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Comment: Maradona Visit - Is It Beneficial?
Football legend Diego Armando Maradona is to land in India anytime now. Hours before his arrival, Goal.com considers various aspects of his visit and whether it would actually help the development of the game in any way…
06-Dec-2008 2:41:38 AM
Yes, the Argentinean
great is coming and there are various theories already doing the rounds. Some
say that this is one of the most glorious moments for Indian football while
others are merely overawed by the situation. Certain section believes that
Maradona would turn the attention of a cricket crazy media towards the most
popular sport in the world.
People are seen waxing lyrical on the sports management agency and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) minister Shamik Lahiri for playing a key role in arranging the Maradona trip.
Certainly, there are a host of people who would have watched Maradona through their generation and always dreamed of watching their hero. This is nothing less than making something inconceivable a reality and presenting it to the society.
“If a man’s character would be formed by circumstances, then it would be necessary to make the circumstances more human,” wrote Karl Marx. Very true in this case and certainly the only way to explain the reason behind West Bengal government's involvement who trying their utmost to give a Communist angle to the trip, given Maradona's leaning towards the left wing!
Many feel that Maradona’s presence would inspire many youngsters to take up football or even develop an interest in the game. Well, for those unaware, the curiosity for the beautiful game is quite widespread throughout the nation. The 2006 World Cup final was one of the most watched games in India and that was beaten recently by the Premiership battle between Arsenal and Manchester United almost a month ago.
Let’s be a little realistic. Maradona is coming, would attend a few events and then fly off. It’s an all paid trip. Surely, his presence would get even ‘the not so curious football fan’ to read about him or maybe switch on their TV sets. But, beyond that, there’s nothing more.
The men behind arranging Maradona’s trip are aware of the fan’s psychology and have worked on it very commendably. They know that there’s market out there and they have catered to that need.
The Argentinean coach would inaugurate Indian Football School in Maheshtala, Kolkata. He shall also visit the ‘Missionaries of Charity’. He is also expected to have a football clinic at the Mohun Bagan grounds on Sunday. It’s just a two day trip filled with felicitations, an exhibition match, press conference and some meetings.
Apart from the football fans managing to get a glimpse or two of their idol, this trip is nothing more than a commercial gimmick. For Maradona, it would be a two day holiday. Of course, who wouldn’t mind an all expense paid trip!
Earlier this year when Bayern Munich came to play an exhibition match in May against Mohun Bagan, Indian national team coach Bob Houghton made a very interesting comment.
“I think the match organisers must have spent around 1.5 million dollars though they must have recovered some later. But what was its benefit on Indian footballers. It was just filling up the pockets of Bayern players who are already rich with 2 million dollars a month salary. The money could have been spent in laying an artificial pitch in India for training of kids.”
Going by this statement, the organisers would surely have recovered their money with all the marketing and sponsorship deals despite having spent a huge amount to get Maradona to the country.
If the same money, believed to be in the region of nine crores, were to be utilized elsewhere and in a much more constructive manner keeping the future in mind, it would have benefited Indian football for good.
But ‘man is condemned to be free, because once thrown in this world, he is responsible for everything he does,” said the famous existentialist Sartre. And so, how the other spends his fortune isn’t any of our concern and so, we are no one to tell them as to how they could have spent that money.
A few weeks back, Indian skipper Bhaichung Bhutia was quoted saying,” We can't just expect his (Maradona) being here will change things. We need to have a long-term plan in place for the coaching centre and develop it accordingly. We need to do the follow up.”
Well, I guess that sums up everything…
Rahul Bali.
People are seen waxing lyrical on the sports management agency and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) minister Shamik Lahiri for playing a key role in arranging the Maradona trip.
Certainly, there are a host of people who would have watched Maradona through their generation and always dreamed of watching their hero. This is nothing less than making something inconceivable a reality and presenting it to the society.
“If a man’s character would be formed by circumstances, then it would be necessary to make the circumstances more human,” wrote Karl Marx. Very true in this case and certainly the only way to explain the reason behind West Bengal government's involvement who trying their utmost to give a Communist angle to the trip, given Maradona's leaning towards the left wing!
Many feel that Maradona’s presence would inspire many youngsters to take up football or even develop an interest in the game. Well, for those unaware, the curiosity for the beautiful game is quite widespread throughout the nation. The 2006 World Cup final was one of the most watched games in India and that was beaten recently by the Premiership battle between Arsenal and Manchester United almost a month ago.
Let’s be a little realistic. Maradona is coming, would attend a few events and then fly off. It’s an all paid trip. Surely, his presence would get even ‘the not so curious football fan’ to read about him or maybe switch on their TV sets. But, beyond that, there’s nothing more.
The men behind arranging Maradona’s trip are aware of the fan’s psychology and have worked on it very commendably. They know that there’s market out there and they have catered to that need.
The Argentinean coach would inaugurate Indian Football School in Maheshtala, Kolkata. He shall also visit the ‘Missionaries of Charity’. He is also expected to have a football clinic at the Mohun Bagan grounds on Sunday. It’s just a two day trip filled with felicitations, an exhibition match, press conference and some meetings.
Apart from the football fans managing to get a glimpse or two of their idol, this trip is nothing more than a commercial gimmick. For Maradona, it would be a two day holiday. Of course, who wouldn’t mind an all expense paid trip!
Earlier this year when Bayern Munich came to play an exhibition match in May against Mohun Bagan, Indian national team coach Bob Houghton made a very interesting comment.
“I think the match organisers must have spent around 1.5 million dollars though they must have recovered some later. But what was its benefit on Indian footballers. It was just filling up the pockets of Bayern players who are already rich with 2 million dollars a month salary. The money could have been spent in laying an artificial pitch in India for training of kids.”
Going by this statement, the organisers would surely have recovered their money with all the marketing and sponsorship deals despite having spent a huge amount to get Maradona to the country.
If the same money, believed to be in the region of nine crores, were to be utilized elsewhere and in a much more constructive manner keeping the future in mind, it would have benefited Indian football for good.
But ‘man is condemned to be free, because once thrown in this world, he is responsible for everything he does,” said the famous existentialist Sartre. And so, how the other spends his fortune isn’t any of our concern and so, we are no one to tell them as to how they could have spent that money.
A few weeks back, Indian skipper Bhaichung Bhutia was quoted saying,” We can't just expect his (Maradona) being here will change things. We need to have a long-term plan in place for the coaching centre and develop it accordingly. We need to do the follow up.”
Well, I guess that sums up everything…
Rahul Bali.
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