There is a question that has been bugging football for quite some time. After Sunil Chhetri, who? The India captain is 35 and the earlier India understands a striker, it is better.
Based on Isac Doru, technical manager of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) who was in Srinagar to see Real Kashmir FC sponsor Mohun Bagan within an I-League match, India has to catch them young. And for that, he has called a meeting in March during the FIFA week. India hosts Qatar in a World Cup qualifier on March 26.
“We need to catch them young. We will meet technical directors of both ISL and I-League teams and youth development coaches to create a notion of development.
“We need to make a nationwide idea of youth development. At this point of time, Indian football is going in various directions.
“One play one style and the other plays in a different fashion. India have to stick to the same philosophy across all ages,” Doru told The Telegraph.
Beneath Igor Stimac, India has started to play from the trunk. However, questions are raised if the footballers are that good to accommodate to Stimac’s notion of soccer.
Doru though thinks India has the gift. “Indian footballers have the talent to play against the trunk. And the lovers also love to observe that fashion,” he said.
“It is possible. We are in need of to start with players that are, state, 12-13-year-olds. Nobody has been talking about playing back to Pep Guardiola show us the way to execute it successfully.”
At the moment too many foreigners are playing in the I-League and that too insignificant positions. An I-League club can sign six foreigners and, at a given time, can have five on the area.
“That is risky. For a brief term, it can be a solution, but in the long term it must change. In AFC tournaments, you’ll have a single participant of origin and three foreigners. I think in a few years India might have this rule,” Doru said.
