Career politicians in India are often censured for their bizarre volte-face and capacity to make it with grace and equanimity. The trend, i...
Career politicians in India are often censured for their bizarre volte-face and capacity to make it with grace and equanimity. The trend, it seems, has hit Indian football too.
Indian men’s national football team coach Igor Stimac recently made no secret of his displeasure about the conduct of domestic football in India. Having finished the World Cup qualifiers campaign with just seven points from eight outings and a negative goal difference in a relatively easier group, the Croatian wasn’t ready to accept the responsibility for the way his team stood exposed when faced with the challenge of snatching three points against lower-ranked teams.
Stimac, in fact, made clear the onus for the forgettable show was entirely on the existing system – his coaching style and method shouldn’t be under the scanner. In his words, a bland Indian Super League having no provision for promotion and relegation is the biggest stumbling block for the development, followed by a system where top players hardly get to play 30 matches in a season.
“They need to play more than 40 matches a season. It is only then that they can compete against the best in the continent. The clubs need to be playing football for a longer period, otherwise,...
