The current generation of youngsters has an unbelievable appetite to consume football. And the interest to play the game among those in their early teens has never been this high. In fact, in the AFC Under-16 Championship recently, the Indian team gave a rather good account of itself and showed what even a half-decent structure can help achieve. FLASH-IN-THE-PLAN glamour does give a head start, but what follows that will shape the future and it’s high time India realises this,
During the inaugural season of the Indian Super League (ISL), Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary cricketer, was interviewed by The Blizzard, the renowned football quarterly, about his interest in football, and why he had invested in the ISL franchise, Kerala Blasters.
“The whole idea is to reach world-class standards, and help Indian football players get that exposure of rubbing shoulders with international stars,” he said. “What I thought cricket did with the IPL was that it allowed players, especially the younger lot, to spend time together with foreign players. You can only learn from such experienced names, and that is what the ISL is doing for Indian football. I think, in time to come, the standard of ISL play will get better. In the process, so will Indian football.”
This by no means is new thinking. Current football superpowers in the Asia-Oceania region had also thought on similar lines when they embarked on their own efforts to put in place systems. In Japan, in the early 1990s, football was still a minor sport compared to baseball or sumo wrestling. The country established the J. League, the first-ever professional football division, in 1993. Ageing stars like the Brazilian legend Zico, the German World Cup winner Pierre Littbarski, Englishman Gary Lineker among others were the biggest draws.
IT’S A SIMILAR STORY with the Australian A-League too. It was founded in 2004, and its prominent stars at the start were the likes of Dwight Yorke, the former Manchester United striker. Now, China is bidding to shed its unglamorous football past by roping in stars such as Ramires, the Brazilian mid-fielder, who is still 29 and not quite the ageing star one would generally associate with such leagues.
Esta historia es de la edición October 8, 2016 de Sportstar.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 8, 2016 de Sportstar.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
