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If you are new to football, you could be forgiven for seeking out a glossary of terms (like Treble) to help you understand what we are trying to refer to here.
At its core, a treble in football occurs when a team wins three trophies. There can be endless discussions about what a genuine treble is and winning the right trophies, but in its purest form, a treble is nothing more than winning the most prestigious trophies available to a team.
The team of AIFF Masters, the flagship football management program of the All India Football Federation has managed to complete a treble of their own. The trophies they earned were the invaluable experience they gained being part of the organizing team of the top 3 tournaments hosted in India since their inaugural batch started. The events include the Indian Super League, the I-League, and the AFC Champions League group stage.
The candidate managers played their part in ancillary work in the Indian Super League due to COVID-19 restrictions but still managed to get an outside-in perspective on the functioning of the league. The candidates worked with various clubs like Odisha FC, Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, SC East Bengal, and Kerala Blasters for a month in Goa. They worked under the jurisdiction of the clubs as well as the FSDL to understand the various systems and processes at play to host such a tournament.
The team of AIFF Masters also was part of the I-League hosted in Kolkata for three months and was completely immersed in the ecosystem of football management. They worked in different verticals of Match-staging, Matchday Operations, Training Ground coordinators, Liaison officers for various teams playing in the tournament. Mr. Sunando Dhar, CEO of I-League, hailed the dedication and work ethic of the candidate managers. “We are very proud to have the boys working with us. The way they adapted to the different challenges posed to them, especially hosting this enormous tournament during a pandemic, is simply outstanding. The future of Indian football lies in their hands and we are happy to train them with the right spirit”.
The team later moved to Goa in April and were part of the LOC of AFC Champions League group stages. The candidates spent a month in Goa where they were immersed in the ecosystem and working regulations of the Asian Football Confederation. “This is a very proud moment for the fraternity of Indian Football to host such an enormous event in India. Working in such a high-performing environment is very challenging and exciting at the same time. After working in the ISL and the I-League on the domestic level, working in the Champions League is the stepping stone I required for my personal growth” says Divyansh Mathur, candidate manager of the 2020-21 batch.
The candidate managers are also scheduled to leave for Spain late this year for their immersion experience with Cadiz CF, a club playing in La Liga Santander. “We are looking forward to welcoming the candidates in Spain as soon as the pandemic restrictions ease and provide them with all exposure necessary for them to become capable modern-day football managers,” states Enrique Perez, Director of Cadiz CF.
