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India’s footballing journey has been a game of two halves. Take a look at the beginnings of the beautiful game in India and you’ll see that we embraced football in much the same way as we took to cricket. Our first exposure to football was through British introduction but its popularity among the local masses spread quickly. In the year 1911, Mohun Bagan became the first Indian team to lift the IFA shield by defeating the Eastern Yorkshire Regiment 2-1 in the finals of the tournament. This was a truly historic moment in Indian Football but you won’t see Bollywood make a ‘Lagaan’ out of that now will you? All football got was ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’.
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It’s almost as if football is this nation’s neglected second child, and it has been sheer neglect that has traumatised football into a downward spiral in its second half. We went from a nation that won two gold medals in the Asian Games and a Fourth place finish in the 1956 Olympics to a nation that currently occupies an embarrassing 168th position in the FIFA World Rankings. What an abysmal performance in the second half. However, you can’t blame the players. A major cause of this poor showing has been the absolute lack of government support and planning.
The same time period has witnessed a completely different direction in the change of fortunes for Cricket. This only goes to show that government assistance in sport often goes a long way in affecting development of the sport. India’s rise to dominance in Cricket is something to cherish and be proud of, however it should not have come at the cost of complete disregard of other sports in the country.
Despite this, there is a roaring increase in the popularity of football amongst the youth of India today. Since popularity equals profitability Indian Football is finally getting some much needed attention. As a result, it has seen a few notable changes in the game.
Entry of Big Money
Clubs like Dodsal FC are hope for a better tomorrow. Like it or not, football is now a business and just like any business, money equates to success. Just ask Manchester City. So when wealthy owners take the reins of local clubs, the yearning fan can dare to dream. Dodsal FC recently blew away the competition at the Nadkarni Cup, stating its arrival in club football emphatically.
Their plan of roping in stars like Mikael Silvestre is a huge step for club football in India. These things often have a domino effect and could eventually result in other clubs being infused with big money to remain competitive.
Premier League Soccer
This was the big one. This in my opinion was going to be the game-changer for Indian Football. Based on the lines of the MLS in North America, Premier League Soccer was set to popularize Indian football exponentially. The arrival of stars like Fabio Cannavaro and Robert Pires had the potential to create immediate and drastic improvements in the popularity of Football in India. However, poor planning, inadequate infrastructure and government bureaucracy reared its ugly head once again leading to the eventual failure of Premier League Soccer. Hopefully the ambition and intent is a sign of things to come.
Young Talent
India has produced a slew of fine young players even in the past but the opportunities always seemed to elude them. All that is finally changing as a growing number of Indian youngsters are heading to foreign lands to play on the big stage. Take for example the case of young Brandon Fernandes. The promising Goan starlet came to prominence in the Manchester United Soccer Skills competition in 2009. The former Salgaocar FC player is currently undergoing trials with Premier League Side Reading FC.
19 year old Mumbaikar, Siddharth Kushwaha, is yet another fine example. Siddharth recently signed with Madrid-based Spanish Third Division side, CD Olimpico Rosillo 75 FC, on a one-year contract.
These youngsters prove that India is home to talented and promising footballers. As a result, they attract attention from scouts and academies from all over the world. Furthermore, programs like Airtel’s Rising Star provide a platform for the youth to showcase their talent on some of the biggest stages in the world. These opportunities were unheard of even a few years ago, but could be instrumental in the development of football in India.
International Assistance
Just last month, FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India pledging technical and strategic assistance to the AIFF. This was done with the aim of helping India achieve its goals of hosting the Under-17 World Cup as well as qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. FIFA has already provided India with Infrastructural help in the form of artificial turfs in the past, so this move is clearly a sign of FIFA’s commitment to ensuring the development of Indian Football.
However, the co-operation of the Indian administration plays a key role in this program. Far too many times we have seen a failure to deliver on these fronts despite generous International gestures like these.
Grass-root Programs
The lack of initiative at the grassroot level in the past is another reason for the failure of the game’s development. However, while the administration fails to deliver in these respects, there still exist a few good men who take it upon themselves to deliver the change they want to see in Football. All over the country we are beginning to notice the emergence of development programs that aim to improve the welfare of the game right where it matters. These programs also often extend to helping the underprivileged and those without the resources to pursue football. One such example is that of “Project Play”. Their aim is to provide children with the necessary resources and training which will help their talent blossom.
The active participation of the youth of this country has a major role to play in the growth of football. Grass-root development programs enable children from the younger age groups of even 10-12 years old to become more engaged in the sport they love and this will certainly aid the long-term plans for development.
At the end of the day, India is still lagging far behind in the world of football. A number of inherent problems in the administration and in the system continue to plague this beautiful game. While there is a show of support from external bodies and the private sector to overcome structural and financial problems, corruption still looms large and poses a huge threat to progress. However, there is a part of us that wants to believe that there is still hope left; and the changes we are witnessing today are certainly lighting up those hopes. If nothing else, they at least give us the permission to dream. And it is my dream to sing the Indian national anthem while watching the World Cup one day.
