New India Under-17 coach Luis Norton de Matos’ reign didn’t get off to the best start as his team lost 1-0 to Minerva Punjab FC on Sunday.

The result, being a practice match shouldn’t be dwelt upon as Norton had taken charge of the team less than a month ago. What followed afterwards was a flurry of exchange surrounding the match as both parties looked to set the record straight.

The ambiguity spilt over to the opinions of several Twitterati as many were left questioning the significance of the result given that both sides had disputed each other’s facts. It is imperative to note that rarely do squads or teams get finalized six months prior to a World Cup but it also sheds some light on the scouting system. To the start however...

Differing versions

Minerva Punjab Under-16 as national champions of the All India Football Federation’s Under-16 tournament were invited to play the India Under-17’s in Goa, where the 2017 Santosh Trophy is also being held.

The AIFF did not provide a match report or a teamsheet when asked for but did provide some clarification on Twitter. A source inside the federation also told The Field that they did not have more than two to three first teamers playing and that it was mostly a practice match for trialists.

Officials from the AIFF also stated that Minerva had played three to five older players which the Minerva team owner Ranjit Bajaj emphatically refuted.

Bajaj, speaking to The Field, mentioned that 17-year old Baoringdo Bodo, the goalscorer for Minerva and having notched up a strike in the I-League as well, and Bedeshwor Singh were the two over-aged players stating that this had been agreed with AIFF on the grounds that five of his first teamers were preparing for their examinations and could not be called upon at the last moment.

Both he and Henna Singh, also of Minerva Punjab, also refuted the fact that the first-teamers were not playing for the India Under-17’s. Bajaj said, “I saw at least five to six first choice players start for the team and there were a flurry of replacements at the 30th minute. I played some of my Under-15 squad in the last thirty minutes of the match.”

What does this defeat mean?

While Dave Rogers, coach of DSK Shivajians commended Minerva on a job well done, some Twitterati like Parth Jindal asked why some of these players hadn’t been included in the set-up?

Post the completion of the match, it was announced however that five Minerva players would join the national team’s training sessions. De Matos clearly didn’t have an easy time of it and must have realised the enormity of the task facing him with the World Cup starting in October.

The team and the kids have seen a major change recently, with long-term coach Nicolai Adam replaced by de Matos, amidst allegations of threats and physical punishments being handed down by the former.

The five selected by de Matos include Jackson Singh, the captain and midfielder of the Under-16 Minerva team, a centre-back Anwar Ali, a striker Nongdamba Noarem and two midfielders Shah Jahan and Henba Meitei.

As the India Under-15’s played a match against the Minerva Under-16’s on Friday and lost 2-0, AIFF’s Twitter account ‘@IndianFootball’ tweeted out, “It was a huge experience for our 2002 born Academy boys playing against 2000 born boys from @Minerva_AFC That’s how you improve as a Player,” to which Bajaj once again responded with his team’s details.

The match and result as such may not hold much significance but all is far from well with the India Under-17 World Cup team.