Coach ready to wake sleeping India

"I hope there is some rain soon, the ground is very hard for the players," said the Briton, hoping for monsoon rain to help ease the dry conditions.

The weather could be a metaphor for Indian soccer, which hopes for a revival although it needs to overcome the kind of vagaries linked with the country's annual rainy season.

The twice Asian Games champions have been in a slump since the mid 1970's, mainly due to poor administration, while current continental giants such as Japan and South Korea have made the most of a professional approach.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is now showing urgency to revive the game in cricket-mad India where a booming economy is attracting interest from sponsors and the global administrators of the game alike.

The AIFF roped in the experienced Houghton last year to lift the team ranked 161st in the world and are scheduled to launch a professional league by the end of September.

However, there are many issues which need to be tackled.

The low ranking is blamed on the lack of international friendlies. Clubs are reluctant to free players for national duty fearing injuries while infrastructure and grassroots development are extremely limited.

Houghton, 58, who has had successful stints in Europe and Asia, has pleaded for clubs to ease the burden on national players to help rebuild the team.

Restructuring game

Leading striker Bhaichung Bhutia has called for a revamping of the game in India.

"It is a very good sign," he told Reuters at a national camp to prepare the players for a trip to Portugal later this month followed by a six-nation tournament in New Delhi.

"This is the time we need to restructure our system," Bhutia said. "There is a lot of interest from companies, lots of people are getting into the game.

Bhutia, who played for England's Bury FC for two seasons a few years ago, has been on the national team for a decade.

"We need to have good youth development program and should start generating a fan base," he said. There are ways to do it but how they do it is up to the clubs.

"Clubs do pay the players' salaries but on the whole I think the motive has to be development of the game for the country."

Sleeping giants

FIFA President Sepp Blatter described India as a "sleeping giant" during a visit in April, comparing it with the US.

"It's like the USA. Football is not the number one sport in India but education of the public, disciplined efforts and respect will definitely improve the game," Blatter said.

Experts agree improving the national team's performance is vital to tap into growing corporate support.

Last month, India's diversified Essel Group launched a club in Mumbai with an investment of $1 million while an art house has taken over a local club in New Delhi.

Former India goalkeeper Henry Menezes, who heads the newly-formed Mumbai FC, said the club would also help tap young talent and build a senior team.

"About 450 schools play football in Mumbai alone," he told Reuters. "Indians are not very sound with their first touch, so we'll educate coaches which will benefit a large number of people."

Menezes said the clubs needed to back the national team but the federation should also reward Indian players and share the responsibility of supporting them.

"Players also need to show more accountability," he added. "Today, the accountability is only with the clubs. Unless the national team performs, the clubs are not going to benefit."

Agencies

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page23)