Why Lothar Matthäus has faith in Indian football

“WHEN I WAS travelling around Kolkata, I came across this park. My first thought was I will see kids playing cricket or some other sport. I am conscious of the popularity of cricket in India and I wouldn’t have been surprised if the kids were playing the sport. To my surprise, each one of them was playing football. I stopped the car briefly and watched them play. Clearly, there is talent. And, yet, Indian football is nowhere in the global pecking order. What you need to do is get some structure. Scout these youngsters and get them to play in clubs in agegroup competitions. Once they have an outlet, you will see talent emerge and make it to the national team. That’s how the foundation can be strengthened. If a country like Cape Verde can do it, why will India not be able to produce 20 quality footballers is a mystery to me,” said Lothar Matthäus, one of the greatest footballers of all time, as we got chatting during his recent visit to Kolkata.

“The problem is you don’t make the most of the talent pool. You need to believe that you can do it. You need to understand that it is no rocket science. Take a look at some of the African countries that have qualified for the football World Cup. If they can, you can,” argued Matthäus.

When I explained to him the current state of Indian football and mentioned to him that we don’t even have our premier league starting on time, he sounded concerned. “Such things can impact the players. Eventually, you will only have a robust ecosystem if you have the players in sync with the federation. It is essential that every stakeholder sits across the table and solves the issue. To not have a national league can’t be a practical proposition. That’s where the identity of the player is shaped. That’s what he lives for. That’s why he is there. You must have the national league, come what may,” he said. That’s what brings me to the current state of Indian football. While not blaming anyone, the need of the hour is to agree that the situation is dire. Each stakeholder needs to come forward and find a solution. Players, for example, will have to agree to pay cuts. The All India Football Federation (AIFF), as the governing body of Indian football, will have to agree to bear the brunt of the losses. Commercial partners like Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), whose existing agreement lasts till December 8, should be requested to continue for one more year at least, and the time used to find a lasting solution.

While a lasting solution is the real need, to wait for it and let the season pass by is impractical. A temporary workaround should be the immediate aim and that should pave the way for a more lasting solution to this crisis. At the centre of the story are the players and the fans. We have already seen the players put out multiple social media posts saying they need to be given an opportunity to play. To be a player and not know what the future holds is a very unfortunate position to be in and that’s what AIFF should rectify at the outset.

As far as the fans are concerned, they are always the lifeblood of the sport. They travel the country to watch the national team play and each time there is a Derby in Kolkata, you will see 50,000-60,000 fans turn up to make the event their own. That’s what fan passion is all about and that’s what AIFF needs to protect. As I write this piece, I am conscious that efforts are on to bring all stakeholders together to figure out the way forward. Indian football needs a lifeline and only then can Matthäus’ words come true.