In today’s modern game of football, clubs in Europe are and have been for a while looking to create a partnership or link up with clubs from various parts of the world.  Reasons for that include exchanging coaching ideas, young players, getting their club name into that country’s market to sell more replica shirts and merchandise.  Popular destinations for creating such partnerships include the United States, Japan, South Africa, Australia and China.

But what about India? If one takes cricket for example, it is very clear to see that there is a lot of potential and opportunity there. This coming September sees the start of the Indian Super League and if successful could be a new, unheard of and until now untouched market for European clubs to get their foot into.

Feyenoord continue to be Holland’s modern day success story and quite possibly raised that benchmark even higher by forming a partnership with a franchise in the ISL called the Delhi Dynamos.

“Feyenoord Rotterdam is thrilled to be associated with the Delhi Dynamos.  The Indian football opportunity is huge, and we are looking forward to assisting DEN in creating a fantastic team and ecosystem through the Indian Super League “.

Gido Vader, Feyenoord’s Head of International Relations

Feyenoord would be assisting in the overall development of the team, provide players and technical staff as well as share their extensive knowledge of football with the Delhi Dynamos.  Apart from the coach and physio, Delhi would have a Feyenoord youth academy player playing for them in the first season.

INTRODUCING THE DELHI DYNAMOS

The Delhi Dynamos are a Delhi based football franchise who will play their home games at the Jawaharhal Nehru Stadium in Delhi.  They are one of the eight franchises who will form the ISL and India’s leading cable TV company, DEN Networks, won the bidding for the franchise.

To add further Dutch involvement, they will be coached by the 52-year old, Harm Van Veldhoven.  His career includes management stints at Lommel, FC Brussels, Cercle Brugge, KV Mechelen, Germinal Beerschot and Roda JC.  During that time he won the Belgian Second Division championship with Lommel and got them to a cup final, along with winning the Second Division title again with FC Brussels.

This has the makings of an interesting and exciting venture for Feyenoord and as the last five years have shown, the Delhi Dynamos could not have chosen a better club from the Netherlands to develop not only their franchise and playing talent, but also to help increase the popularity of football in a cricket-mad country such as India.