The India Panel at the Soccerex European Forum

For a second year running the Soccerex European Forum gave a platform for Indian football to showcase itself on Thursday, April 11 afternoon with this years panel having the title 'Awakening Football's Sleeping Giant'.

The India session was moderated by Sukhvinder Singh, the Managing Director of Libero Sports India. The panelists taking part were Vivek Narayan (Director Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India), Rajpal Singh (Director Sports & Youth Affairs, FICCI), Kunal Dua (Head - Sports Marketing, Panasonic India) and Shirish Kulkarni (Executive Director – DSK Group, Owner of DSK Shivajians FC - Pune).

The aim of the session was to shed light on the Indian football market besides giving a positive outlook to the international football fraternity, whose most generic question has been for years, when will the 'Sleeping Giant' finally wake-up and be a player in the global football business.

That question could not be answered by the session, but one key statement came from Vivek Narayan when he said that the Government of India had received a new draft proposal from FIFA on hosting the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which the world governing body would like us to host but for that certain regulations would need to be changed.

Rajpal Singh spoke about the role of FICCI as being a bridge between the government and sports federations, while also organising its own events as FICCI Turf and FICCI GOAL in bringing the different stakeholders together.

Kunal Dua spoke about what Panasonic India has done to activate football as a marketing tool, but also using Bollywood and Cricket stars for its promotion. He also spoke about what Indian football needs to do to attract further sponsorship.

Shirish Kulkarni spoke from a perspective of a team owner of a 2nd Division I-League club in DSK Shivajians FC, which gave a different insight then the other speakers and also some infos on the I-League Franchise expansion plan.

In the end the session gave a positive outlook though the problems became evident when the Q&A session was held and the people present asked the tough questions.

Manchester City FC hosts Indian Delegation at their Etihad Stadium

A 25 member strong Indian delegation which has come to Manchester for the Soccerex European Forum were treated to a presentation and stadium tour by the current Premier League champions Manchester City at their Etihad Stadium yesterday.

The FICCI – Libero Sports India delegation arrived at the Ethiad Stadium yesterday morning and were greeted by Manchester City legend Mike Summerbee prior to listening to a presentation on Manchester City's international business objectives by senior management Tom Glick and Omar Barreda.

After the presentation the delegation took a private tour of the state of the art Ethiad Stadium before heading back to Manchester Central for the Soccerex European Forum.

Chris Punnakkattu Daniel said about the tour, "The visit to Manchester City FC and the Etihad Stadium was an interesting one to get an in-depth idea on the club, the facilities and their plans for India - especially in comparison to other leagues like the Bundesliga."

The India delegation to Soccerex is an initiative driven by FICCI and Libero Sports India to connect key industry stakeholders with the global football community.

AIFF Open House Meeting to be held tomorrow in Dubai

The All India Football Federation's second Open House meeting to secure a minimum of two Football Clubs on board for the next edition of the I-League will be held at the Ritz Carlton hotel, DIFC in Dubai tomorrow. The meeting will be chaired by AIFF President Praful Patel. The earlier Open House meeting was held at AIFF Football House on March 5.

The meeting, being hosted by the AIFF will bring to the fore the Governing Body's expectations from the new clubs, interact with potential participants, share ideas and invite suggestions from interested parties.

AIFF President Praful Patel sounds confident the initiative will "take Indian Football to a larger Global Audience".

"In keeping with AIFF's mission of promoting Indian football to a larger Global Audience, this is a vital step being taken to adopt additional teams and invest in our youth," Praful Patel said.

"By inviting participation from regional investors and offering them a sound investment opportunity, we are certain we will be able to raise the brand value of the I-League, evolving it to become a truly futuristic and versatile tournament," he added.

The AIFF would formally invite open tenders and expressions of interest by qualified investors to set-up and operate the clubs. Winning bidders of the tender will be able to set-up and operate new football clubs which compete from the I-League season 2013/14 and beyond.

The opportunity to set-up new football clubs also carries an incentive for investors to invest in the youth and develop the infrastructure necessary to create a State-of-the-Art environment where the youth can be engaged, football teams can be developed and the sport can be promoted.

(Report & Photo courtesy AIFF Media)

Soccerex - India Panel: Awakening Football's Sleeping Giant

The Soccerex European Forum 2013 will be held on April 10/11 with leading figures of European and world football gathering in Manchester, England. And once again India will be on the agenda with an 'Football's Growth Markets' workshop solely focusing on Indian football going to be held on the second day of the Forum.

As someone who has been to a number of Soccerex conventions and forums, I know that India has been on the agenda of the Soccerex organisers for many, many years and they have given Indian football a global platform.

This time the India workshop is being hosted by Soccerex in conjunction with the Federation of Industrial Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Libero Sports (official Soccerex representatives in India).

The session will feature senior representatives from the key stakeholders involved in the development of Indian football. It will focus on the strategies and programmes currently in place as well as India's vision for football at both a domestic and international level.

Amongst the speakers will be Kushal Das (General Secretary, All India Football Federation), Pradeep Deb (Secretary of Sports, Government of India), Rajpal Singh (Director, Sports, Federation of Industrial Chambers of Commerce and Industry), Kunal Dua (Head, Sports Marketing, Panasonic India), Shirish Kulkarni (Owner, DSK Shivajians FC) and Sukhvinder Singh (Managing Director, Libero Sports India).

Inaugural Goa International Football Table 2013 a big success - Part 1!

The inaugural Goa International Football Table was held on March 15/16 at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. The two day summit focused on various aspects of football such as infrastructure of football at the grassroot level, general Indian Football Development, Creating a New Sport: Beach Soccer, Efficient Use of Stadium Infrastructure, Talent Development, Community Development, Marketing and Sponsorship and Upgrading our Competition.

The first half of the session kicked off with an introduction by host Sonali Chander wherein the moderator, Stanislaus D'Souza introduced the panelists - Dr. Robin Petersen, Rajeev Piramal, Jovito Lopes and Sioulas Anastasios for the session. Mr. Petersen, CEO of South African Football Development Agency & Ex-CEO South African Football Association gave a brief introduction and background to the South African football scenario.

"Football has an incredible power to unite countries and to achieve success in football, funds had to be created along with business, government and football partners. This success would change the nation forever," Peterson said.

He shared the technical master plan of South Africa 2022 in which he said it would create a virtuous cycle of success and would unite the nation for national pride.

Rajeev Piramal, Owner of Pune FC and also the Vice-Chairman and MD of Peninsula Land Ltd., in his opening statement said, "There is lot to learn from the SAFA but at the end of the day, they are our competitors." He also stressed on the development of infrastructure justifying that infrastructure does not only mean good grounds and good facilities but also good coaches and good medical facilities.

Sioulas Anastasios, coach of Sesa Football Academy, stressed on the need for the development at the base level; while the Sports Editor of the Herald newspaper, Jovito Lopes stated that one of the reason for failure of football grabbing most eyeballs is the large fan loyalty to the international clubs rather than Indian clubs. He also said that not only the government support, but also Private Public Partnership (PPP) would help in the development of Football in India.

Thereafter Scott O'Donell (AIFF National Academies Technical Director) in his presentation, stressed on the development of football at the grassroot level. With context to this, he said that "This should have started 20 years back." He also proposed the Grassroot development plan for football in India.

Then the Goan Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in his brief address spoke about football in a nutshell. With a sporty spirit he said, "Football gets you through life besides work."

Dr. Rufino Monteiro, Chairman of the Goa Football Development Council, expressed his gratitude towards the Honorable Chief Minister for his dedication and commitment in making football the official sport of the state, not just in words but also in action. "Football is not a fashion statement but it's about passionate dedication towards the sport," he said.

He further said that "Goa's aim is to produce good players and that GFDC is working towards it. Studies done in Indian cities reveal that football now attracts three times as many viewers as cricket, more so because today's youth want a fast, exciting game and 90 minutes of football ideally fits into their hectic lifestyle. A Nielsen survey in 2010 found that 47% of India's over 1.2 billion population described themselves as football fans. Interestingly, football also attracts the second highest sports sponsorship in India, out-ranking tennis, badminton, boxing, wrestling and athletics where India boasts of world class athletes, some even champions. There is so much to do to develop football in India."

The session ended with the launch of the Draft Goa Football Policy and the GFDC publication, which many hope will take Goan and Indian football onto the next level.

More in part two about the second day of the inaugural Goa International Football Table.

GFDC to organise inaugural Goa International Football Table on March 15/16

The Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) yesterday announced that it is organizing the first football specific conference in India on March 15/16, 2013 with a view to catalyse the football industry.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will release the maiden football policy of the state, a first of its kind that will delineate a structured approach towards Goa's culture and help develop a football-based ecosystem. Taking note of the fact that football is hugely popular all over the state, the Chief Minister announced last year that football would be the official sport of the state of Goa.

The inaugural 'Goa International Football Table' (GIFT) will also lay the foundation to initiate vital dialogue on the importance of football in relation to the socio-economic development of Goa. Government officers, officials of football federations, clubs, players and coaches, members of the media, sponsors, brands and sports investors will attend the event.

Speaking about the Goa International Football Table, Dr. Rufino Monteiro, Chairman of the Goa Football Development Council, said, "Indian players possess immense talent, which needs to be nurtured in the right manner for them to shine. The inaugural Goa International Football Table is – for this reason – an important part of GFDC's multiple steps to channelize talent with the available infrastructure, facilities in the country and across the globe. The conference will be a landmark event in Goa and herald the beginning of a brand new journey in the development of football in India."

Elvis Gomes, Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa, Vice-President of the Goa Football Association, and Member Secretary of the Goa Football Development Council, said, "Over the years, Goa has been synonymous with good quality, skilled football. Through the Goa International Football Table, we are here to take it a step forward to help develop the game and present players across India multiple opportunities to excel. We are confident that the event will play a crucial role in altering the course of the game for its stakeholders."

The theme for the 2013 conference will be 'Home Grown Heroes', and eminent speakers from across the world representing different organizations in the global sports industry will deliberate India's pending emergence on the global footballing platform. GIFT will create a annual framework and an environment for investment in the sport, networking within the community and create a interface for the stakeholders. Discussions on topics ranging from talent, community development, competitions and infrastructure creation to professionalising the sport and marketing will be organized.

The 'GIFT Awards' will endeavour to honour and recognize young achievers in Goan football along with current and past players for life time achievement, players with promise, referee of the year, administrator of the year, and coach of the year awards. The winners will receive prize money and a trophy. GIFT intends to create corporate interest in the state to help support initiatives that facilitate the overall growth of football. It will also attract investment towards developing the sport at the grassroots and make Goa a football powerhouse and role model state in India.

The first edition of GIFT has received tremendous support from knowledge partner TransStadia, and will be promoted by football magazine 90 minutes along with online partner Sportskeeda.

FICCI GOAL 2013: Talking needs to be turned into action

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry organised the first-ever FICCI GOAL 2013 - India Football, an International Convention on Football Business over the last couple of days at Federation House on Tansen Marg in New Delhi.

I have to say we had two good days of interaction within the Indian football fraternity, but if any positives come out of it would have to be seen then talks and discussion need to be turned into action, then throughout the convention the problems of implementation and a clear cut vision was evident in Indian football.

All the session were very good, then overall a lot of information and knowledge was passed on by the speakers and surely there were some controversial statements as well as those from AIFF Technical Director Rob Baan or Shaji Prabhakaran, FIFA's India Development Officer; who both only said the truth but often that is not something wanted in India.

The thing which I come back to is the fact that there are loads of good ideas on how to take Indian football forward, but there seems to be a funding issue or problems in implementation, which Rob Baan highlighted when he spoke about this roadmap for Indian football - Lakshya.

Those need to be solved otherwise Indian football cannot move forward and we will continue to talk about these issues, but change does not happen which is needed or Indian football will never realise its potential.

GOAL 2013: FICCI's International Convention on Football Business in New Delhi

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will organise its first-ever FICCI GOAL 2013 - India Football, which will be an International Convention on Football Business on February 14/15 at Federation House on Tansen Marg in New Delhi.

This initiative is a strategic dialogue platform to bring together senior decision makers and who’s who of Indian and international football industry to deliberate on profitable promotion and grassroots development of the sport in the country.


Sessions over the two days will include a wide range of topics concerning Indian football. Here an overview

- Football in Asia: Opportunities for India with focus on youth development

- Joining the dots of AIFF Lakshya 2022 & IMG-RIL 2026 Vision

- Reconceptualizing of Indian League system: Club vs City Franchisee

- Football Stadia: Sustenance and Legacy of 'White Elephant'

- Strategy of acquisition and successful executive of 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India

- A focused session on Success Stories in Indian football


To register for the event go to: http://www.ficci.com/events-page.asp?evid=21288 .

London has more world class stadia then India!

Last week I spend a couple of days in London and on my way in flying over London I had the chance to see numerous football and sporting venues from above. Then and there I realised that a metropolis of the size of London with a population of over 8 million has more world class stadia for football then a country of 1,2 billion in India. It was a harsh, but true realisation in the air over London...

While flying into London I saw and recognised White Hart Lane (Tottenham Hotspurs), the Emirates Stadium (Arsenal FC), the new Olympic Stadium in Stratford, Stamford Bridge (Chelsea FC) and Wembley. Only five stadia one could say, but as we had to wait for our turn to land the pilot unintentionally took a route close to these venues though I missed out on Upton Park (West Ham United), Craven Cottage (Fulham FC) and Loftus Road (Queens Park Rangers FC) as London boasts of six English Premier League clubs and as many as 14 clubs across the four English professional leagues.

The interesting fact is that these venues are brand new like the Olympic Stadium, redeveloped like Wembley or older one's like White Hart Lane, Craven Cottage or Loftus Road; but all these venues have a certain standard that fans can enjoy when they watch football or sporting events and clubs are thinking of further redevelopment or shifting to new state of the art venues.

In Indian football or sports in general we talk about infrastructure, but there is a massive lack of it. No venue for football in India is really world class with the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi coming the closest, but still after many millions spend on the stadium ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games there are massive deficiencies at the ground and inside the building before it can be called a truly world class venue.

Maybe the officials think about this and work on plans to change it or otherwise we will continue to have the situation as was prevalent at the 2012 Nehru Cup in New Delhi and the 2012 Federation Cup in Jamshedpur and Siliguri.

Infrastructure is one key element of sporting development...

Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story: London Première a grand success!

The documentary film 'Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story' had its world première at the 'Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival' ( festival link ) in London at the Everyman Cinemas in Belsize Park on Wednesday evening. I myself flew across from Düsseldorf to London to be there for the première as I myself am part of the documentary by giving my opinion, thoughts and insights on Indian football.

The Everyman Cinemas at Belsize Park is a small, cosy, old fashioned little cinema and it was the fitting location to show the documentary for the first time to the general audience besides also having some of the protagonists of the documentary present, many of whom had never met before.

The story of the documentary has two strings, one which follows the two winners of the 2009 South Mumbai Soccer Challenge, Hussain Vahanvaty and Shaun Fernandes, on their six week training trip at Queens Park Rangers FC in London after showing how these two boys were spotted at the South Mumbai Soccer Challenge and then the second string being the situation of Indian football.

Director Daniel Glynn, producer Mat Hodgson and their whole team at Ad Hoc Films worked close to two-and-a-half years to produce the documentary and I have to say, the outcome is a great piece of filmography!

After the screening première there was a Q&A session moderated by renowned British Indian journalist Mihir Bose which included director Daniel Glynn, producer Mat Hodgson, QPR youth coaches Steve Gallen and Marc Bircham besides myself, all who have something to do with the documentary. We did go into a little more detail about the Indian football though having little time to discuss it then taking about Indian football's situation could go on and on.

I thoroughly enjoyed being there for the première meeting a lot of old friends and making new one's and I can only recommend everything who is interested in Indian football or maybe even not, to watch the documentary.

Here the link to the 'Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story' Facebook Fanpage www.facebook.com/SleepingGiantfilm

Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story - World Première tonight in London!

Tonight the documentary film 'Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story' will have its world première at the 'Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival' in London at Everyman Cinemas at Belsize Park at 21.00 GMT. I myself will be flying across to London to be there for the première as I myself am part of the documentary by giving my opinion and insights on Indian football.

Having seen the raw version of the documentary film it is simply great! A documentary about Indian football highlighting its strengths and weaknesses intended for a global audience should be something worth watching...

The documentary film has been made by AdHoc Films, the makers of the critically acclaimed documentary 'The Four Year Plan'. It is a journey of two young footballers from the South Mumbai Football Challenge to the Academy at Queens Park Rangers FC with contributions from eminent journalists and football specialists about the difficult subject of Indian football.

Shot over two and a half years, this documentary follows the young hopefuls from the backstreets of Mumbai to London, as they embark on an incredible journey to realise their dreams. Soon the age old questions of whether sport success is nature or nurture, talent or opportunity, are brought to the fore.

Director Daniel Glynn said about the film, "We've been given a privileged and unique insight into a country described as (actually your direct quote Arunava!) footballs last frontier."


Here for more information about tickets for the London première at Belsize Park:
http://www.everymancinema.com/advanced-sales/sleeping-giant

Here the link to the 'Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story' Facebook Fanpage www.facebook.com/SleepingGiantfilm

Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story - Première on October 3 in London!

The documentary film 'Sleeping Giant: An Indian Football Story' will première at the 'Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival' at Everyman Cinemas at Belsize Park in London on Wednesday, October 3 at 21.00 GMT. I myself will be around for the première as I am part of the documentary by giving my opinion and insights on Indian football.

The documentary film has been made by AdHoc Films, the makers of the critically acclaimed documentary 'The Four Year Plan'. It is a journey of two young footballers from the South Mumbai Football Challenge to the Academy at Queens Park Rangers FC with contributions from eminent journalists and football specialists about the difficult subject of Indian football.

Shot over two and a half years, this documentary follows the young hopefuls from the backstreets of Mumbai to London, as they embark on an incredible journey to realise their dreams. Soon the age old questions of whether sport success is nature or nurture, talent or opportunity, are brought to the fore.

Director Daniel Glynn said about the film, "We've been given a privileged and unique insight into a country described as (actually your direct quote Arunava!) footballs last frontier."

"But at its heart, this is a discussion not just about this huge and relevant subject. It's the human story of two boys who share the same dream, to play professional football. Their story in many ways gives the film its emotional core and hopefully makes the wider discussion even more powerful to a global audience. I'm certain it's only a matter of time before we see Indian football having a greater presence on the world stage," Daniel added.

While his colleague Mat Hodgson said, "Making Sleeping Giant has been a fascinating journey that has a duality. On one level we have a case study of plucking two boys from obscurity and giving them a platform to show and develop talents. This has brought into the light the age old debate about sport being about ability or opportunity. Secondly, it has brought the vast question of why Indian football barely registers on a global football scale. The world has a population of 7 billion and India is 1.2 billion. When you look at it like that it defies logic even on the most basic level. We found during the making of this that the hunger is there but the system needs grabbing by the scruff of the neck by someone visionary. India's strength is it's population and with that brings vast sponsorship and commercial opportunities which can fund a football revolution. They can definitely can do it."


Here for more information about tickets for the London première at Belsize Park:
http://www.everymancinema.com/advanced-sales/sleeping-giant

Here the link to the Facebook Fanpage www.facebook.com/SleepingGiantfilm

VIDEO: "Knowledgeable" Indian football fans

The number of football fans in India is growing by the day, but many only follow international football especially the English Premier League rather then local I-League football. Here a video of English Premier League fans in India quizzed about EPL and I-League, which sadly shows their lack of local football knowledge.

The guys who produced this video did a good job by highlighting this issue & it needs to be supported!!!

VIDEO - NDTV: Discussion on Indian football & Drogba

News channel NDTV aired a football special yesterday coinciding with the visit of international football star Didier Drogba for the Pepsi T20 Football grand finale in the capital New Delhi.

Guests on the show were Indian football icon Baichung Bhutia, Shillong Lajong FC owner Larsing Ming Sawyan and AIFF Director of Regional Academies Scott O'Donell. The trio had an interesting discussion with the moderator on a range of issues besides giving some insights on Indian football.

VIDEO: Interview with Godwin Franco (Dempo SC)

Dempo SC midfielder Godwin Franco is currently in Cologne, Germany during the summer break. I got a chance to speak to him about the season gone-by, his visits to Germany and his football experience in Germany.

Doubts behind Indian Investments in European football Clubs

In recent months I have been asked numerous times if investments by Indian businessmen and corporate houses or by Persons of Indian Origin into European football clubs are really working out besides it being beneficial for Indian football. To be honest there is no definite answer to these difficult questions as it depends on the different reasons why such an investment is made.

Some might see it as a chance to grow their business in Europe and other markets too, some are genuinely interested in the sport of football, some even have business ambitions within India but rather take the foreign sporting route to achieve their goals.

The reasons for such investments in a professional sports team can differ, but often they will surely not be about the development of Indian football or football in India, then otherwise the money could have easily been invested directly into Indian football.

But as the current examples of Blackburn Rovers and Racing Santander show, investment alone will not do. One will have to have the deep pockets to pump further money into the team to buy quality players and develop the club overall, but also have the right management in place with the necessary knowledge to run a football team.

In Europe a lot of people are questioning the knowledge and capabilities of Indian football club owners after the terrible mismanagement by the Venky's and Ahsan Ali Syed at their respective clubs; who bought these clubs, made false promises which in the end led to relegation and an unsure future of the once respected clubs.

But there is also a positive counter model, the Mittal Family as minority stakeholders at Queens Park Rangers FC, who last season ensured that QPR would win the Championship and now ensured their Premiership status; but with the two above very negative examples many in football are saying they don't want Indian investment in the sport which displays Indian businesses and Indian football in a very bad light. Which is a very sad fact.

Other positive examples of Indian minority shareholding are FC Midtjylland by the Dempo Group and FC Vestsjælland by Anglian Holding, both in the Danish leagues. Both are inter-linked with India and the development of the game in India besides also allowing the clubs to develop themselves.

And the question will be who would now want to invest in European football in such a climate of distrust, though Indian money through sponsorship and other forms surely would surely be welcome.

Indian State of the Art Centre of Excellence to be build in Goa

India is set to get its first State of the Art National Centre of Excellence for football in Goa. Earlier today AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das informed that the 'Government of Goa is to partner AIFF to create a Centre of Excellence for National Teams across all age groups.' A big step forward for Indian football!

Ramesh Tawadkar, Minister for Sports, Goa; Dr. Rufino Monterio, Chairman, Goa State Football Development Council; and Elvis Gomes, Executive Director, Sports Authority of Goa; were also present as Kushal Das spoke during a Media Interaction at the AIFF 'Football House' in Dwarka, New Delhi.

"The Government of Goa has already declared football as its State Sport," Ramesh Tawadkar stated. "We intend to create better facilities for the sport. Let the other states also follow suit," he added.

Under the partnership, the Government of Goa is to provide the land for setting up of a Centre of Excellence in the state of Goa. "The intention stays to model the Centre of Excellence on the lines of that we have in developed footballing countries," Kushal Das maintained.

"The Football Development Council aims to stress on the Youth Development Programme," stated Dr. Monterio, who's a Cardiac Surgeon by profession. "The YDP has to be specific and we need to cater to youth from the U-10 level. It's also a big challenge to develop all weather grounds in Goa," he maintained. "It's imperative to have quality coaching staff and medical facilities on all grounds."

"The Welfare of Retired Footballers also stay on the agenda," Dr. Monterio quipped.

Mr. Gomes lauded Dr. Monterio's involvement and passion for the development of the sport. "The Government has told us that funds won't stay a constraint for the project. A fund of Rs. 5 crore (50 Million) has already been allocated," Mr. Gomes commented.

Only recently the state of Goa declared the game of football as its state sport, now they can follow-up on this statement by creating world class infrastructure which will help Indian football in the long run.

My Opinion on Indian Football's Future

Last week I had run a series on opinions of people involved in Indian football about the future of the beautiful game in India. I had asked them while we all were at the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester on March 28/29 and since then numerous people have been asking me about my own personal opinion on the same topic.

I am an optimist but Indian football is something were one can lose believe. In my involvement in Indian football over the last 14 years, we have seen a number of highs but the equal number of lows. This makes it difficult to say what will happen in the future, but overall Indian football has moved forward over the last decade.

The key elements for Indian football to succeed and grow in the future are professional administration and management, focus on a large scale youth development program, the construction of necessary infrastructure which means not only large stadia but also training facilities.

Further we need a clear-cut system in our club football. Meaning a strong I-League which should grow to 18 to 20 clubs, where all clubs are professional as per the AFC Club Licensing criteria. Below that a structured Division 2, maybe a regional Division 3 inter-linked with the state and city leagues. This way there is a pyramid visible in our club football which also needs to be inter-linked with youth and school football then in India as many kids as possible should play football and the best need to filter through the system to the top.

If these points are followed then we are looking at a bright future...


Here are the links to the different opinions

- Opinion on Indian Football: Sanjiv Saran (Saran Presents)

- Opinion on Indian Football: Yogesh Joshee (Match World)

- Opinion on Indian Football: Ajin Jacob Abraham (Huddersfield Town FC)

- Opinion on Indian Football: Ashok Rajgopal (Football One)

- Opinion on Indian Football: Sukhvinder Singh (Libero Sports)

- Opinion on Indian Football: Dhruv Ratra (Anglian Holdings)

Opinion on Indian Football: Dhruv Ratra (Anglian Holdings)

At the Soccerex European Forum last week in Manchester Indian football was well represented with over 20 people there from federations, the government, institutions, agencies and clubs. I spoke to some of these people to get their views on Indian football and will run a series across the week with these very interesting different view points.

I finish the series with the views of Dhruv Ratra (Anglian Holdings, CEO Sports).


Where do we stand with Indian football today?

Indian football is at a point of inflection! Here my mathematical background coming out... And I think that it (Indian football) has tremendous potential over the next 10-20-30 years.

If the stars are aligned, there is proper planning thats put in place. The talent is there, the passion is there, the interest is there, money is there. Now we just need to get the important things like the coaching and putting in place a long-term vision for kids to be able to go out and do something which right now stops at the age of 12/13 because there is no future potential (career road map).

I am optimistic and which is why we (Anglian Holdings) have invested in India!


Earlier I had done an Interview with Dhruv Ratra (Anglian Holdings) on the Shillong Lajong FC & FC Vestsjælland (Denmark) investment

Opinion on Indian Football: Sukhvinder Singh (Libero Sports)

At the Soccerex European Forum last week in Manchester Indian football was well represented with over 20 people there from federations, the government, institutions, agencies and clubs. I spoke to some of these people to get their views on Indian football and will run a series across the week with these very interesting different view points.

I continue the series with the views of Sukhvinder Singh (Libero Sports, MD).


Where do we stand with Indian football today?

Football is certainly not at a desirable level in the country but the writing is on the wall – Football could be the next big industry in India!

This sentiment is exemplified in the series of events in the recent times. While majority of the factors are pro-football at present, we cannot neglect the fact that the foundation needs to be built the right way for effective results. I believe in engaging the critical mass from the 500 million Indians under the age of 25 years to produce not only the players and the technical professionals but also the administrators, marketeers, media professionals, investors, consumers, fans, etc. who shall have a stake in the game's development. This needs to be achieved by taking the sport to the masses rather than the other way round. I am enthused to see a larger participation of the young boys and girls and am energized to see the support that the new generations of parents are ready to provide to their kids.

The transformation cannot happen over a one year period or a decade but would require the efforts of one generation to create a strong population which believes in the goodness of football and is willing to commit to the cause of the beautiful game in our country. If this is achieved, success would follow.