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Teenagers bag coveted Chelsea academy spots

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THREE youngsters from the Asian community will have the chance to join Chelsea Football Club’s Academy this summer and fulfil their dreams of becoming professional footballers.

A’ameer Kstantin Murphy, Jordan Sadhu and Jhai Singh Dhillon were winners in the club’s Search for an Asian Soccer Star initiative which took place over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

The trio will now go on to take part in a three-day residential trial in the summer to get a place at the club’s academy. Chelsea launched the initiative in association with the FA, Kick it Out and the Asian Media & Marketing Group (AMG), publishers of Garavi Gujarat, to find football talent among Britain’s Asian community.

The trials were open to youngsters living in London and the south-east, but teenagers from Birmingham as well as Australia also gave it a shot.

Over 300 boys were individually assessed by the club’s scouts and coaches. They were also joined by some of Chelsea’s top players, including Nicolas Anelka, Petr Cech, Deco, Florent Malouda, Salomon Kalou and Ashley Cole.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said getting Asians involved was important for the game’s future.

‘It’s not a one off, but part of a broader reach of Chelsea’s work in the community. We’re doing 10 community programmes this season.

‘We also want to educate the parents. It is about building relationships and trust and engaging the whole family. It’s all about getting football on the curriculum and into the minds of Asians generally.

‘We do believe that in the Asian community, there’s got to be a star in there.’

Hertfordshire lad Jhai Singh Dhillon, who was declared the winner in the under-14 category, said: ‘I am over the moon and I didn’t expect to win at the beginning because there were so many people. The tests were challenging but I felt I had done pretty well in them. I would tell anyone who is thinking about taking part to try it even if you don’t think you are the best player. It is good fun.’

 

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