ajay, Surya, Jayasurya, Thomas and Jabir.