Altogether 25 players, 13 from outside and 12 from the state are currently taking part in the training session prior to the final selection to be made tomorrow.
Final selection will be an uphill task for the coach, Nandakumar though the selection will be made by an AMFA technical committee.
Most likely the selection will be made after a match to played between players stationed in the state and those based outside the state and currently playing in different clubs of the country.
Reliable sources revealed that amongst the 12 players who are stationed in the state, selection for eight players is likely to be made. Out of the players based outside the state, so far there has been confirmation for only 10 players and the remaining players failed to report till today.
As per rules and regulations of the AIFF, accomodations for 20 players for any participating team in the Santosh Trophy will be sponsored and any excess member of the team will be have to borne by the respective state team. Hence, the AMFA is most likely to select 18 players for the team.
Regarding selection of player for the Manipur team, international player P Rennedy observed that every player whether based in the state or outside must be allowed to take part in the final selection process. This is the only way to develop football in the state, Rennedy told IFP and recalled how star studded Manipur team failed to shine just after the state lifted the Santosh Trophy in the year 2002. Rennedy was speaking about egoism amongst players based outside the state. He also observed that emphasis should be given to the player based in the state who are more sacrificing and challenging at the national level championship. Players based outside the state and told to take part in the training programme should be present in all the rigorous works of the coaching, he observed.
Even as the Santosh Trophy is nearing, AMFA is finding hard in searching ground suitable for undergoing training as most of the football ground in the state are wet due to heavy rainfall since the past one month or so. This has necessitate the artificial ground for undergoing trainning for most part of Manipur remain wet during rainy season.
The AFC had already given its green signal to install an artificial football turf in Manipur, selection of site for which too had already been made and it is most likely to install at RAU ground. However, there has been no significant development in the process for installation of the first artificial football turf in the state.