I-LEAGUE Media Team

NEW DELHI: Shillong Lajong FC’s Under 19 Team are all set to participate in the new edition of the U-19 I-League from the Rest of India Group B Zone to be held in Aizawl, where they will take on Chanmari FC on February 4 at the Lammual Stadium.

The Junior Reds are coached under the watchful eyes of Alison Kharsyntiew.

The majority of the U-19 squad members beat all odds as each of them played a vital role in the very young team that won the Shillong Premier League in December 2014. The Lajong Under 19 Team have been under a rigorous training regime at the FIFA Turf Polo Ground, Shillong.

They have also played several practice matches against the local football clubs in Shillong including the Clubs’s Senior Team.

In the recent friendlies, the Junior Reds won 1-0 against ARC and displayed another commendable performance against Langsning FC, winning by a 2-0 score line. The Junior Colts also registered a 2-1 win over Nongthymmai, Rynjah 3-1, Laban 2-1 but lost against the Lajong Senior Team by 4 goals.

Head Coach Alison Kharsyntiew believes in building the squad physically and mentally. He said, “Team Development is highly crucial and the players need to be motivated and should have the hunger to be Champions”.

The Junior Reds are known to have the “Fighting Spirit & Confidence ” in them and Coach Alsion further stated that, “We need to work as a team, stay together and understand each other on and off the pitch as well. The boys are smart and intelligent, they just need to believe in themselves and utilise all their skills on the pitch and come out as winners”.

Shillong Lajong FC believes in promoting and scouting talent from the North-East and thus, the Junior Squad is boosted with players from different states of the North-East and look to get the best out of these talented bunch in the hope of producing the next generation of Football Stars.