Wake up Indian Football!

Gunshots, flares, flags flying, horns blasting, people breaking into sudden jigs, youngsters turning up in truckloads, and policemen staring at all this with a smile on their faces (Courtesy:Firstpost.com)

What do you do when you see such a headline?  U get astonished as did I but that’s what the policemen did as they knew that they were not in a bloody fight but for a celebration!

Afghanistan’s wait for a trophy was over! They defeated India, an economic powerhouse in the final of a game which they had lost two years ago.

Bravo Afghanistan!

But why is our Indian football team’s standards so low that they lose to a country which is ravaged by sectarian violence almost every day?

1. Is it due to the lackadaisical approach by the AIFF?

2. Did Wim Koevermans gamble of not playing Sunil Chhetri in the final XI fail?

The answer to the above questions may be any but these facts cannot be ignored considering the fact that India’s going to play host to countries during the Under-17 football world cup in 2017.

-AIFF talks about no sponsors, but will an investor invest if you have lose to a lowly ranked opponent?

-It talks about lack of support to the football sector comparing it with cricket, but I suppose there are more Manchester United and Barcelona fans in India then in some parts of the world!

 When Afghanistan with its peace problems and so on can do it, why not India?

Here are some solutions to the Indian Football Scenario>>

1. Stop giving more preference and stop comparing yourself to Cricket

2. Improve training standards to the promising players

3. Improve infrastructural facilities for the players.

4. Develop existing players by playing friendlies and exhibition matches with friendly countries approved by FIFA.

5. Politics in sports and in selection should be stopped as that’s what is hindering the growth of the sport in the country.

6. Creation of a playing calendar which ensures the players more development of skills.

Melvin DCruz

I am friendly and frank

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