|
|
Comment: The Need To Change The Perception Of People About The Big Picture
After Indian national team coach Bob Houghton spoke his mind out and left everyone startled, Goal.com takes a closer look at some of the issues highlighted by the Englishman...
19-Jun-2009 11:08:10 AM
Indian team
is travelling to Dubai for their camp and then travel to Barcelona thereafter.
Ideally, to hear this one would get excited that the national team is getting the
necessary exposure. But there’s more to it.
The primary
reason for having the national camp in Dubai was that the country doesn’t have
a single proper training facility!
Infrastructure is one of the biggest problems faced by Indian football but there’s a bigger obstruction to progress.
"After three years of being here, I don't think the game has moved forward very quickly. We don't see the whole picture, not just the AIFF (All India Football Federation) but the general footballing body, about the standard we need to achieve,” Houghton was quoted saying.
It very well brings out subject of our concern – lack of able leaders at the top. In any organization, to move ahead, one needs to have a visionary who can recognize the talent or use the ones around to achieve the aim.
Houghton’s comments clearly reflect that the football leaders in India, and not just the Indian FA, but the state associations, clubs, and all those involved syndicates the lack of direction on the road to progress. There’s no congruency or synchronicity of thought and hence, one sees various divisions within the system.
The sports minister, M.S.Gill comments that the national team could lose to a school side from Australia without having being actively involved in the sport and not having provided any facilities for the development, at least according to the coach.
Yes, infrastructure is very much needed in India. When the matches are being broadcasted on the television, at times, it’s painful to watch as the ground is without fans and the grass isn’t always green, which again explains why people are so interested in foreign leagues.
But to have infrastructure, one needs leaders who understand its importance and thereby, have a concrete action plan to achieve the same. Very often, one listens from various people involved in Indian football that they are looking for sponsorship.
But the question is why would one invest in Indian football or the national team? What value does it offer? How many eyeballs can they reach? Why would the clubs invest if there’s no business model? Why shall anyone spend for improving the facilities?
While some may blame the marketing strategy of the people involved in football today, but in reality, there’s very little they can do, as the product they have to sell is often below par. And it would continue to be so, unless there is proper infrastructure which again brings one back to square one.
Recently at an event, the AIFF general secretary, Alberto Colaco said, “Besides infrastructure, what Indian football needs is good human resource. We need better marketing people, qualified professionals.”
Unless, the people at the top heed to the foreign coach’s advice, who was brought in as an expert to lead the way for India’s progress, there’s very little anyone can do. The I-League continues to wear the garb of being ‘professional’, age old tournaments are being played for their historical importance and the national players are being summoned for the same
“If with such facilities we are number 140 (in FIFA rankings) then we are doing well, I should say,” Houghton added.
Maradona came and went, several European clubs have ventured, ex-World Cuppers have visited, the FIFA and the AFC presidents have shown their faces as well and the list is endless... But Indian football continues to remain the same. It hasn’t gone higher but it cannot go any further down.
“For many years, Indian football hasn’t been great. The reality is that Indian football is nowhere on the world map. But there’s no harm in experimenting something as if it doesn’t work, it’s still in that shape where it was earlier,” said Bhaichung Bhutia earlier which supports the above mentioned argument.
And so whether you bring in Jose Mourinho or Guus Hiddink, their Midas touch wouldn’t work!
Rahul Bali.
Infrastructure is one of the biggest problems faced by Indian football but there’s a bigger obstruction to progress.
"After three years of being here, I don't think the game has moved forward very quickly. We don't see the whole picture, not just the AIFF (All India Football Federation) but the general footballing body, about the standard we need to achieve,” Houghton was quoted saying.
It very well brings out subject of our concern – lack of able leaders at the top. In any organization, to move ahead, one needs to have a visionary who can recognize the talent or use the ones around to achieve the aim.
Houghton’s comments clearly reflect that the football leaders in India, and not just the Indian FA, but the state associations, clubs, and all those involved syndicates the lack of direction on the road to progress. There’s no congruency or synchronicity of thought and hence, one sees various divisions within the system.
The sports minister, M.S.Gill comments that the national team could lose to a school side from Australia without having being actively involved in the sport and not having provided any facilities for the development, at least according to the coach.
Yes, infrastructure is very much needed in India. When the matches are being broadcasted on the television, at times, it’s painful to watch as the ground is without fans and the grass isn’t always green, which again explains why people are so interested in foreign leagues.
But to have infrastructure, one needs leaders who understand its importance and thereby, have a concrete action plan to achieve the same. Very often, one listens from various people involved in Indian football that they are looking for sponsorship.
But the question is why would one invest in Indian football or the national team? What value does it offer? How many eyeballs can they reach? Why would the clubs invest if there’s no business model? Why shall anyone spend for improving the facilities?
While some may blame the marketing strategy of the people involved in football today, but in reality, there’s very little they can do, as the product they have to sell is often below par. And it would continue to be so, unless there is proper infrastructure which again brings one back to square one.
Recently at an event, the AIFF general secretary, Alberto Colaco said, “Besides infrastructure, what Indian football needs is good human resource. We need better marketing people, qualified professionals.”
Unless, the people at the top heed to the foreign coach’s advice, who was brought in as an expert to lead the way for India’s progress, there’s very little anyone can do. The I-League continues to wear the garb of being ‘professional’, age old tournaments are being played for their historical importance and the national players are being summoned for the same
“If with such facilities we are number 140 (in FIFA rankings) then we are doing well, I should say,” Houghton added.
Maradona came and went, several European clubs have ventured, ex-World Cuppers have visited, the FIFA and the AFC presidents have shown their faces as well and the list is endless... But Indian football continues to remain the same. It hasn’t gone higher but it cannot go any further down.
“For many years, Indian football hasn’t been great. The reality is that Indian football is nowhere on the world map. But there’s no harm in experimenting something as if it doesn’t work, it’s still in that shape where it was earlier,” said Bhaichung Bhutia earlier which supports the above mentioned argument.
And so whether you bring in Jose Mourinho or Guus Hiddink, their Midas touch wouldn’t work!
Rahul Bali.
Inside Goal.Com
-
Euro 2012 Group D: Stats to keep at your fingertips
With the final edition of the statistical overview, we take a look at hosts and heavyweights in Group D
-
Blast from the Past - Euro 1976 Final: Czechoslovakia 2(5)-(3)2 West Germany
This edition of Blast from the Past brings a highly eccentric clash between Czechoslovakia and Germany in the Euro 1976 Final.
-
Blast from the Past - Euro 1972 Semi-finals: Belgium 1-2 West Germany
In the latest piece of Blast from the Past, Goal.com takes a look at one of the best matches for the tournament's 1972 edition...
-
Poll: Who will be most missed at Euro 2012?
Several key players from the top teams in the competition will be absent from the Poland and Ukraine, but Goal.com asks whose loss from the tournament will be felt the greatest
-
The list of EPL targets from Euro 2012 Group A
With the transfer rumour mill set to kick into frenzy throughout this month's European Championship, Goal.com looks at which players could be heading for England this summer