Jamshed Nassiri upbeat about Indian football

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) Sounding excited about the Tata Tea Arsenal Socccer Stars tournament, former Mohammeddan Sporting player Jamshed Nassiri said he will aim to select the best possible team for the Arsenal International Soccer Festival.

Nassiri, who is considered to be one of the best foreign players ever to play in Indian club football, is the chief scout of the tournament which will be held here on April 12-13.

''We will look for physically strong players to counter the European and South African teams,'' Nassiri told UNI.

''We want to select the best possible team so that when they go to play abroad, they will not feel inferior.'' ''In North India, you generally find physically stronger boys, so we are hopeful that we fill find big, strong players in Delhi and Chandigarh,'' he added.

According to the tall Iranian, he is quite happy with the amount and quality of talent he has seen so far.

''Bangalore the best I have seen so far,'' he quipped.

''After that Goa and Calicut.

''I am sure we will find good quality players in Delhi also.'' Looking extremely fit inspite of his greying hair, Nassiri said the tournament will give the Indian boys a chance to rub shoulders with the best in the world which was not available to players of the previous generations.

''We did not get many chances to go and showcase our skills abroad,'' he said. ''This will give our boys a chance to rub shoulders will the best young talent in the world and help them develop their game.'' He sounded positive about the future of Indian football, which, according to him, is on an upswing.

''Indian football is gradually looking up,'' he said.

''We recently won the Nehru Cup defeating a strong Syrian team.'' ''With initiatives like this tournament and also the 'Win in India with India' initiative of FIFA, Indian football will surely improve,'' he opined.

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