Strange! Such is Football in India.

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Whenever someone talks to me about football in India, it seems very strange to me. Yes, strange is the word. I cannot express myself when someone tells me “Look Himanshu your country doesn’t even have a decent ground to play on. Your international players play in the mug where they can hardly kick the ball, and all this when they’re under a FIFA regulatory (AIFF).”

The pictures of deceitful changing rooms, washrooms and even restrooms are disgraceful. My die-hard cricket frenzy friends usually make fun of such situations and insist that nothing is going to change football in India. Well I quite agree with their statement.

Poor condition of camp in U-16 Mir Iqbal Trophy (2011), a competition which is supposed to unearthen the best talents in the country

Few years back when I had just entered my junior college and current affairs was one of the subject in our syllabus, I vaguely remember reading a story which said Indian Cricketers were infuriated looking at the filthy dressing room and washroom and decided not to continue playing the test match. This was in Nagpur.

Again if you read now and then, these international cricketers crib about the pitch being unsuitable to bat on or to bowl, which can be done with. We also know some of the cricketers cribbing about the weather temperature and the crowd, giving them an excuse not to resume playing. Well this goes as far as cricket is concerned.

Funeral of Dempo’s Brazilian recruit Cristiano Junior : One of the lowest points in Indian football, where a footballer died on field due to poor medical arrangements in the stadium

Just yesterday, I read an article which says “Barcelona FC complained to kit manufacturers Nike about the inability to play after few minutes once the jersey soaks up the sweat which increases the weight of the jerseys by few grams.” I mean seriously, how much of a difference does that make? You’ve world class players like Messi and clan; do you still feel that will hinder your game? Isn’t this a frivolous issue to point out?

Now, compare the two situations above and tell me what should A.I.F.F do in the welfare of Indian Football Players? Our Indian Football Players have never complained about the unfavourable grounds, dressing room, washrooms and infrastructure. To add to all their jerseys, so what is it that A.I.F.F is stopping itself from raising the infrastructure for the betterment of the game? I’m clueless, if you know the answer please tell me in the comments section.

Disgraceful ground conditions during the India Vs UAE game in Delhi. Waterlogging in the ground made it more of a waterpolo game.

4 COMMENTS

  1. The lack of infrastrustructure sucks. But it’s the Ministry and the State Governments who own the stadii. Not the AIFF or any sporting body. the AIFF has tried all to get a lease of the abmedkar stadium for 35 years but failed. in all the states, the state govts stay reluctant to hand over their stadii to to the aiff. so what does aiff do. or for that matter any sorting body do. there’s so much red tapism around. we need to kick those babus first.

  2. Since I don’t know much about Cricket but I do know a little on Football, I’ll tell you why the kit soaking up the sweat is a big problem. I would like you to imagine playing football with two heavy fluffy jackets on and try to play as you can. Most definitely you would not be comfortable and find it hard to move around easily. That’s how extremely wet and soaky jerseys can be. They don’t let you feel comfortable and that’s in professional football where the stakes are much higher.

    As for Indian football, it’s funny how when the cricketers lambast the officials for shoddy preparation when they’re traveling but when the Indian football team traveled to the Caribbean for their tour, and complained about bad preparation, no one seemed to care!

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