India recently came in for a sharp criticism from top FIFA officials because of the slow pace of developmental works carried out. The failure to implement or carry out the allotted works effectively is seen as a major hindrance towards the development of the world’s most beautiful game in the country.
Though FIFA has granted India a different status and have some special plans for it because of its true potential of making it big in world football, the slow pace of work is hindering the overall development of the game.
Speaking at the International Football Arena (IFA) round table in Gurgaon earlier this week Thierry Regenass, Director, Member Associations and Development Division, FIFA said, “Due to its potential, India is the only country that FIFA has made specific commitments to support AIFF. But delays in completion of projects undertaken have resulted in slower development of football in India,”
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He went on to say that to catalyst the growth and development of football in the country, India should host important football events or could even bid for FIFA U-17 World Cup in the near future. “FIFA would love to come to India. India should bid for the Under-17 World Cup and that would certainly provide a huge impetus to the development of infrastructure and the game of football in India,” Regenass added.
AIFF have tied up with Reliance-IMG along with FICCI but there has still been no substantial development seen though they are known to do their best to develop and promote the game in India.
According to AIFF General Secretary, Kushal Das, who was also speaking at the round table, Indian Football at this point of time needs a world class technical director rather than a good coach to lift the standard and overall development of the game.
“Our need at this juncture is to find a world-class technical director. Unless we have a good technical director it is no point having a great coach,” Das said.
“AIFF will be closely examining the relevance of every domestic tournament. To take football to the grass-root level and talent hunt, AIFF will work closely with its partners at every level,” he added.
Meanwhile Bayern Munich is still looking for a suitable and committed partner to venture into India after its deal to set up and run Bayern Munich Football School with West Bengal sports ministry in 2008 did not see the light due to the negligence from the Govt.
Bayern Munich’s head of international affairs Martin Haegele, too, said his club will be in India for the long haul if it can find right corporate partners. “We are absolutely committed to it,” Haegele said. “And it’s important to start, whether the programme eventually succeeds or not.”
Moreover Graeme Le Saux, Chelsea’s ambassador for the club’s corporate social responsibility programmes (CSR) since retiring in 2005, reiterated that the top Premiership club will enter the Indian market at the opportune moment.
“We are scouting for the right partner and are in dialogue with like-minded people. It has always been Chelsea”s endeavour to develop football around the world and India is no exception. It”s just that we need to gauge the viability and commitment of our Indian partner,” Le Saux said.
“It naturally upsets me to see that a lot of youngsters don’t have the coaches or the facilities needed to develop into professional players in India, and that’s where Chelsea’s CSR programmes can help” said the former Chelsea star who grew up to be a great footballer in an Island with just eighty thousand population.
