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All India Football Federation president Praful Patel believes that India is now taking all the right and necessary steps in becoming the footballing nation the country has dreamt of for a long time.
Speaking on the occasion of being officially handed over the baton to host the next U-17 World Cup, the first major tournament in India, Patel spoke in great confidence and belief that the tournament will be a major success.
“Our president, who is also the vice-president of FIFA at the moment is going to actually hand over the last played ball of the world cup in Chile to be able to take this forward. It is a dream first because India is not recognized as a footballing nation in the world.”
“We were the champions of Asia in the 1950's and 60's and we qualified to play the World Cup in 1950, but the Indian team opted out since playing without boots was not allowed. So, we missed the bus and were left way behind. It's high time we pull up our socks and it is very important that India as a nation does well. If NorthEast United does well or Chennaiyin FC does well that is part of the story, but it will never be complete unless India does well,” he said.
He spoke on the fact that it is important to train players from a young age and only then can they develop into the stars of the future.
“At All India Football Federation, we receive so much of hate-mails and brickbats and I don't blame anybody for that. But we must also understand that we cannot transform overnight. It will have to be a process. Chuni Da or Bhaichung or Sunil will acknowledge this fact. The coaches can play with what's available. We have to take care of the players from an early age so that we can make them the stars of the future,” he added.
“That is exactly what AIFF is doing. There are many shortcomings and many complications - we acknowledge that. We are thankful to FIFA for having granted the World Cup to us. We are the host nation and we get an automatic entry in the tournament. That is why we thought that it would be a great opportunity yo play the World Cup and what better than to play it on our home soil and what better to have the youngsters coming up and play this game,” the AFC Vice president said.
Patel further mentioned that India is interested in hosting the U-20 World Cup and the Club World Cup in the near future and that the necessary steps are being taken towards achieving that.
“The level of the game is fantastic, which I saw when I went to UAE the World Cup a couple of years back. It is difficult to understand whether its the U-17 football or senior football. Our ambition now is the U-17 World Cup and Sheikh Salman, we need your support now.
“You are in for bigger things, we know that. So, where we really need your support is that we first host the U-17 World Cup, then we want to host the U-20 World Cup and then the Club World Cup. These are two distinct things I can see after the World Cup for the roadmap of Indian football. Indian football can only be heading in the right direction if we take this approach and we are doing that,” he concluded.
