Manchester United great Gary Neville with the young footballers selected through the United We Play scheme at Apollo Tires in Chandigarh on Friday. | Photo: Kamesh Srinivasan
One of the legends of English football Gary Neville inspired young players by interacting with them as part of Apollo Tires’ United We Play initiative in association with Manchester United, at the Minerva Academy here on Friday.
After watching the young players who were selected from Thailand and Nepal, apart from 18 cities in India, Neville sat down with them on the grass and discussed the way forward to be good footballers.
“You enjoy the game and listen to the coaches. Ups and downs are part of football. Emotions are okay. Education is important. And when you study in school or later in college, do your best. At some stage you will gain physical and mental strength. Then it will be about how you persevere in your efforts, dealing with mistakes and bad days. Neville said, praising the initiative to provide children with facilities and expert guidance through good training.
“The road to the top of elite sport is narrow. So, keep your options open,” he said, emphasizing a good education and growing up as great human beings, understanding that there is life beyond sports.
He insisted that skill, work ethic and determination to succeed were the key elements to a successful football career.
Five boys selected from the program will travel to Old Trafford to gain match-day experience, training sessions with coaches from Manchester United’s Football School and the chance to interact with the legends.
Organizers were pleased with the growing scope and quality of the program as it grew from 5,000 players in the first edition to 12,000 players in the fourth edition. They assured that grassroots efforts will continue to strengthen Indian football.
“We are committed to growing the game of football and helping young rising talents express themselves,” said Rajesh Dahiya, Vice President, Apollo Tyres.
Published – October 18, 2024, 8:03 PM IST
