Ex-Chelsea footballer and one of the first non-white sign-ups of the club, Keith Dublin returns to Mumbai to teach kids at Indian Tigers Football Academy about life on and off the 120-m pitch <table style="width: 202px; height: 343px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="202" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/oct/1012345678.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Keith Dublin will resume his coaching stint next month at Mumbai-based Indian Tigers Football Academy</td></tr></tbody></table>Chelsea star frontman Didier Drogba has Keith Dublin to thank every time he steps on field. What he and numerous non-white Chelsea players are probably unaware of is that in the 1980s, Dublin opened the doors for blacks to represent this English premier League Club. "People thought I wouldn't make the grade. Being a black player back then had its ups and downs. It made me dig even harder to be a success. We try to teach the kids here those very lessons." Dublin is referring to resuming his coaching stint next month, at Mumbai-based Indian Tigers Football Academy, along with fellow ex-Chelsea player Gareth Hall and others. Founded by entrepreneur Sherley J Singh in 2007, the academy came up when Singh was hunting for a good football coach for her son. With the "one-stop shop for football talent" as her mantra, she went shopping to tie up with professional players and coaches, to collate a talent pool. That's when she met Hall. Things moved swiftly, and today, the academy boasts of ex-Chelsea footballers and accredited UEFA level 3 License coaches who train Mumbai's football-crazy kids, across social strata. Dublin has sound advice for Indians looking westward: "Football is made up of all origins, which should inspire any young footballer. It's the same across the boardu00a0-- everyone needs that lucky break. But you must work hard and keep learning. I still do, to this day." Singh has big plans to make football accessible to all. "In addition to two centres, we plan to open three more in Goregaon, Vashi and Thane. Besides, Tiger Super League (TSL) is being designed as a national level football tourney for school kids. Mumbai will host the first year; it will spread to other cities from year two." She says their team is already made it to the playoffs in the 3rd Division at MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) and is confident of an improved showing next year. What separates ITFA from zillion football-training outfits is its strong social arm. "We concentrate on helping less privileged players. They are the ones with the best talent; their control and finesse with the ball is exemplary," believes Singh.u00a0u00a0 Returns In:u00a0 Novemberu00a0 2010

Ex-Chelsea footballer and one of the first non-white sign-ups of the club, Keith Dublin returns to Mumbai to teach kids at Indian Tigers Football Academy about life on and off the 120-m pitch

Colour can't be an excuse in the game

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Colour can't be an excuse in the game

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