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Grass-root development negligence
- 1. Indiahas beenlongbeingtermedasthe SleepingGiantof WorldFootball.Peopleingeneral and punditsinparticularhave differenttheoriesbehindthis.Butthe biggestbane hasbeenthe lackof proper grass-rootdevelopmentinthe country,itisnot justabout conductingfootball schoolsandfootball camps itis far bigger.All the super-powersof worldfootballputsthe biggestemphasize ongrass-root developmentprogramandnurturingof talentsfroma tenderage. The game has developedbyleapsand boundsinthe lasttwodecadessoonlysheertalentisnotthe only criteriathoughitis the mostimportant.Sportsscience andnutritionplaysaveryimportantpart in todayssports. Thisleadsus tothe curiouscase of Bengal Football whichtillrecentlywasthe Mecca of Indian Football.UnfortunatelyBengal Football hardlyproducesthe talentandnational teamplayerstheyuse to produce regularlyevenacouple of decadesback. Is itbecause of lack of talentand enthusiasmtowardsthe game? Goingby the performance of the Bengal U 15 team inthe on-goingNationalswhere theyhave produced sublime anddominatingdisplaysinall theirmatchescappingitupwitha blisteringperformance against Goa to downtheirrivalsbya marginof 7-1 in a semi-final matchactuallydestroysourquestion. Evenin the U15 PremierCupbeingheldinGoaat the momentUnitedSCand otherBengal teamsare performingadmirably. The biggestbane has beennurturingof talentsinBengal.The BigThreeof Kolkatafootball hasnot done enoughtonurture these talents.Theydoconductfootball schoolsreligiouslybutthe basicpoint has beenlackof professionalisminall activities.,lotof factionalismandvestedinterest. To put insome instances,Bengal till recentlyhada thrivingnurseryleagueandwithmuchfan-fare AthleticoDe KolkatahadacquiredthatfromIFA last yearbut thisyearit has notbeenconductedatall. Rampantage fraudand mis-managementare the primaryreasonssitedbythe state bodyandATK. AlongwiththatI will addlackof commitmentandprofessionalismandlotsof infightinginthe state parentbodyIFA. For some strange reasonwithsucha vasttalentpool none of the international clubsetupacademiesor football schoolsinBengal.Theyratherpreferrelativelylessenthusiasticfootballingcitieslike NewDelhi, Mumbai,Pune andChennai.Are theytobe blamedfordoingthat?No,as it isbecause of the detoriating sportingculture whichhasleadtothis.Bengal once a sportingpowerhouse inIndiaislackingbehindin all sportsnot onlysports. Bengal hasall the ingredientsstilltogetback lostgloryi.e.Experiencedformerfootballers,manyAFC and FIFA licensedcoaches,passionatefanbase thoughlimitedonlytothe BigTwo,etc. But some people have made abusinessoutof keepingBengal amediocare footballingstate.The administratorsandorganisershave onlyone targetinmindtoholdonto their SeatOf Powerany whichwaywithoutgivingadime of thoughtto the bettermentof footballinthe state.Manypeople give
- 2. an excuse of lackof funds,lackof sponsors,corruption.Totallydisagree withthatif peoplehave the rightplansand the right intentionsmoneywouldautomaticallyfollow assportsingeneral andfootball in particularisthe biggestbusinessaroundthe world. CorruptionwaseveninFIFA,ICCand BCCI,but whenitcame to the biggerinterestof the game they were all unitedtoputup a great show.The state bodyIFA hasfailedtoorganise anyof the age-level tournaments ina properprofessional mannerjustdue tofactionalismandinfighting.The nursery league,the universitylevel tournaments,the districttournamentsare eitherdefunctorintatters.The U19 IFA Shieldwhichisone of the oldesttournamentinthe world isinshambleswithtotal logisticsand organistaional failure. Mohun Bagan ACstartedtheiracademyMBSA some yearsback and itwas a huge successinitiallybut for the lastcouple of yearsits future isuncertainwithnotalentscomingupandinfrastructure intatters. East Bengal has launchedanacademywithmuchfan-fare withaveryexperiencedcoachinthe formof Mr. RanjanChowdhurybutunfortunatelytheyare stuckwithBidhanNagarCorporationina dispute aboutthe ground.The state governmentstartedanacademyinKhardahwithmuch fan-fare ayearback but nothinghasstartedthere as well.Basicallyall projectsare eitherinlimboorhalf-baked. There are lotof small academiesbeingrunbyindividualsorgroupof individualsfromtheirownmoney producingtalentseveryyearbuttheyare notrecognisedbythe state bodyor any otherbodyor supportedbyanyof the corporatesso that theycan getto the nextlevel.The stake-holdersmostlyhave neverheardof these academies.Onlyone ortwoacademiesgetthe limelightasthe administratorsof the respective academiesare well-connected.Connectionandnetworkshouldnotbe the only benchmarkinfootball astalentcanbe foundanywhere anditneedstobe nurturedfromanywhere. Finally the BigTwo have manyfan clubsaroundthe state everyone vyingtobe the mostpassionate supportersof football andtheirrespective clubs.Itwill be awelcome change if these fanclubscome forwardand contribute tofootball inputtingincontributionstothe numerousacademieswhichare findingitdifficulttorunevenafterproducingtalentsandhelpinnurturingthese talentsinsome wayor the other. Finally,Bengal istoofondof discussingandcontemplatingthe evilsof the societyandthe game instead of actuallytakingstepsintryingtomake some positive changes.Ibelieve Supportersare the biggest stake-holderinanysportsso itis the onuson the innemurablefansandsupporterstotake some initiativeintheirownwaytoget Bengal backto where itwas.Theyshouldtake responsibilitiesaswellto stirthe hornetsnestandmake the administrationtake noticeandgetoutof theircomfortzone.Every football loverhassome basicresponsibilitiestowardsThe Beautiful Gamewhichdoesnotgetover withjustcriticizingthe administration.Everyoneneedstobe the change thenonlythe state of football inBengal wouldchange.