Jamshedpur Sporting Association (JSA) is looking at the upcoming national preparatory camp for next year’s Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup as an opportunity to mark its own platinum jubilee year.

JSA has already cancelled the annual football league (for men) owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and officials have planned a fixture for girls. Unlike the lengthy event for men, the tournament for girls will be played in knock-out format and can be completed in three days.

“We are already disappointed for not being able to conduct the annual football league for men. But we see the upcoming national camp for under-17 women as an opportunity to celebrate our platinum jubilee year,” said JSA secretary Avinash Kumar.

According to him, they have plans to conduct an exhibition match between the national campers and footballers from Jamshedpur. “We are highly optimistic that the camp would be organised in Jamshedpur. We are looking to use the opportunity to line-up an exhibition match with the campers,” the JSA secretary said.

A former Bihar Ranji captain, Kumar said they would invite national campers to Jamshedpur (for the exhibition match) even if the camp is organised in Ranchi by requesting the concerned authorities.

Besides the exhibition match, JSA has also planned to felicitate the national campers. “This way we can celebrate our platinum jubilee year by felicitating players who would be coming from across the country. Our own girls can also rub shoulders with 35-odd probables, including eight from Jharkhand, who would be coming for the camp. We have already discussed the plans and are very positive about it,” a member of the JSA football sub-committee said.

According to him, the national camp is an indication that football activity has resumed in Jharkhand. “We would also like to organise a camp for our footballers (for the tournament) and, in between, line up an exhibition match,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Jamshedpur has emerged as a likely venue for hosting the national preparatory camp expected to begin on October 1. The camp, which is actually scheduled at Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Ranchi, looks a non-starter as no bidder has shown interest for taking up contracts for accommodation of trainees, catering, and preparing the ground and dressing rooms.

A team from the state sports department led by sports director Anil Kumar Singh has already done a recce of JRD Tata Sports Complex and the Flatlet ground in Kadma earlier this month. The team also expressed satisfaction with the existing facilities. Tatas are also willing to make arrangements for the camp at short notice. The sports department has also earmarked Jamshedpur as an alternate venue for the camp.