Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
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After the failure of the Indian national football team at the ongoing AFC Asian Cup 2023, the focus on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) needs to be to prioritize a number of key points to first stabilize and then fast track the development of Indian football.
Without real action, Indian football cannot grow!
I have listed below my personal Top 5 priorities for Indian football, which are listed in no specific order as all these five points need to be tackled as soon as possible. Otherwise it will be difficult to get out of the current situation.
My Top 5 priorities for IndianFootball would be
(Listed in no specific order)
- Governance/Leadership
- The future of the AIFF/FSDL contract – Future of ISL/I-League
- Indian Football Calendar
- Women’s Football
- Youth & Grassroots
It would be not correct for me if I do not mention further points which according to me would need to be looked at, be it Coaching, Referees, League Structure (Men’s & Women’s, Seniors & Juniors), Age Fraud (cheating), a solution for Players of Indian Origin (OCI) to represent India, further Infrastructure Development, use of Latest Technology, Quality Broadcast, and Knowledge Transfer (enhancement) plus other points which I do not even mention at this stage.
But before we can go in-depth into all of these issues, problems and/or challenges within Indian football, we need to create a base foundation on which to build a new and stronger Indian football.
Therefore I believe that we first should focus on the five points mentioned by me above with a special focus on good governance and the right leadership with the necessary knowledge, vision and insight to lead Indian football plus having the right links and contacts without which good ideas and the right intentions cannot be implemented.
The Indian football leadership would need to speak to all the stakeholders of Indian football and convince them that they all have a big role to play for the growth and betterment of Indian football. If they like it or not, they all are a part of the Indian football eco-system.
But it also needs to be made clear that some tough decisions are needed to be taken for the good of the game, which logically would not be to the liking of everyone.
Certain people, institutions and organisations would even need to realise and take a step back for Indian football to flourish and grow.
I for myself will never end to support the Indian teams and Indian football, and do whatever I personally can to support its survival and growth as I have now done in different capacities in the last nearly 26 years.
Maybe key decision makers have the time for a short read of the above and take necessary action! Indian football needs introspection, accountability and then action!
My Top 5 priorities for #IndianFootball at this moment:
– #AIFF / #FSDL contract >> Future of #ISL / #ILeague
– Indian Football Calendar
– Women’s Football
– Youth & Grassroots
If these are taken care off, then Team India issues are taken care off!
— Arunava Chaudhuri | arunfoot (@Arunfoot) February 2, 2024
