10 Days at the Helm of Indian Football

“2009 is the year which will witness the worst Economic crisis; Job Cuts everywhere, Recession........” – These are the phrases and words that have marked the year till now. But 2009 is the year which apprises a new dawn for me. As my good friend Manjith terms it – it is the year when I started realizing my dream; A Dream to hear the Indian National Anthem being played at the Football World Cup and cry my heart out when a billion countrymen hum the same anthem in front of the whole world.

The biggest blunder – that is what everybody said when I took this defining step but I stand and say aloud that I have done something which very few dare to do. I am not among the people who sit back on a couch with a beer mug and say that Indian Football has no future – get onto the field and play the game my friend; the game to create a future for Indian Football.

It was in the month of March that I realized that the time was ripe to take the call and jump into the System with a golden opportunity knocking at my door. And yes, I grabbed it with both my hands. It has been 10 days at the Helm of Indian Football – The AIFF Football House.

You need to be passionate about a certain thing and if your job is what your passion is all about, mind it – nobody can stop you from achieving what you have set out to achieve. This is the motto which I have learnt from my Father. Indian Football can’t change and will never change if the Fans of the game don’t contribute towards developing the game.

10 Days – but it feels like months here. Websites, procedures, meetings with corporate houses – I have experienced them all in the last few days. And then I realise that it’s all there – everything is there for Indian Football to take off!!! I watch games at what we call the “Library” – which holds the FIFA, AFC journals, match videos, etc. It gives me goose bumps – sitting inside the federation house and taking decisions which will possibly realize the dream I have dreamt.

To tell you the fact, things are not as gloomy as projected by the media. Yes, there are a few hiccups, but let’s take it in a positive way – without them there wouldn’t have been any scope for improvement. On the hindsight, there are so many things which are there but alas not projected to the Fans of the game. A few important decisions have been taken in the last few days like the Team travelling to Dubai and FC Barcelona to train for the Nehru Cup, adopting the AFC 3+1 Foreigner rule, laying 8 artificial turfs across the country, etc. I would call this the trailer of a big movie and come August, we may see the start of a revolution in Indian Football.

I end it by quoting Mr. Colaco, “Indian Football not only needs infrastructure, money, corporate partnerships but it needs professional human resources. It needs a little bit of everything”; it would be the gr8est day in Indian Football when the Fans of the game rise up and do something for the same game they love the most in their own country.

The Cradle of Indian Football – Goa!

15:00 hrs, Sunday – the 23rd of December; a huge traffic chaos at Agacaim on NH -17. Not quite the time for traffic mess and moreover not in Goa, please! A roar – and the score is 1 – 0; a spectacular volley and the “Young Boys of Agacaim” take the lead. The local boys have scored and the crowd goes berserk. It’s the Semi – Final of the Invitational U – 16 tourney organized by the home team itself. The traffic on NH – 17 is moving at a Snail’s Pace. This is not siesta time; but it’s the peak of the Football Season in Goa! That’s passion for you!!!

The State of Goa, known as the Pearl of the Orient is not only famous for its beaches, its music, its people or its cuisine but for the most popular game in the World! It’s a part of every Goan’s life. Be it any time of the year or when the Sun is blazing hot, Football never stops in Goa! And this passion for Football is there to be seen by the Fraternity of Indian Football.

The history of Goan Football is one of the richest after the State of Bengal. Goa has the most number of trophies after the State of Bengal (counting the Winning and Runners – Up trophies). But with the changing times, the demographics of Indian Football have changed. Goa has slowly become the Powerhouse of Indian Football – producing players who are regulars in the Indian National Side; producing champion Clubs who have not only won laurels for the State but also have taken Indian Club Football to the highest level in the Continental Championship. Dempo SC, Churchill Brothers, Sporting Clube De Goa, Salgaocar Sports Club, Vasco Sports Club, Fransa and the erstwhile Sesa Goa are the noted clubs from the State of Goa who have always bagged the limelight in Indian Football. By Far, Dempo SC is the most successful among them all; winning the I – league and recently missing a Final Berth at the AFC Cup – 2008.

Goan Football is not only driven by passion but there is something beyond, which takes the game to a new level altogether. Infrastructure – this is the word which is the basic building block of every success story. The Infrastructure that is being talked about doesn’t only mean Stadiums, Practice Grounds but other non – materialistic logistics needed to build a strong foundation. I categorize Infrastructure into 2; Masonic and non – Masonic. Goan football has the mix of both making it a perfect recipe for Success. The main Stadia’s of Fatorda and Duler are truly the best places to play football in India. Right from the ground conditions to the seating, everything is managed in a very professional way. Every village and town has its own Playing Pitch which is maintained round the year. Goa proudly boasts of having the only Astro-turf Pitch for football in the whole of South Asia. Goan Football is always blessed with the best knowledge its coaches have. Apart from this, there is no dearth of Corporate Sponsorships – the fact that all the biggies of club Football in Goa are owned by Corporate houses speaks volumes about the support, the game enjoys. And last but not the least; it’s the Government’s whole hearted support along with its passion for the game that has propelled Football in Goa to its gr8est heights.

FIFA says that the foundation to a strong football culture starts from the Grass root level. In football, having a strong Grass root means the Youth Programme has to be strong enough to supply footballers of the highest quality. Football requires dedication and discipline right from the ages of 8-10 years. Goa boasts of a very strong Youth Programme - the S.A.I (Sports Authority of Goa) and the G.F.A. (Goa Football Association) have a very good support structure with professional coaches and sports equipment. The 12 C.o.E. (Centres of Excellence) located at Arpora, Taleigao, Pilar, Chicalim, Assagao, Morjim, Chinchinim, Chandor, Raia, and Nuvem, with Duler and Fatorda form the inner hard core of the youth Programme .The big clubs of Goa maintain some of the strongest U-12, U-15, and U-17 teams in the country. The same players make it to the Senior Squad showing their true colors later on. Additionally Football Academies like S.F.A. (Sesa Football Academy) add more strength to the base of Football in Goa. G.F.A also has one of the strongest youth coach development programme.

On a given Sunday newspaper, one finds at least more than 10-15 tournaments being played at the same time. What are these tournaments??? Isn’t it crazy to imagine such a huge number on a single day!! This is Amateur Football 4 you. Each village/town club maintains an amateur team. These teams are the supply machines to the various scouts preying around for raw talent from these villages. The same talent is then nurtured and groomed by the various support structures and then you have the finished product of a professional footballer. Amateur football has been the single and the biggest reason of Goan Football’s success story. Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, Bruno Coutinho, Alvito D’Cunha, etc have all been the products of Amateur Football.

Goan Football has one of the brightest future in Indian Football. Recently, Goa was chosen as a model state for the prestigious Vision Asia programme supported by the A.F.C. Peter Kenyon, the C.E.O. of Chelsea F.C. chose Goa for the extended support the club wants to provide to Indian Football. Moreover the Indian team has chosen Goa as the permanent venue for all its national camps. With all the big clubs doing fantastically well in the National Championships, things can only move ahead and there is no looking back.