Why ISL is Good News for Indian Football

Football is a world sport. It touches more than half the human life on earth in some way or the other.

And some animal life too...

We Indians suck at football. We recently dropped another 5 positions on the FIFA rankings (I had no idea there were 5 more positions below us) to 172. At least now, there can't be too many more positions left below us to fall to.

How and why are we so bad? These questions have been discussed and dissected by all the 253 people in India who care about the sport and the answer seems to be anywhere from 'climatic conditions dont suit football' to 'there's no infrastructure' to 'we're too short to compete with the Europeans' to 'Cricket has killed every other sport' to a plethora of other reasons. While I also agree that there is some truth to all those factors, they can be easily countered by giving various examples from all over the world where those factors haven't really been able to hold back the development of the beautiful game.

In this article, I'm not going to discuss these reasons or give more reasons of my own. I'm going to discuss a possible solution to improving the condition of the game. I'm going to discuss what all could be done and should be done and more importantly, what all is already being done. More specifically, one Hero which has emerged on the scene, a Hero that we don't deserve but a Hero that we all need.

No...not this guy!

The Hero is...............Hero Indian Super League!

Yes, the glitzy, shiny new cousin of our very own poor Ramu Kaka of football leagues, the I-League (don't be fooled by the 'I', it wasn't made in China by Apple). But it looks like the same old wine in a new, shiny, celebrity endorsed bottle, I hear you say. Well, I think sometimes a makeover makes a lot of difference.

It really does, trust me!

For any sport to be successful today, it has to be commercially viable. While European football is all about TV rights money and huge sponsorship deals, South America is more of a talent factory where the next Messis and Neymars are made and shipped to Europe for big money. The moneys earned this way are ploughed back to develop of sport further (by attracting better talent, investing in infrastructure and youth development programs etc). That's how the clubs and the leagues stay afloat and the sport prospers.

In India, the I-League has failed to do any of the above. It is not attractive enough for good talent which limits its power to attract fans which then makes it impossible to attract money in the form of sponsorship or broadcast rights. It doesn't even have necessary infrastructure to develop it's own talent and follow the South American model.

South American model

Hero Indian Super League bids to change all that. And it has been making all the right noises so far. Let's take a look at how ISL might spark a football revolution in India and awaken a sleeping giant.

International Talent

ISL has managed to bring some star names (albeit a little yesteryear) of world football to India. The likes of Malouda, Roberto Carlos, Anelka, Simao, Tuncay have made the footballing world sit up and take notice. Unlike in season one, however, the international players in season two are contributing not just by selling the name of the league to the world but also by performing admirably on the football pitch. The crop of international players this season is much younger in comparison to last season. This not only results in better quality football (thus attracting more nuanced football fans) but also in forcing Indian players to raise their standards. The outcome of this will most certainly be that some Indians will not be able to match the required standards and fall off the wayside while some will most certainly thrive in such illustrious company. We've already seen some young players like Mandar Desai (23), Jackichand Singh(23) and Sandesh Jhingan(22) perform admirably and they will only get better.

International coaches like David Platt, Roberto Carlos, Habas and others bring their own brand of football which will give Indians much needed tactical nous. Looking at Indian national team fail at every possible challenge over the past few years, I've realized that although some of our players have talent, they can't match the tactical discipline and know-how of their rivals. Things like positioning sense, organization of defences, role of a playmaker etc are some of the things I've seen missing from our game. Getting coached by these stalwarts of the game will instil these qualities in Indian players.

Celebrity Attraction

Everyone's touching the ball. John is smart, he's touching God!

We Indians are obsessed with celebrities. We lap anything up which the celebrities promote. Then it is no surprise that the celebrity owners have made immense contribution by lending their face to Indian football. Celebrities attract the fence-sitting fan who rarely watches football (maybe a cricket fan). Let's face it, those who are entirely disinterested in any kind of sport will never watch football, celebrity or not. The hope is that these fence-sitter will eventually turn into connoisseurs once they've experienced the game for a while.

Sponsors and Broadcasters

The moneybags. All the buzz and hoopla around ISL attracts big sponsors and broadcast rights money. This money is vital for the sustenance of the league.

All this is fine but how does it help Indian football, I hear you ask!

Well, first of all as I've already mentioned before, the players are better off due to all the international exposure (of the non-IIPM kind). There's another beautiful thing happening behind the scenes. The grassroots program! This program is essentially concerned with investing in football at the grassroot level. Youth development, infrastructure etc are the big things on the agenda. The idea is to create a healthy supply line of talent to the ISL clubs (not much unlike the South American model) and reduce dependence on imported talent. Having said that, imported talent will always have its own place but, you get the idea. Some clubs, like Atletico de Kolkata, can even think about exporting their young talent to Europe and even player exchanges but that's a pipe dream for now.

For a football fan like me, Hero ISL is a great start for a beautiful footballing future of the country. We can even dare to dream beyond the World Cup qualifying stages (too many IIPM references in the article, sorry)! 

Reads of the Week

Following the Glazer take over of Manchester United, a certain section of fans felt that they were betrayed by their beloved club and took it in their hands to start a supporter’s club of Manchester United, FC United. Guardian covers their latest Asia pre-season tour where they look to expand their wings

United FC

Sir Alex Ferguson reckons Real Madrid would struggle in the forthcoming season when asked about their chances while on Manchester United’s trip to Munich while back in England, Toure is set to undergo his medical at Eastlands.

Fergie on Real

Toure to undergo Medical

The Republik of Mancunia covers the cloud that surrounded the Terry transfer and questions if Chelsea fans would ever be able to treat him the same.

ROM on Terry

For all the cricket fans out there, Soccerlens takes a dig at cricket and explains why football is the better game.

Football better than Cricket

While Soccerlens also runs an fairly good read on deep-lying midfielders.

Deep-lying Midfielders

Should we have 11 leaders ?

How important is it to have a captain in your side? Does a captain in a football team have as many responsibilities as a captain in any other sport, say cricket, does?

 Are the Captain’s responsibilities just restricted to motivating his team mates?

These have been some of the many questions asked this weekend when Arsene Wenger finally decided to strip Gallas of his captaincy. The newly appointed Captain, Cesc Fabregas, is not as vocal as his predecessor but certainly more calm and relaxed then any other Arsenal player. So how exactly will Cesc manage to inspire his team mates when he is not getting under the skin of his team-mates?

Do football captains not only have to lead by example but also be vocal on the pitch?

The changing face of the game

I find it quite apt now to discuss about the changing face of the modern football. Is it any longer the all beautiful game? Or is the beautiful game on the descend and the pure physical play on the ascend? 

Football has gone through many changes since its inception into the hearts of millions of lovers all over the world. Football was started by the blue collar people as a brute contact sport which required loads of athleticism and then it captured the imagination of the more privileged classes much later on when people around the world started to take up the game as a profession to earn their daily bread. 

Football is a religion in Brazil and it is often said that a Brazilian infant is actually introduced to a football before being handed over to its parents. Brazil and the way it played its football in the 20^th century must be the best thing that has ever happened to the game. Watching Pele and Garrincha at their peaks must surely have been one of the best sights of football ever. Their imagination and pure genius captured the hearts of many and the game soon started to grow in Europe. When Cryuff and his Dutch team played ‘total football’ it looked like the second coming of the beautiful game. But the loss of that extraordinary team in the final of 1974 world cup will surely be registered as one of the worst things to have happened to modern football for it exposed the deficiencies that might creep in when playing the game as it should be. Pundits around the world argued that an intricate pass and move kind of play can get you as far as being second best and that teams needed to have a mental and a physical edge over the rest to be regarded as the best. They suggested that football was always not as much about the beautiful artistry like a lovely Van Gogh painting but also it was a game of hard battle hungry players. 

The late 70’s and early 80’s saw the emergence of a pragmatic approach to the game with teams like Italy, Liverpool and Everton mastering that art or rather the lack of it. Football started to change its face during this period; it was like a Da Vinci painting being tampered with and dabbled with colours by an amateur artist. This kind of style brought success to the game; teams started winning using tactics which emphasized more on the shape of the team than on the imagination of its players.

Football has also witnessed a change in the style of its exponents. There is almost no room for a player who is slow or rather sluggish. Tim Vickery, a columnist for the BBC, recently mentioned in his blog that players like Riquelme are a dying breed. The game has completely changed its face and is no longer a game of the skilful artists with the ball at their feet. But if the game has taught us a lesson then that is it never losses its capacity to attract viewers. That is the reason we should actually take our hats of and celebrate players such as Zidane, Riquelme, Scholes, Fabregas, Deco, Iniesta and as a matter of fact Berbatov who still continue to make the game look so simple and easy on the eye. There are a few managers around the world who like their players to express themselves on the pitch and it is really a testament to their managerial ability and footballing acumen to keep these kind of players perform what they are best at yet have players around them who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the team.

As a football fan the last thing I would want to see is a dying tradition of playing the game the way it should be. Long may it continue.

Amen

Weekend Previews And Predictions - GW 5

We're starting a weekly feature where one of the mods will take up the responsibility of giving an insight into the coming gameweek with predictions for each game.

Gameweek 5 previews and preditions

Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Having had a mixed bag of a start to the new season, The Black Cats would want to put their home record straight having lost two of the first two. Boro's start to the season has been impressive. Southgate won the manager of the month in August while his team seems to be a balanced unit in all fronts, especially going forward with the likes of Tuncay, Alfonso Alves, Mido, Downing and Aliadiere all in great nick. Tuncay is out with injury which means Mido will start up front along with Alves.
prediction: a hugely entertaining game with plenty of goals , 3-2 to home side

Blackburn v Fulham
Paul Ince has found life difficult in Premiership after an impressive opening game at Goodison Park. Having shipped in the maximum number of goals by any side(which makes me wonder more about their decision to sell Friedel and replace him with Paul Robinson) and with no victories in two matches at home, he is under pressure to get a good result against Fulham, who have started well considering they were tipped to be in relegation dog fight this season. Fulham have a great manager in Roy Hodgson and I can see them easily negotiating relegation and sitting mid table come next May.
prediciton: a tight game , 1-0 to the home side

Liverpool v Stoke City
They say its champions stuff to win when not playing well. Liverpool having done exactly the same so far, apart from their last game against Man Utd where they thoroughly deserved their victory, will hope for an easy outing against one of the relegation scrape bound Stoke City. One to watch in this one is Rory Delap with his deadly throw ins which almost turned the game around last week against Everton. Torres should be fit to feature in this game and I can see him getting on the score sheet.
prediction: easy victory for the home side, 2-0

West Ham v Newcastle
Newcastle made a dream start to the season earning a 1-1 draw against champions Man Utd at Old Trafford on the opening day. It has been a steep decline for them ever since. With off the field uncertainty, the club are in a real mess. West Ham have installed Zola as their new first team coach following the resignation of Alan Curbishley while Kevin Keegan has not yet been replaced. With Ashton out for three weeks, Carlton Cole will have the pressure of scoring goals on his shoulders. Newcastle lost to Hull City at St James' Park last week and a better performance seems far from being on the cards here.
prediction: 2-0 victory for the home side

Bolton v Arsenal
Bolton were tipped to be in a relegation fight at the start of the season and their start to the season fails to suggest differently. Having to entertain Arsenal at this point would be the last thing on their wish list. With 7 goals in last 2 league games, Arsenal are in impressive form scoring four at Ewood Park last weekend thanks to some sloppy defending by the home team. Bolton could make life tough for themselves with a similar defensive display but Arsenal having played on Wednesday in CL would not be as fresh and this is where Bolton have a slight ray of hope.
prediciton: a 3-1 away victory with a typical arsenal display

West Brom v Aston Villa
Baggies finally got their first victory in their return to top flight last weekend in a game that could have yet again slipped from their hands. West brom were favourites for survival among the promoted clubs at the start of the season but their current form does not suggest the same. Martin O'Niel has assembled a great squad at Villa with an exciting attack and an astute defense. Gabby and Young are lightning quick on the flanks and in Carew they have a potent goalscorer and an effective target man. Although Carew is doubtful to start the game, I still fancy Villa to nick this one.
prediciton: away victory with a 1-2 scoreline

Hull City v Everton
Hull are off to a flier and are currently sitting at 5th in the table. 40 points are enough to avoid relegation going by previous few seasons and they have already amassed almost 20% of them. Everton have started badly for their standard having lost two home games to Blackburn and Portsmouth but the return of Cahill, with whom they seem to do much better than without, is a boost and with Yakubu and Arteta in fine form, they could easily come out victorious from this one.
prediction: a close match with a 3-1 away victory

Man City v Portsmouth
City might have the financial muscle bigger than Chelsea now but it will take some time to build a team that could challenge the big boys. Mark Hughes would like to be there or there abouts to challenge for the top four until January when he can further strengthen the squad to have a real go for it, although I doubt if any big names would arrive at Eastlands in January. Pompey have come back well after losing the first two games of the season to Chelsea and Man United. Defoe is in deadly form and could well be a good bet for the golden boot if he continues in similar fashion. Diarra is certainly a big team material playing superbly at the heart of Pompey midfield.
prediction: good entertainment is guaranteed, a 2-1 home win

Tottenham v Wigan
Having had the worst start to the season in years, Spurs are under immense pressure and Ramos already in hot waters. With all the talent at his disposal, Ramos has failed to find the right mix and Spurs the right form. Midweek victory might lift the spirits at WHL and the team could finally get going but Wigan are no whipping boys having had a good start to the season. Zaki is in sublime goal scoring form and with Valencia and Palacios in their ranks, Wigan can be a real pain in the neck for any team.
prediction: a scrappy home victory, 3-2

Chelsea v Man Utd
Game of the weekend by all means and probably the game of the season. Chelsea boast a 6 point lead against their title rivals with just 4 games into the season, though Untited have a game in hand. A victory for the home side could take the difference to 9 points which could arguably be decisive in the long run. The game could mark the return of Ronaldo and Drogba, both could have a telling effect in the final result though both not fully fit yet. Vidic's suspension means either Evans or Brown would have to partner Rio Ferdinand in the heart of United defense while the right back position being taken by Brown or Phil Neville accordingly. While Chelsea will have Terry available after his red card was rescinded by the FA. Scholari plays in a system where the full backs have the freedom to go forward while the defensive midfielder and the two center backs make up a defensive three. Sir Alex would be looking to exploit the hole created behind the full backs and they have pacey forwards to do just the same. Rooney and Ronaldo might take up the flanks with Berba(if fit) and Tevez up front. Man United might get outplayed in the midfield and this is where I see the home side winning the game.
prediction: a tight game with plenty of chances for both sides: 2-1 to the home side


Have a great weekend ahead!

Rahul