New Delhi: Delhi’s very own soccer club Simla Youngs is going to represent India in the prestigious Welsh International Super Cup 2008, formerly known as the Ian Rush Tournament. Simla Youngs will be India's only club team to be playing in the Welsh International Super Cup in Aberystwyth, Wales, for the second consecutive year, in July 2008.

The Welsh International Super Cup is one of Europe's most renowned youth soccer tournaments, football icons such as Andriv Shevchenko, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Shay Given and Thomas Rosicky have all played at this annual event and gone on to become stars of the game.

The Welsh Cup starting 20th July, 2008 is played in 11 age groups, Simla Youngs will be participating in three age groups i.e. under-12, under-16 and senior level.

In the previous edition of the Welsh Cup, Simla Youngs went in with two teams and competed in under-12 and under-16 age group. The result of the previous edition is not much to write about -- both the teams lost all their matches but gained valuable experience.

Last year’s edition was the first experience for Simla Youngs players, playing in a foreign country; they lacked experience and had a tough time in acclimatizing to British winter.

This time around, Simla Youngs director and coach, Tushar Dev is confident of putting up a good show.

Simla Youngs is one of the premier football club’s of Delhi, but it was founded in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh in 1936. The Club shifted its base to Delhi in 1940 and regularly participates in various tournaments across the country. Simla Youngs is the only Delhi club to reach the semi-finals of the world’s third oldest football tournament-Durand Cup in 1973. Simla Youngs recent achievement include winning the 2001 DSA ‘A’ division league title.

The club also runs a football academy where it nurture talented players and have a forward looking approach to the game. The club by 2014 wants to give top quality players to India so that India can achieve its goal of qualifying for the World Cup. The Clubs participation in various international tournaments abroad is the right step in that direction.

All those Indian living in that region and interested in having a peek at the standard of Indian football, the promise it holds for the future should catch the budding stars of Indian football in action at:

Welsh International Super Cup
Aberystwyth, Wales
Tournament Date: 20th July, 2008