Gary Neville inspires young footballers

Manchester United great Gary Neville with the young footballers selected through United We Play scheme of Apollo Tyres in Chandigarh on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan

One of the legends of English football Gary Neville inspired young players by interacting with them as part of the United We Play initiative of the Apollo Tyres in collaboration with Manchester United, at the Minerva Academy here on Friday.

After observing the young players who had been selected from Thailand and Nepal, apart from 18 cities of India, Neville sat with them on the turf and discussed the way forward to be good football players.

“You enjoy the game, and listen to the coaches. Ups and downs are part of football. Emotions are alright. Education is important. And when you study in school or later in college, do your best. At some stage you will get the physical and mental strength. Then, it will be about how you persist with your efforts, coping with the mistakes and bad days. ,” said Neville as he lauded the initiative to provide the kids the facilities and expert guidance through good coaching.

“It is a narrow pathway to reach the top of elite sports. So, keep your options open,” he said, emphasising on good education, and growing as great human beings, understanding that there is a life beyond sports.

He insisted that skill, work ethic and the determination to succeed were the key elements for a successful career in football.

Five boys selected from the program will travel to Old Trafford to get match-day experience, training session with Manchester United soccer school coaches, and also a chance to interact with the legends.

The organisers were delighted at the increasing reach and quality of the program, as it had grown from 5000 players in the first edition to the 12,000 players in the fourth edition. They assured to sustain the efforts at the grassroots level to strengthen Indian football.

“We are committed to grow the game of football and help young emerging talent to express themselves,” said Rajesh Dahiya, vice president of Apollo Tyres.