REVIVING INDIAN FOOTBALL

The turnout at games of the Indian national football team has been on an astonishing rise in recent years. Fans' excitement at Stephen Constantine's men taking on the AFC Asian Cup through the next few weeks is already visible. A lot of credit for this growing enthusiasm can be attributed to the Indian Super League (ISL) which has drawn attention with its commendable display of skills and grit.

By far, the 2018-19 season has been the most rigorous in terms of gameplay, tactics and competitiveness. Apart from a few drowsy affairs, most matches have been a treat with late, unexpected comebacks – a trend not yet very fancied in Indian football. In the home leg game of defending champions Chennaiyin FC, NorthEast United staged a dramatic comeback after being down 3-1 at halftime. Many experts on air had dismissed the game by then, only to be left in awe with a final scoreline of 3-4.

Not just the number of goals, the most impressive aspect has been the craftsmanship in scoring a goal. With more foreign players, the quality of goals has improved. Long crosses, a shortcoming of Indian players, also seems addressed. Teams are now looking to press forward more often with most players expanding their hunger for attack in the midfield.

Bengaluru FC has been the best team this season. They have been knocked out of the top slot just once – and with a streak of 11 undefeated games, they sit comfortably on top as Matchday 12 comes to a close and the players head into their international break with confidence. Former FC Barcelona defender Carles Cuadrat, who is now the gaffer, was in all praise for the team that remains undefeated even without the service of former Valencia forward, Miku. The Spaniard seems unhappy over the 'lucky' rows against them. "I read a tweet a few days ago where I was quoted as saying that 'we were lucky'. This is not true. I have not said that. The truth is that we have been working very hard to get to these crucial moments. Behind those moments there is a lot of hard work, and there is a plan. We want to attack till the last moment of each game and win the league," he said.

Mumbai City FC sits at the second place and is followed by Goa FC and NorthEast United FC separated by a solitary point and difference in goals. On the other hand, Delhi Dynamos, Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC are struggling to make a mark. The defending champions and Kerala Blasters have managed to win just one of their 12 fixtures, and Delhi still runs winless. They have largely grappled with their inability to move into the final third of the pitch.

NorthEast United will be happy heading into the break even after a 5-1 defeat to the Gaurs – only their second defeat this season. With a smaller squad, the schedule in the last couple of weeks – six games being played in the last 15 days – has been demanding and manager Schattorie (former East Bengal manager) has expressed his concerns quite a few times. He added, "I think we have the worst fixtures. I'm not saying that our loss yesterday is because of the schedule. But I think the fixtures are not kind to us. We had three games in a row now. We have to ensure that we don't come across any injuries."

As the season resumes, the mid-table stands compactly with Mumbai City, Goa FC, NorthEast United, ATK, Jamshedpur FC and Pune City. With Bengaluru FC at the top, three spots remain for these six teams in the knockouts.

Captain of the 1990 World Cup winning German team, Lothar Matthäus, on his visit to India a few days back, was impressed with the progress of Indian football and particularly the league backed by their respective fans. He asserted, "India is on the right path. The players have profited from the managers who have come from Europe. If India continues on this path, maybe the dream to play in a World Cup is possible, maybe not the next World Cup, it's too early, you have a strong competition in Asia, but you have to take steps for the future. I feel the national team will benefit from the strong national championship. I was talking to them after the game and I noticed that they were focused. With such attitude, I feel Indian players can improve quickly and maybe with a bit of luck, India can participate in a World Cup in 8-12 years."

With 10 teams season, the Indian football scenario has been revived with fresh skill, enthusiasm and a new competitive spirit. With similar guidelines as prescribed in the Indian Premier League (IPL), more foreign greats are now attracted towards the tournament – significantly raising standards of play.

In a country obsessed about playing the World Cup, one day, we may have a bunch of players ready to storm the international arena as FIFA is set to increase the number of teams for the 2026 World Cup from 32 to 48 – five to eight for Asian teams. With South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia clinching five spots, the remaining three slots are up for grabs and India will definitely eye for one. Recent performances of countries like Croatia and Iceland only indicate that India too could accomplish the World Cup dream if guided in the right direction.