Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Wolverhampton Wanderers will compete on Indian soil for the first time in the club’s history this month, as a squad of under-19s head out for the Premier League’s Next Generation Cup.
The 10-day tournament, which takes place in Mumbai, will begin on Wednesday, May 17 and conclude with the final on Friday, May 26.
The Old Gold will be joined by fellow Premier League academy sides West Ham United and Everton FC, while South African Premier Soccer League outfit Stellenbosch FC, winners of the midlands section of the competition in 2022, are also there to compete.
The Hammers are the reigning champions of the Next Generation Cup after winning on home soil last summer, as the tournament returns to India for its third instalment and for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Four table toppers of the Reliance Foundation Development League will complete the two groups of teams, as Sudeva Delhi FC, ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Reliance Foundation Young Champs and Bengaluru FC take their places following an extensive qualifying campaign which saw 300 matches take place in nine regions of the country.
Fixtures will be hosted at Reliance Corporate Park in Mumbai, with the tournament presented by Reliance Foundation whose initiatives have touched the lives of 21.5 million people across India since their work started in 2013 to increase the number of young people playing sport in the country.
Russell Jones, Wolves’ general manager of marketing and commercial growth, has expressed his excitement about the trip and said, “We’re delighted to be taking our under-19s to Mumbai. It will be a great experience for our players, but also an opportunity for the club to grow in another market.”
“Our first-team are heading to South Korea in the summer so to be hitting the same continent twice in the same year is something we believe can help us increase our exposure across Asia and as a football club.”
“I was able to see first-hand the growth of Wolves in India when I travelled to Mumbai last November and the positive reaction the club receives there. Our ever-growing supporter base is led by the fantastic Nael Khan and the Mumbai Wolves, who we’re excited to be working with on this project throughout our stay.”
Academy manager for operations, Laura Nicholls, said, “We’re always striving to do better than before and this tour provides another opportunity for players and staff within the academy to experience a whole new culture.”
“We pride ourselves on offering different types of experiences and exposure to our players throughout the academy, while we’re working hard off-the-field to ensure everything is in place to support their development as players and people.”
“Our teams enjoyed several successful and productive tours throughout the Easter break recently and we’re looking forward to seeing how the under-19s fare out in India to round off what has been another fantastic season for James Collins, his staff and players.”
Academy manager for football, Jon Hunter-Barrett, added, “It’s an outstanding opportunity and life experience that the players and coaches are able to get through football.”
“Asia is definitely one of the areas we’re trying to do more work in and gain an increase in our brand and reputation. For us to have this opportunity through the Premier League to go out to Mumbai was a no brainer for us.”
“Our coaches and players are able to set the expectation and they know how important these trips are to the football club, so as a group they’ll be able to work towards that and maximise the opportunity provided.”
