Same pain on the field, but some gain off it

Let’s put it this way: 2010 has paved the way for a better future for Indian football. In a year that has seen the national side reach new lows and the I-League face numerous problems, the only positives that came were from places far away from the field.

In March, Sunil Chhetri gave us all a reason to smile as he became the first Indian to sign for a Major League Soccer team in the United States. But that too, with time, was perceived as more of a marketing gimmick. Take no credit away from Chhetri, though.

The change of guard at the Football House, which saw Kushal Das replace Alberto Colaco as the general secretary of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), raised expectations. Das, who earlier worked as the chief financial officer with International Management Group (IMG) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), is expected to bring in more professionalism into the functioning of the AIFF, something which has been lacking over the decade.

The results are already showing. Within a couple of months of taking charge, Das, along with president Praful Patel, has managed to sell the commercial rights for a whopping Rs700 crore, which will last for 15 years. The Indian team also got a national team t-shirt sponsor, a deal that will fetch Rs47.5 million over three years. As a result of that deal, which states India has to play at least six international matches a year, Bob Houghton got an opportunity to test his team’s preparations against some of the higher-ranked teams.

That’s where the script started going wrong. India’s performances in those friendly matches left a lot to be desired though. India, who will feature in the Asian Cup that will start in a fortnight’s time, lost most of their matches miserably.

The team travelled across Spain, Portugal and Dubai to avail better training facilities but cynics are pointing out that the crores spent on these trips are counting for nothing. Houghton has already hinted he won’t continue as the coach if the team doesn’t perform well at the Asian Cup. His tiff with team manager Pradeep Chowdhury resulted in the latter’s resignation just 14 days ahead of India’s opener against Australia. To compound the crisis, skipper Baichung Bhutia is doubtful for the tournament.

In between all the mess, the juniors gave a reason to smile. Ably managed by master-tactician Sukhwinder Singh, the under-23 side managed to reach the pre-quarters of the Asian Games in Guangzhou, advancing from a tough group comprising of defending champions Qatar, Kuwait and Singapore. Though they eventually lost to Japan (5-0), it showed glimpses of what the future holds. The women team, as well, gave a reason to smile as they lifted the inaugural SAFF Championship, beating Nepal 1-0 in the final.

The senior team, meanwhile, was merely a spectator. What was supposed to be the opportunity India was waiting for, to show that they too can compete at the Asian level, is gradually turning into a nightmare. Only a miracle can help them achieve decent results against opponents like Australia, South Korea and Bahrain.

The AIFF maintains that Asian Cup is not the part of the bigger picture they are planning. “The focus is on developing the grassroots right now. And we have started investing in it,” says a top official. Only the coming years will say if the investment has actually been fruitful.