jamiemaher85 Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Just a random few thoughts i had when i read this article on bbc http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6330775.stm always thought it was strange that a country like india has never made any impact footballing wise (given its size) also, (and i want to make this clear that this is in no way racist r anyhting like that) but you see very few britsh indian footballers or referees and i have always wondered why this is. As far as my understanding of the poplation goes there is a vast number of brithish indians and i always wondered why so fo few become footballers. (cant name many in the prem) also the point of referees, you verry rarely see indian referees. i have once (Palace vs Walsall in FA Cup) and the crowd racially abused him the whole way through the game, mainly references to him being a "bomber". anyone any thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Well can't say much about British Indians playing football as where I am in uni, our 6-a-side team play against many Indian and other Asian players. Some of whom are the best in the league. However, its also a culture thing as well. There are some really good cricketers and even some excellent hockey players in Britain who are from an Asian family. What strikes me more is that only now are we seeing the emergance of British Asians in sports like cricket. Not sure why that is but a uni mate of mine is from India and he says that there is pressure from Asian relatives for British Asians not to represent England although a lot of British Asians feel more British than they do Asian Also, criket is becoming a sport on its last legs with some nations. Take Sri Lanka for example, the young people are taking up basketball more due to the American influences as don't forgot they only played cricket because of the old British Empire and Commonwealth and with that British influence now, rightfully, gone they are getting it else where. It believed that not many people in the old Commonwealth will still be playing cricket 20 years on but will have some formidable basketball team nations. Its all about trend and at the moment cricket is on a downfall (well ok apart from in some countries like Australia) but soon there won't be many countries to play against. Back to India and the football thing, they just need to promote it more. Could be a money issue or a fascilities thing but with the population available to them and as I've mentioned they can excell at sports if they want too. I think its a culture thing though and to get them playing football they are going to need to be encouraged to play football and that hopefuly would make it more popular there. It's the same with China though isn't it, all depend on trend and culture. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiemaher85 Posted February 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 ^^^ Some good points there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonButtle Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 it is an odd one the way it's never taken off in india.it used to be part of the empire so you think it would have? could it be something to do with running around in the extreme heat? in cricket(their main sport) you stand still don't you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaron Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 ive always wondered why theres not mainy indian footballs and not many black managers in the prem. has there ever been a black manager in the prem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiemaher85 Posted February 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 jean tigana? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 In this months four four two they said that football is becoming a major sport in India now. The picture was a whole family (including gran) watching a match on a 40inch tv. Man Utd recently signed Ishan Rawlley Singh who is a 20yr old Indian international winger - it could be a sign of things to come with the latest trend being young asian players as Arsenal have seemingly cornered the African market. Ajax's Winter was born and raised in India so there is talent out there and Norway have an Indian defender. This website has a lot of information on Indian football and it does seem like it has a lot of potential. Didn't Bury have an Indian footballer a few years ago? http://www.indianfootball.com/index1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 Organisation is a massive prob i believe. Lot's of regional in politics & lack of finances. India have also ahd massive probs with corruption, rigged games & even murder. ( bookies had fingers in everything) And thats just the top flight of which i am also sure a few times has been postponed due to result irregularity's etc. Had a yack wif Xavier some tiome a go about sim ( our Mumbai Kopite) & he pretty much eluded to similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xavier Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 (edited) Organisation is a massive prob i believe. Lot's of regional in politics & lack of finances. India have also ahd massive probs with corruption, rigged games & even murder. ( bookies had fingers in everything) And thats just the top flight of which i am also sure a few times has been postponed due to result irregularity's etc. Had a yack wif Xavier some tiome a go about sim ( our Mumbai Kopite) & he pretty much eluded to similar. This website has a lot of information on Indian football and it does seem like it has a lot of potential. Didn't Bury have an Indian footballer a few years ago? Potential for good support and making decent dosh for English clubs, yes. We are getting richer as a whole with increase in disposable income. Plus, ESPNSTARasia covers the premier league inside out here, has been doing for for 4-5 years i think with incredible success. But better footballers to improve our naional side by a good extent, not quite sure. If we want to become an Asian force, then a lot of changes will have to be made. Firstly, we have a lot of problems which will have to be eliminated. Pat touched on a few of them, spot on with those problems, but those are only the tip of the iceberg. Football, unlike cricket needs to be played in grounds with grass cover on them (even small ones will do). Our grounds are bald, mud covered, plus there arent too many of them. I have been playing cricket for over 16 years on concrete surfaces in my building. Cant do the same with football, you dont really wanna fall on concrete/mud surfaces. Secondly, we have no infrastructure. Even if the government spends a good amount of money on grounds, or parks for sports, they arent looked after which means that in a year or two they become unplayable on. Last years budget actually saw a small decrease on the amount to be spent by the government to foster outdoor sports. That was a big step back, IMO. India's Biggest football Club 'East Bengal', had its coach Shoumik Bhattacharya sacked, for mismanagement of funds. No severe action was taken, just a smallish fine and a sacking (he manages mohemmedan sporting now..what a farce). This was the perfect oppurtunity to make a point and take big steps to get rid of corruption, but no, the NFL management will not do anything. Moving on to IMO, the biggest problem we've got. We dont have enough footballing academies. You dont become great footballers with international acclaim by playing footie as a recreational sport, three times a week for an hour or two each time. You need to go to football schools where you are taught the game, everyday. We have only two major ones, TATA football academy and Mahindra Football academy. They're not at all enough. But we're looking to prop up more academies in the future, so maybe there still light at the end of the tunnel. (BTW, Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC are fighting to start a football academy by joining Mahindra United (local mumbai club)in Mumbai. They've made their offers to our football board at the fag end of last year, i think). I like watching Asian footie. I watched the Tiger Cup competition (S.E. Asian teams take part in it) in 2005 when Singapore won it. And i was surprised at some of the faces in their team. East Europeans, an Aussie and a Brazilian in them, i think. The Japanese have a Brazilian let wingback in their side dont they, Alex. I think inviting foreign nationals to play for ones' country is a fantastic short term option. It improves the quality of the team almost instantly and gets the country more interested in the game. I dont see why we havent considered that option. Dont think anyone has put that argument forward and this idea of getting foreign nationals to play for India, is my idea completely. We have a 'Jose Ramirez Barreto' playing for Mohun bagan. He has been here for 5-6 years, he knows the language and is loved by many for his dribbling skills and second striker abilities. He'll never get a chance to paly for brazil. So why dont we offer him a citizenship and give him the oppurtunity to play for us? It will be good for indian footie. Another such one is Yusuf Yakubu (ghanaian) who plays for Mahindra United, and Edu (brazilian) for Mohun Bagan. Bury did have an Indian footballer, Louis. Baichung Bhutia, India's best ever footballer produced and i think he's good enough to play for a mid to lower table championship side. He's a prowler who usually gets to the end of stuff, a good creator, and an excellent finisher. He's a bit light-weight, but he's got a very good footballing brain. I like him a lot although he plays for East Bengal. Er.. i support Mahindra United , my local club, and Dempo- a goan club is my second team in the national football league (NFL) Hopefully, our government will pump some money into the sport and we'll see a good long term improvement in our national team. Edited February 23, 2007 by xavier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiemaher85 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Thanks for all that, very informative. Its good to hear from someone who can talk about it from first hand experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted October 27, 2008 Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7618027.stm - Short video on Indian Football saying how they need development at grassroots level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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