The conundrum surrounding Indian football

University Football (U-21)

Though most players wouldn't choose this pathway, as most of the future professional players would graduate to a senior level from their club sides. But still, we need university football to keep our youth engaged, and hope to find some more talents (India, after all, is a vast country).

State FA's should start conducting a University League involving all national level, state level, and private colleges wherein U-21 teams play a structured home and away format league (maybe with divisions in the league system), since many universities in India do have huge grounds. This league runs from August to December. From this, state sides are selected for the U-21 Khelo India Games in January and February. They then play other state level and local competitions until May.

Players can be signed from here into the reserve teams of top clubs, or by lower-division teams in the regular transfer windows.

India needs to become regulars at an Asian level first before dreaming of the World Cup

Targets for AIFF: Select good developmental U-21 sides from clubs and universities, and play as many international semi-pro invitational tournaments and friendlies as possible.

Prepare a strong U-23 side for the Asian Championships, as well as the Asian Games and hopefully the Olympics. Integration to the National team should always be the primary objective with the style of play suiting the National team.

This team should also play the senior SAFF Cup, as well as the South Asian Games and aim to win it.