APR’s idea of emulating famous European clubs like Barceleona, Manchester United and Arsenal by tapping up raw talent and groom them through an Academy looks promising after the club selected 132 boys from different parts of the country.

The boys ranging from 13-15 years of age will be cut down to 30 by end of the year. The 30 players will be looked after by the club in the same way the National Academy is run by the football federation.

The head of the Academy Camarade Murara said that the Academy will be fully operational next January.

"We need only 30 boys in the academy yet we still have 132 boys, so the selection process will go on until November.

"We will select them according to their technical ability, physique and speed. Also some of them falsified their age, so they will be dropped,” Murara said yesterday.

After winning their tenth league title last season, APR is seeking to remain the top club in the country by developing local talent and not depend on foreign imports as has been the case in the past.

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