Victor Stanculescu in the city. Picture by Uma Shankar Dubey

Jamshedpur, July 30: After arriving in the city from Calcutta this morning, Victor Stanculescu, instructor of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), got down to work. Without wasting a moment, he went into a huddle with local football managers.

Stanculescu, also a sports psychologist, is in the city to prepare a masterplan, which will provide an impetus to football in the country. “My job is to make a masterplan for India, keeping in mind the three forthcoming World Cups. The confederation believes that India needs a blueprint to become a force to reckon with in world of football,” he said.

A Romanian, settled in Chicago, United States, Stanculescu is drafting the masterplan on the instructions of the All-India Football Federation (AIFF).

“I am sure the city can be developed into a major centre for junior footballers. I am impressed by the infrastructure and the Tata Football Academy (TFA), which is grooming talents,” he added.

According to him, AIFF has done enough spadework to make the city a major power centre in junior football. “TFA is a role model for others to emulate. It has all the ingredients of becoming a major soccer power centre at the junior level,” Stanculescu said.

“Just imagine, 14 out of 18 junior national players are from TFA. The academy is churning out promising players, who are playing for various glamour clubs in the country,” he said, adding that the city resembles some countries of Europe.

Stanculescu said he would be holding a clinic for the TFA cadets and coaches tomorrow.

“I will also visit some schools. Moreover, I will also hold a seminar for football coaches and their counterparts in other sports disciplines,” he added.

He said he would also meet the coaches of the steel major to share his experience as a sports psychologist with them.

Explaining the master plan, Stanculescu said the main objective of the plan was to make Indian football live up to international standards. He added that the master plan includes six major chapters, which would be implemented in the years to come.