Waiting for our Messi

With Indian football languishing at the bottom of the FIFA rankings it's time for some soul-searching. So what ails Indian football? Saswat Panigrahi searches for answers

Remember how Mohun Bagan's bare-footed athletic club beat East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911 and became the first Indian football team to lift the IFA shield? During its glory days the Indian football team qualified for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, but could not be a part of the show-piece event as it was playing bare feet at that time. In the 1951 Asian games in New Delhi and 1962 Asian Games held in Jakarta, team India won gold medals. The success story of Indian football doesn’t end there. India became the first Asian nation to reach the Olympic football semi-final in Melbourne Olympics 1956. Besides, India won bronze in 1970 and silver medal in the 1964 Asian Football Championship. Indian football boasted of football wizards like Gostha Pal, Subimal Chuni Goswami, Sailen Manna, PK Bannerjee, Peter Thangaraj, and Jarnail Singh Dhillon among others that took Indian football to dizzy heights. That was the past. Cut to the present, and Indian football cuts a sorry picture. Indian football fans have to take solace in the glory of adopted teams during the World Cup.

Looking at the nation’s football performance at present, Indian football team’s wining of the Nehru Cup in 2007 at the 13th year of the tournament could be seen as a step in the direction. In 2009 Indian football team again did an encore at the Nehru Cup and added another feather to its cap. Also in 2007 India defeated Tajikistan, lifted the AFC Challenge Cup and qualified for the AFC Asia Cup of 2011 to be held in Qatar.

But where does Indian football team stand vis-à-vis the big boys? The truth is Indian football team has never competed in World Cup. India is ranked a lowly 133rd in the FIFA rankings 2009.

Baichung Bhutia, IM Vijayan, Sunil Chetri, Climax Lawrence, Mahesh Gawli and Shanmugam Venkatesh are the big names in Indian football today. But, they pale in comparison to their illustrious forbears.

At a time when the rest of the world is in the grip of a football mania, Indians will be rooting for either the Brazilians or the Argentinians. Sadly the likes of Baichung Bhutia will wax eloquent on the other teams in the fray, in his avatar as football commentator/ expert. Apart from dissecting performances of the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. The diminutive powerhouse will also display his knowledge of the game, instead of trying to dribble past some of the superstars of the sport. At the same time some football crazy nations will be getting ready to make the cut. But, if someone asks will India ever participate in FIFA World Cup, many will have a hearty laugh.

But, what ails Indian football? Football is played as much in the mind as on the football pitch. It seems our football bosses and players seem to have reconciled to the fact, that we don’t have what it takes.

Despite the game having a presence in the country for more than a century, our players do not possess either the flair, attitude or guts to take on the world’s best. Most Indian players are physically light years behind their European, South American, even Asian counterparts. Low on morale, they do not have the killing instinct to make the cut. Neither do the coaches have the expertise to inspire the players to greater glory.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body of football in India is ridden by internal politics. And the Government seems to be least bothered in providing the requisite logistical and infrastructure support to set in place a meaningful football programme. There is no visible comprehensive package to focus on the fitness and tactical dimensions of the players. The scarce funds earmarked for training and development programmes is being misused. The general apathy and absence of a clear vision is proving costly for Indian football as they slide further down the pecking order.

In this cricket crazy country, football is said to be the second most popular sport. Football boasts of a massive fan base across the length and breadth of the country. In states like West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Sikkim and Mizoram cricket could be left behind in the popularity charts. With Indian players conspicuous by their absence in premier football events, it’s time for some soul searching.

If some of the greatest football stars came of the ghettoes of South America and Africa, why can’t Indian football players prove their mettle? Can Indian football reclaim pride of place in the world football? Or could it dream of making it to the top 30 in world order by 2030? Can we ever have our own Ronaldo? To ensure that India takes its first tentative steps in its bid to gain respectability, tough decisions need to be made. The All India Football Federation needs to be recast. It’s time for heads to roll, and accountability to be fixed. Rope in former legends to share their valuable insight, and stop hiring second rate coaches whose footballing careers were shrouded in obscurity. We love our Maradonas and Ronaldoes. Can we have our own? Let Indian football represent hope.


-- Appeared in FIFA World Cup 2010 special coverage of www.dailypioneer.com