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Leicester City welcomed local grassroots football clubs to LCFC Training Ground earlier this month for a Premier League South Asian Emerging Talent Festival.
The June competition, played amid sweltering conditions in Seagrave, saw teams in four youth categories – Under-9s, Under-10s, Under-11s, Under-12s – compete in the tournament to win the Foxes Cup.
Leicester Nirvana, The Community Football Academy (CFA), Guru Nanak Gurdwara (GNG FC) and Stoneygate Lions FC were among the clubs to take part, building on the success of last season’s tournament and forming part of the Premier League South Asian Action Plan.
Ivan Liburd, a coach at Leicester Nirvana, gave his take on how the competition helps to build on collaboration within the wider Leicestershire community.
“It was a brilliant day and I thoroughly enjoyed it,” he commented. “This tournament is important to continue to build a solid relationship with minority communities and provide opportunities for young players to shine.”
Leicester Nirvana parent Imtias Patel echoed those sentiments: “It was a great opportunity for both my kids to compete in amazing facilities and be surrounded by a real wow factor. I was there all day and it was well organised and managed. Hopefully we’ll be there next year again.. to win again!”
Selected players from the tournament have been nominated to go forward and represent Leicester at the Premier League’s Emerging Talents Final Festival at Loughborough University on Thursday 27 July.
Premier League Kicks Coordinator Ali Adnan explained the importance of LCFC holding events like this one and the pride that is associated with representing the Club for the upcoming finals next month.
Adnan added: “It’s a great initiative that the Premier League has put together to allow a long-term commitment to widen the talent pool of players of South Asian heritage and to allow young people to have equal access and opportunity.
“Having these emerging talent festivals across the country is a step in the right direction to improve pathways and increase the number of South Asian heritage within the academy system. We look forward to representing Leicester City in the Emerging Talents Final Festival at Loughborough University.”
