Under-16 boys have progressed a lot under Toal: Bose

NEW DELHI: The Indian youth football team (U-16) will be competing in the final round of Asian Championships for the very first time.

Over the last one year, the team, under the guidance of technical director Colin Toal, performed really well in the qualifiers to earn a ticked to the main round to be played in Tashkent from October 4.

The team, which has been clubbed with Korea, Indonesia, Syria in Group B, will leave for the Uzbeksitan capital on Wednesday.

The team's display against Saudi Arabia and Lebanon deserves special mention as also their recent performance against Manchester United's youth team who were held to a 3-3 draw.

TOI spoke to former India captain and U-16 goalkeeping coach of the team, Tanumay Bose, on the team's prospects.

Excerpts:

Can we expect some impressive results in the Asian Championship?

Well, it is a continuous programme of learning where winning or losing is not so important. But we still hope for a good result. The team has developed into a confident unit under Colin Toal. If we continue with our programme, we can expect improvement in our status in Asia.

Describe the Manchester experience during the team's England tour.

The tour was of immense importance for the boys. They played against the likes of Everton and Manchester United youth teams. They have the best youth development schemes in the world. The experience will surely help the boys in Tashkent.

The tour must have also helped the Indian coaches ?

Our coaching staff too has learnt a lot after watching the British teams. How they prepare, their style, how they develop skills. I want to convey my thanks to AIFF for organising such tours. Last year we travelled to Germany and this year we toured the US. From these tours, we got some pictures of the European and American styles.

So the boys are shaping up well for the future?

Definitely. Out of the total matches we played during the last one year including the qualifiers in Saudi Arabia, we lost only once (against Everton FC) in 2008. Since the senior team has qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup, some of these boys might break into the senior squad by the time competition begins.

Who are the standout players in this squad?

I can't pinpoint a particular player since the method that we've adopted under Toal is different. It is total team game, not dependent on any individual.

India's road to AFC final round:
Drew with Iraq 2-2; Beat Sri Lanka 6-0, Beat Lebanon 3-0; Beat Saudi Arabia 3-0; Beat Bhutan 4-0.

Source:Timesofindia.com

We Do Have a Future in Football: Vijayan

abu dhabi — It was the early 70s and this reporter’s dad, like many others from the football-crazy town of Trichur, was still enjoying the ‘beautiful game.’ Quite naturally, the three sons too followed in his footsteps later on. There were mini football games in the living room.

Former Indian captain I.M. Vijayan believes football does have a future in India despite the popularity of cricket.

It was all about ball control, dribbles and tackles. Sometimes, the ‘matches’ turned volatile, the after effects of which were smashed furniture. World Cup matches were watched on the telly at unearthly hours.

Back then, dad told us about this little boy who used to sell sodas at the Trichur Municipal Stadium. He said the boy made use of the money earned to watch matches at the stadium, apart from helping his poor family. He said that his passion for football was unmatched, so much so that, he used to sit and watch with keenness, if anybody was playing ball. Dad remembered, once when he was playing football, the boy watched the game with rapt attention.

It has been close to four decades since and lots of things have happened. Dad is no more and things have moved on. And as far as the little boy goes, he’s 40-years-old now, and has left an inedible mark on Indian football’s landscape. He is Inivalappil Mani Vijayan, better known as IM Vijayan or ‘Vijaya,’ Vijayetta (brother Vijay) in Kerala and ‘Bijoyan’ for his fans back in Kolkata where he paraded his wares for giant clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

It has been the typical rags-to-riches journey for the man who transformed Indian football and wrote his name into the book of legends.

And with Trichur being the cultural capital of Kerala, it didn’t come as a surprise that the ‘Black Pearl of Indian football’ made his foray into acting.

Looking slimmer, athletic and good enough to make a comeback, Vijayan, showed no airs, nor attitude. He was still the same Vijayan, dad has told us about. Sitting in a plush apartment in Abu Dhabi, the humbleness was unmistakable. He was still connected to his roots.

The ‘fox in the box’ spoke on a variety of topics.

Excerpts:

Indian football still a poor cousin…

Cricket is still the popular game. Though we have the National Football League, we get to watch only a few matches live. And it doesn’t help that most of them, who played football, and even kids, have turned their attention to cricket because of better TV coverage.

Kerala, once a powerhouse…

In Kerala, we used to have a lot of tournaments before. Now, we have very few tournaments.

We only have the National Football League and the Durand Cup to look forward to now. So, there are not many opportunities for the players to shine.

Indian or foreign coaches…

We do have some very good Indian coaches. Also, there are lots of foreign coaches who are good. Ultimately, it should benefit Indian football. Debating about having an Indian or foreign coach makes no sense. Though I haven’t worked with the present coach Bob Houghton, I have heard that he is a fine coach.

We have the coaches but the problem lies at the player level. Some senior players are not ready to undergo strenuous sessions. Also, there are other interferences.

Date in the UAE…

I still remember that match we played in the UAE and I have fond memories. It was at Al Ain. We had a lot of Malayalis and Indian supporters at one section of the stadium. It was good to see so many Indians here supporting us. Funnily, UAE’s standard of football has gone up and our standard has come down.

Where is the money…

Money is there in Indian football. Without sponsorship itself, there is money as the public pays to watch. But nobody knows where the money is going. The players don’t get it. If there is money, boys will take up football.

Future of Indian football…

We do have a future in football. We can think about the World Cup but at first, we need to get going at the grass-root level.

We should set up academies and nurture boys from the age of 12. We should send them on exposure trips.

Foreign players…

Foreign players playing in our clubs is good but these clubs are not getting the best. Only a few like Barretto are good. Instead of learning from them, they are learning from us.

Best moment…

It was winning the Arjuna award. Winning the highest honour gave a sense of satisfaction.

Future Vijayans…

I just did the C Licence in coaching. I had set up an academy. We had a match between Mohan Lal XI and Mammoty XI which generated a lot of funds.

We used that to train young boys at camps over a five-year period.

But we don’t have the money now and no sponsorship as well. It is shut for the time being.

Vijayan, the star…

I had been to a function where film maker Jayaraj was also present. He offered me a role of Shantham. Earlier, a documentary was made on me titled Kaala Hiran. After that, acted in Aakashathile Paravakal and Quotation. I acted in a Tamil movie called Thimiru (he played the villain). My latest film is Gulmohar.

Exclusive Interview With Tottenham Executive Director Paul Barber

English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur were in India last week during which they meet a series of Indian clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The two member delegate consisted of Paul Barber, executive director, and Fran Jones, head of international development. Goal.com exclusively caught up with Mr.Barber in Mumbai before he headed back to U.K.

Paul Barber,Executive Director,Tottenhem Hotspur

Goal.com: Why a trip to India all of a sudden?

Paul: We are an internationally famous club with over 125 years of history. Following some international research, we identified five countries in our priority list for future international development. The five countries are India, China, U.S, South Africa and Middle East region as a whole.

In the research report, we got to know that they are twenty million people who have a positive inclination towards Spurs – almost four million of them in India. The Carling Cup final in February this year saw India have the second highest viewership for the game outside the U.K.

India is one of the fastest growing economies and football markets in the world today. We came here to learn more about Indian football and we met several clubs, the AIFF and the Indian Football Association (IFA) in Kolkata. We also met some major Indian companies with a view to looking at forming interesting partnerships.

Goal.com: Interesting Partnerships?

Paul: Yes. In South Africa, we have tied up with this club named Super Sports United, which is owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch and who became champions earlier this year. First, we are helping them with their academy. We coach their coaches and provide expert training. We also help them with administrative expertise and how to better market football. In future, maybe we can have some of their younger players in our club. The close relationship gives us the chance to have the first view of the best young talent and also hopefully to help South African Football, which is just as important.

We are to announce a similar tie-up with a club in U.S. shortly. In India, we may well look at the same avenues. Our approach to partnership is those that are sustainable over a long period of time in three key areas – Football and Player Development, Brand Building and Commercial Opportunities. It should be a mutually benefiting exercise for our partners and for our club.

India is such a huge market for football, the enthusiasm for the game is wonderful to see and we are very interested in becoming part of it in some way and to help the game in India to continue to develop. We would also like to see more expose for our own brand here too and if people become more interested in our club and are interested in our merchandise then that’s good too.

Goal.com: You mentioned about Carling Cup final viewership in India. Indian national team coach Bob Houghton recently mentioned that blanket coverage of the Premier League doesn’t do any favours to the local league. He further stated that several Asian leagues have suffered because of the Premier League coverage. What’s your opinion on this?

Paul: In India, cricket is such a massive and well established sport and so, it’s good that football is now competing with it. If the Premier League is helping to capture the imagination of the youngsters and the older people as well, then it’s good for the sport. If it can inspire the youth to take up football and the older people to want to coach and administer the game, then the Premier League will be playing its small part in helping to develop Indian football.

I do understand where Mr.Houghton is coming from because it is important that the Indian League and the national team are strong but I do believe that whilst the game is still developing here the Premier League has a role to play. If we or any Premiership club can help in a small way with partnerships of real substances and longevity, we will do what we can. We hope we can help just like we are in South Africa and we hope to in the U.S.

Goal.com: How was your meeting with the AIFF? Anything that came of it?

Paul: It was fantastic. I was earlier with the English FA earlier in my career. There are always challenges, politics and occasional frustrations when you are trying to develop a sport. When I was with the FA, we were constantly trying to raise money for the grassroots for better facilities, more equipment and more coaches. I know the AIFF and the IFA and the others are facing similar challenges and I wish them well.

Goal.com: Spurs were tipped to break the monopoly of the big four in the Premier League. Instead, they are seen at the bottom of the table. What are you aiming to achieve this season?

Paul: It’s early days in the season. Yes, we have had a disappointing start to the season but we are still competing in four competitions. We won 2-1 against Newcastle in the Carling Cup midweek. So, hopefully we can build on that. There is still a long way to go.

Goal.com: The fans have been asking for a defensive midfielder. Does the club have any plans to be active in the winter transfer season?

Paul: Player purchases is an area that I don’t get involved in! That one is for our head coach, Juande Ramos, and sporting director Damien Comolli.

Goal.com: White Hart Lane has a capacity of around 36,500. Are you on the lookout for a new stadium?

Paul: Yes, we are on the lookout to increase our capacity. The real challenge for us now is that we have 23,500 season ticket holders, close to 100,000 members – and almost 21,000 people on our season ticket waiting list! But only 250 people give up their season tickets at the end of the season. So, it could be an 80 year wait for some people – that’s a whole lifetime!

For now, we are working hard to develop our new training complex at Enfield in North London for our academy and the first team as well. The work is just beginning and it’s expected to be complete in around two years or so.

Goal.com: I read about the club being the first English one to participate in the Super league Formula.

Paul: Super league formula is a new concept of bringing together two of the biggest sports in the world – football and motor racing. A lot of big clubs are participating like Liverpool, Galatasaray, AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven and many more. It’s good for us as it increases our revenues, raises our brand profile across the world and also helps us entertain our sponsors and VIP guests at different sporting event occasionally.

Goal.com: Where is Tottenham heading in the near future?

Paul: Every year our aim is to do the best we can. Our chairman Daniel Levy has done a wonderful job and brought great stability to the club. We have no financial debts to speak of and in the last seven years or so; Daniel has taken the club in the forward with great skills and determination.

The deal with the current shirt sponsor Mansion.com will conclude at the end of the next season after what will be very four very successful years with us. We expect to have a new shirt sponsorship deal in place in the next 12 months. We have already had some interest and enquiries from Asia, including India. Clearly, it would be a great honour for us to have an Indian shirt sponsor as, if that happens; it would be the first time a Premier League club had carried the logo of an Indian company.

This is a very exciting time for the club. We have a long and rich history. We have a world class coach in Juande Ramos, an excellent playing squad, a stadium that is sold out every week, and we have a great set of very loyal fans across the world. We won the Carling Cup last season, we have competed in European competition for three successive seasons and we now need to keep this great momentum going.

Goal.com: You are a Tottenham fan and left your high profile job to join the club.

Paul: I remember I first went to the stadium back in 1975 with my father as an eight year old to see Glenn Hoddle. He did come on in that match against Norwich City as a substitute. I have followed the career of Hoddle ever since. Interestingly, I joined the club’s board in 2005 - almost 30 years to the day I watched my first game at White Hart Lane!

Goal.com: Did you enjoy the Indian food?

Paul: Oh yes, I love Indian food. We were greeted very well everywhere we went – The people in this country are magnificent. We enjoyed the whole visit – Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Delhi - especially the traffic jams!

Goal.com: It’s been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for spending your valuable time with us.

Paul: My pleasure.

Rahul Bali.

News Courtsey:Goal.com

Interview with Sunil Chhetri

Goal.com caught up with the rising star of Indian football Sunil Chhetri and discussed AFC Challenge Cup football and much more…..

Interview carried by Rahul Bali



India are gunning for glory in the AFC Challenge Cup’08 that is to start in Hyderabad on Wednesday and Goal.com’s man at the scene Rahul Bali has been catching up with several of the key players in the Indian national football team.

This time he spoke to the star Indian striker Sunil Chhetri, who is visibly and understandably optimistic about his team’s chances in the competition.

But at the same time Chhetri doesn’t underestimate India’s Wednesday’s opponent, Afghanistan, whom they play in their Group A encounter on Wednesday.

He said, “Afghanistan are a very good side. I watched them in the SAFF Cup semi-final against Bhutan. They played well but lost in the end.”

When asked about the ground facilities available to the players at Hyderabad for preparation of the matches, the East Bengal striker said, “I am saddened by the state of the ground conditions here. Even the third division grounds in Portugal are better than these grounds.”

The conversation consequently turned towards the three friendly matches that India played very recently in Portugal.

All of those matches were against lower division sides but Sunil Chhetri is very much impressed by the conditions of the grounds in which these lowly placed clubs in Portugal play.

Recounting the facilities that they received in Portugal, the 23-year old said that some of those third division sides had two grounds! He also mentioned that each of these grounds were attended to by eight or nine groundsmen.

Chhetri also remarked that there are around 1300 clubs whose stadiums are better than the stadiums than they played in Portugal, which are in turn better than the best stadiums in India.

Carrying on with the discussion of footballs stadiums, Sunil Chhetri then spoke on the stadiums in Qatar and Maldives. Chhetri said that when he was in Qatar during the Asian Games, he observed that there were 20 grounds on one side with sand on the other.

Chhetri then described the situation in Maldives. He said that when the national team of Maldives plays in any of their stadiums, a huge crowd comes to cheer them on. When Maldives played Sri Lanka in the semi-final of the SAFF Cup, 7000 people from Maldives flew in to Colombo to watch the match and overwhelmed the stadium in red.

But Chhetri is confident that the situation in India is going to be similar. He does admit that Delhi would have been a better choice for the AFC Challenge Cup given the high standard of the stadiums there and the good crowd support but exudes hope that winning the competition would still be a huge motive given that the winner qualifies directly 2011 Asian Cup and, Chhetri says, this will give the Under-16, Under-19 and the senior Indian national side a good lot of time to start preparing for the mega event.

Sunil Chhetri emphasizes on the “right utilization” of the resources that India already has. The young man is very much buoyed by India’s performances in recent times and is confident that they can achieve their ambition in the competition.

Interview of Chief National Coach ,Bob Houghton with FIFA .COM

Durand Cup ,India , started in 1888, is the second-oldest football competition in the world after English FA Cup. Yet the fact remains that football has long taken the back seat to cricket in India, and their qualification for the 1950 FIFA World Cup (which they then declined to enter) remains the last time they have come close to participating at the highest level.
Their overwhelming victory at the recent AFC Challenge Cup, however, marked a revival of footballing fortunes in the country. Under Englishman Bob Houghton, the Southern Asians took the tournament by storm, sweeping past the likes of Turkmenistan and Myanmar to reach the final, in which they sensationally thrashed Tajikistan 4-1.
A significant reward for winning the title was that India was guaranteed a place at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup: their first qualification for the continental showpiece since 1984.

The former China and Uzbekistan coach told FIFA.com in a recent exclusive interview that he was very satisfied with the Indian performance, and their success has sparked a lot of excitement and passion for football across the country.Football in India has also made a giant leap forward at club level, with the first professional Indian League beginning this year.

Go west

For the globe-trotting Houghton, whose coaching career has spanned 30 years and ten different countries, the time he has spent with India since he took over in 2006 will always remain a cherished memory.
He added that he had two very happy years with India and during this period, the team has played a total of 23 games and we have only lost three. In the process, they won the Nehru Cup in 2007, as well as this Challenge Cup .

During his two-year tenure, the team has undergone a swift and seamless transition, a fact of which Houghton is particularly proud and said that at the very beginning I made many changes to the team, but now we have a relatively stable first eleven.Quite a few young talents have broken into the senior side, while the experienced players also have key roles.
The consistent progress that Indian players have made has so impressed Houghton that he has strongly encouraged them to move to Europe, which has proved such an important path to improvement for many other Asian nations.
He went on to say that when he coached China in 1998, they had no overseas-based players , they simply didnot believe in themselves. But after the encouraging results, like the win over Japan in the EAFF Championship, some top players, like Fan Zhiyi and Sun Jihai, made high-profile transfers to European clubs.

For Houghton, it is high time for Indian hopefuls to follow in the perhaps daunting footsteps of their continental counterparts and said that India have a host of talented players like Sunil Chetri, who has the potential to earn a move to Europe.He singed out the 24 year old ace striker, who scored a hat trick against Tajikistan in the AFC Challenge Cup final. He said that We must make the Indian people believe their players can make it.

New target

While the Challenge Cup triumph ignited a nationwide football craze in India, Houghton saw the achievement as only a small step on the way and added that Qualifying for the Asian Cup is only our first goal, and next we will see about booking a place at the 2018 World Cup.
To achieve this lofty goal, Houghton expressed high hopes of continuing his tenure and said that his contract expires at the end of this year, but both the AIFF and he are keen to extend it.He explained that he was aiming to develop a new generation that will make India proud in Asian competition in the years to come.

Interview With MB Coach Karim Bencherifa

After leading Mohun Bagan to their first title this season by winning the local Kolkata league, Coach Karim Bencherifa speaks on the same and the upcoming I-League.

How would you summarize your time with Mohun Bagan so far?

Karim: It has been a wonderful time, things were smooth; healthy environment and working atmosphere is based on respect and professionalism and that is exactly what’s happening around the club. Also I enjoy my working time on daily basis with the wonderful players not only as professionals but as good human being.

Did you expect at the start of your new tenure to win the Kolkata League? Or has it surprised you?

Karim: From the start I had no doubt that we will be among the top sides and we will compete for the championship. On the other hand when I accepted the challenge to coach Mohun Bagan, I knew I am in a result orientated club which mean all is done to be number one and anything below that isn’t accepted.

As a foreigner, what do you make of the passion surrounding the Kolkata derby against East Bengal, or what they call as the 'BIG Match'?

Karim: It is simply amazing! The passion, the love of the game, the build up day before the match... its unique, its 'tasty' and ‘spicy’! I was involved in two derbies and I enjoyed both of them especially that we won the first one and we got the league in the second.

How different has your time been so far from the one spent at Churchill Brothers?

Karim: Football is the same everywhere but the working environment is different, each club has its own culture so it is very much different in the sense of set up and functioning. But from my position as a coach I enjoyed my work in both clubs; both set of players are wonderful and quality, both club's officials did support me and took care of me so no complain what so ever.

If I ask you to pick some of the best teams you had to face from the Kolkata League they would be…

Karim: We had many tough games; East Bengal with the top quality players they have, Mohammedan with their attacking fire power. The team that impressed me most is George Telegraph; very fit, organized and play quality football.

Last year too Mohun Bagan won the Kolkata League but when on to perform poorly at the start of the I-League. What are your plans to avoid the tumble?

Karim: We cant compare as there is a different set of players with different ambitions, we have a lot of youngsters who are hungry to prove and the likes of Bhaichung and Baretto are more exited than ever for success, so we have enough ingredients to perform. The team will have two days rest following which we head to Jamshedpur for a camp till September 21st. We will do the final preparation in our home ground at Mohun Bagan club.

Injuries have enshrouded the big teams in Kolkata this summer. Any Players crocked right now?

Karim: Kolkata league took its toll on the players - the harsh weather, heavy grounds and tight schedule of games did harm badly many players, and we paid also the price for that by having many players suffering different kind of injuries. One of the objectives of the camp that I schedule next week is to recover all the injured players to be fully fit at the start of the I-league.

It seems that you have been able to use the 'magic wand' at Mohun Bagan as well as you did at Churchill Brothers. What's the secret?

Karim: You know only hard work make the 'magic wand' and only hard work give more luck... but as I always repeat that there no secret, only good communication between all parties involved in a club, respect, professionalism and hard work. But most credit should go to the players of both teams for the honest effort to help the clubs to glory.

Kolkata is known to have a history of officials who interfere in the team selection. Did you encounter this?

Karim: During my career, I built a reputation based on respect of the official’s good working relationship with players and a professional collaboration with the media. My contract with Churchill Brothers as well as Mohun Bagan was based on the sense that I took full responsibility of the team on the field (selection, tactics, choices, scheduling...). My job is based on principals. I know where my responsibilities start and where it ends. This does not mean that I have a closed mind minded as I am always open to discussions with my staff and any idea that I see beneficial for the team is incorporated. I take it and the final decisions in the technical area of the club are mine.

Any advice for the Kolkata fans who have recently indulged in violence...

Karim: All what I have to say is the Kolkata fans, in general, are wonderful as they support their team with style. Of course as everywhere there is a small section that goes over the limit sometimes and it has to stop. Indian football is improving on and off the field and the fans have to follow, for this you need volunteers to start organizing and educating the fans through fan associations and meetings so the cheer will be more colourful and united. It would also avoid any nonsense activity.