Guwahati, July 12: The proposed coaching camp by national football coach Stephen Constantine to prepare the Assam team for the 33rd National Games is back on track.

This came about following intervention by the secretary-general of the National Games Secretariat (NGS) and sports commissioner Pradip Hazarika today, who sorted out differences with the Assam Football Association (AFA).

At a specially convened meeting with the AFA at Pradip Hazarika’s office in NGS here, the AFA and the NGS have mutually agreed to hold an exclusive coaching camp and clinic for at least 15 coaches from July 20 to 30. The meeting was chaired by Pradip Hazarika while the NGS was represented by director of sports Dhrubajyoti Hazarika.

The AFA was represented by vice-presidents N.N. Singha, Ankur Dutta, J.K. Bora and Hemen Brahma, secretary Kedar Mour and joint secretary Tapan Chandra Hazarika.

The secretary-general had requested the AFA to co-operate with the proposed coaching camp by providing players and coaches during the British coach’s scheduled visit. The AFA, however, argued that since it had already announced its schedule for various tournaments, it would be difficult to provide players.

It conceded, however, that since Constantine might not be available later on, it would be better to get some of the senior coaches trained under him so that they could, in turn, train the state players for the National Games.

Accordingly, it was decided that at least 15 coaches would be deputed to undergo a 10-day coaching camp and clinic at the Sports Authority of India’s New Field auditorium here from July 20.

The NGS will provide accommodation and food for Constantine and the participating coaches during the camp. The coaches will be accommodated at the youth hostel here.

The participants will include six SAI coaches and three NIS coaches of the directorate of sports while the AFA would select the other six senior coaches from among its registered coaches.

It was also decided that the NGS would request Constantine and the All India Football Federation to make it convenient for the coach to hold a camp for senior players here in October or November.

The AFA had been at loggerheads with the NGS over the Constantine camp after the government-appointed adviser for football, Ankur Dutta, had arranged the senior coach’s camp here. Alleging lack of co-ordination with it on the part of the NGS in team preparation for the Games, the AFA had expressed its inability to co-operate with the proposed camp as it had coincided with the inter-district meets.