Seven lucky players from the HFCA program attended this special football event run by Celtic Football Club. Over two days our lucky young boys had an amazing opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in Scotland and also play football at the iconic Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh. This amazing stadium was built in 1964 and can hold 70,000 and is home to the Cambodian national football team as well as some of the leading teams in the Cambodia Premier League.
Celtic coach Graham Diamond who has worked for the club since 1997 spoke warmly of his time in Cambodia saying "I wasn't sure what to expect when I came to Cambodia. The people in Cambodia are unbelievable. Been treated so well, been treated like royalty. Its just been fantastic."
When asked about the seven HFCA players Graham said "Your boys were a credit to you, themselves and their families. They were so well behaved and respectful."
His fellow coach JP Corr was also very much embracing his first trip to the region "The people are so warm and so friendly. Cambodia feels like Scotland, like home. It's fantastic to be coaching Cambodian kids at the Olympic Stadium." Corr first started working for Celtic FC in 2007 and described working with young Khmers "The kids are getting a chance to play at this great venue and they are loving it as it's their national stadium. The kid's manners are fantastic and they are always smiling."
HFCA would like to place on record our sincerest gratitude to Christopher Grant from Elite Soccer Coaching and Eric Lim from Gateway Cambodia for organising such a great opportunity for Cambodian youth.
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