The Germany-bound Manipur footballers. The programme in Germany also envisages links with feeder programmes to the Bundesliga, initially with the Hoffenheim team. Tata Trust, partnering U Sports, picked 17 boys from Mizoram, 15 from Manipur, two from Meghalaya and one from Assam after extensive talent hunt in July last year for the premier collaborative football training programme. The objective is to identify talent at the tender age of 13 and offer international training, academic and infrastructure support to help them advance as professional footballers." The 15 Manipur boys, who landed in Germany at 3 this morning, are Ipham Imtiyas Khan, N. Bidyananda, L. Tennyson, S. Robert, Chingkhosiam Dimngel, Ng.

Source: The Telegraph January 17, 2017 21:38 UTC