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SINGAPORE: Ever dreamt of showing off your dribbling skills in front of a top EPL football manager?
Not really a far shot.
Some Singapore youths are aiming for just that goal.
Nike Singapore launched its new initiative "The Chance" on Sunday -- a nationwide search for players aged between 18 and 25 to compete in local trials for a place at the Nike Academy in England.
Local football hero Fandi Ahmad, along with Nike's panel of coaches Aide Iskandar and Nazri Nasir -- all three of whom are former Singapore captains -- were at a match on Sunday to scout for players for trials scheduled from September 15 to 19.
The best 30 players from the trials will participate in a two-day grand final from October 2 to October 3, and the best 18 will play a friendly match, with one player selected to represent Singapore at the Nike Academy trials in London.
The programme will see the best 100 players from across 40 countries participating in a six-week trial in England from January next year.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will eventually select eight footballers for the Nike Academy.
The eight will enjoy an all-expenses paid training stint for a year at the Nike Academy, beginning July next year.
"We're trying to scout all over Singapore and try(ing) to bring them for the trials and hopefully we can find a diamond or a raw diamond," former Singapore football captain Fandi Ahmad said.
"During our days, we don't (such an opportunity). It only comes once in a while.
"For me, I was very lucky (because) a scout from Ajax Amsterdam came down when I was 16, (and) after that there was no more scouting in Asia, because they were looking for well groomed or polished national players from all over the world," he said.
-CNA/wk
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