If you want to learn how Chelsea skipper John Terry makes those tackles or take a leaf out of goalkeeper Petr Cech’s diving saves or even how Juan Mata rips through the rival defence with his breathtaking speed, you need to be at the ongoing Chelsea Adidas Clinic at the Ambedkar stadium.
After thrilling the kids in Mumbai last year, the EPl club is back, this time in the capital in a stint which they call leaving the Chelsea legacy and spreading the beautiful game of football all over the world.
Before selecting the 180 children, the five-member coaching tem led by Julian Hart, the head coach of Chelsea College Academy and Elite training centre, scouted 400 kids in various schools throughout the NCR. But what surprised them is the enthusiasm shown by the teachers and the students despite the fact that the clinic was being held at the height of the scorching Delhi summer with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius. “For a football fanatic, temperature does not matter and my team ensures that we create the right kind of environment so that the kids enjoy themselves,” Hart said. “We also teach them what diet and nutrition they need in such weather.”
Hart formed four groups of kids and imparts them skills on shooting, defence, tackling and goalkeeping the Chelsea way. “Chelsea plays the game hard and fair. We play the game with emphasis on fast and attacking soccer and always preserve the winning mentality which is extremely important,” Hart said, before clarifying that their aim is not to identify talent. “Our aim is to spread the spread football across the countries that we visit and leave a legacy. We want the kids to express their skills and more importantly have fun. We are not interested In selecting the best of footballers, rather we want the kids to have passion for football. We open the space for everyone without caring about the quality. We want kids to know how things are done in Chelsea or to know about the wining philosophy we at Chelsea follow. But, ultimately it is important that the kids learn something and enjoy and be happy,” Hart explained.
Asked about the level of talent among the kids, Hart was diplomatic. “last year In Mumbai, we saw some creative players. But, as you know it is difficult to compare different sets of players in different conditions.”
Hart’s team includes Dean Steninger, Chelsea Girls’ Cenre of Excellence coach, Graham Abercrombie, the International Development coach, Max Fouracre, the Academy coach and Oliver Woodall, the International Football Development Head Coach and the team will have a competitive match among the kids on Sunday.