Eww, It's Indian Football!

Indian Football. Two words that are looked upon with such discomfort and an appalling sense of naivety.  Our nation has always been a cricket playing, watching, eating and sleeping one. Football is merely that Sunday afternoon stroll. Truth is, no one cares.

We are proud to be ignorant. That is the most disgusting part of it. We put on this tag of ‘Oh we’re so poor’ and “We don’t have the money’ even when we have some of the richest men in the world living in the same country as we do. Why is it so? The AIFF needs to really be given a hiding. We have such tremendous potential and yet we are still ranked at 139! (I doubt there are even more than 150 countries on this planet!)

And if money really is a problem, then why are African nations doing so well? Their GDP’s are nowhere close to ours and yet they are the ones playing this year’s World Cup. As for India, we are ‘ecstatic’ simply being in the Asian Cup. We must be eager for more. Not content with what we have! Because then we're content with nothing.

Start attracting sponsors for god’s sake. I know it is not an easy task but then improve your marketing skills. Our country has some of the best institutions in the world. Start recruiting better from now on. Get rid of these ‘Babus’ who are still sitting on top treating the sport like it still belongs to the British era.

Make us ‘want’ to watch the I-League. Right now, we just simply do not. For starters ESPN, if you are listening, please save us from the Zee Sports broadcasters. The commentary and presentation of the ‘I-League’ is extremely shabby and truth be told, plain boring. This may sound utterly ridiculous and stupid but bring in Mr. Harsha Bhogle. His voice is one that every Indian can relate to and after all, he did host the World Cup 2006 now didn’t he.

Why do we pick Arsenal & Man United over Mohun Bagan & Dempo!

We support the Arsenal’s, Chelsea’s and Manchester United’s only because we like what we see. It is not because we hate Indian football. The quality of football, the media circus, the pitches, the aura surrounding it – bring that to India.

Bring in the passion. Bring in the excitement. In the English Premier League when a goal is scored, the commentators go absolutely ballistic. In the Spanish League you must hear the trance some of these commentators get into when their side scores. We need precisely that.

As for the infrastructure. My oh my. Where do I even begin! And forget about the AIFF now. Why aren’t private companies coming up and supporting more clubs. Indian Football needs more Sesa’s, NISA’s and Lajong's to make it look pretty. Did you know, that a certain I-League club Shillong Lajong FC actually attracts a whopping 30,000 spectators every game. That’s more than a host of English, Spanish and Italian based clubs even manage to pullout. ‘That’ is the way forward.

After all, if we are to talk about India making it to the World Cup Finals, and reach the same level that cricket is at, get the country to give a damn first!