INDIAN FOOTBALL

Ever since the Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) World Cup 2014 matches started in Brazil, I have been virtually weeping as India did not figure in 32 qualifying teams. This has been our fate for years. The Indian team last time shone at any international outing was in early 60s when at Jakarta we grabbed the Asian championship. Those days the then Czechoslovakia was the world champion. Like our Mohun Bagan, a famous team of that country, named Tatbanaya came to play friendly matches with the india-eleven. In the match played in the Ferozeshah Kotla ground Chuni Goswami was our captain and Dr Radhakrishnan, the then President of India had come to see the match. We lost perhaps by two goals to nil. Since then even on Asian level we have been losing ground and new teams from China, South Korea and Japan have pushed us far behind. In the obsession for cricket, the country appears to have sidetracked this globally and popularly played football. The victories in sports are a mirror of the economic wellbeing and good health of a country. Till almost 1980s, in Olympics, we figured only in hockey. After that the success of Green Revolution and overall improved performance in other economic sectors, India started making its presence in other sports as well. The most remarkable field has been lawn tennis. We have regularly been giving good international level players. Till recently in badminton and table tennis, the East Asian countries like China, Indonesia, Malysia and japan were enjoying monopoly. Now India has made a noticeable entry in these games as well. Over and above these, india is also putting effective challenges in shooting, weightlifting, archery and wrestling. These are auguring well. But where is lost the traditional football? If you see the teams of ongoing FIFA matches, the football appears to have been monopolized by South America and Europe. Africa has only three teams- Algeria, Ghana and Nigeria. Only Nigeria could manage to figure in the pr-quarterfinalist 16 teams and in the quarterfinal surrendered to France. Asia is represented by Iran, Japan and south Korea having hardly any prospect in reaching semi-final stage. Rest of the 26 teams hail from Europe and Latin America if we leave out Australia and USA. This time the dominating Europe is also shaky under the whirlwind performance of the Latinos. The last Champion Spain was eliminated at initial stages itself. Even strong teams from England, Portugal, Switzerlaand, Russia, Italy etc have licked dust. Only the Netherland,Belgium, France and Germany are still in the race. However, the experts and even the betting people have forecast that the final will be between Brazil and Argentina. My personal guess is that in the final any two teams out of the three – Argentina, Netherland and Colombia will clash. I am not impressed yet with the lower than expectation performance of the favourite Brazil. So far Argentina and Colombia have given a superb account of themselves. Let Indian players see these matches to draw an inspirational lesson.