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Asian body to help develop Indian football and management >From Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, Mar 15 (IANS) Indian football officials with assistance from the game's governing body in Asia plan work on the rejuvenation of the game and its management in the country. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Peter Velappan participated in the deliberations with Indian officials during the three-day 'Conference on Indian Football' that concluded here Saturday Velappan presented his 11-point strategy christened 'Vision India' for the all round development of football. The vision included working on the youth, grassroot-level foundation, educating coaches and referees, and sports medicines. He believed that football management in India lacked professionalism. "We languish in the amateur style while the world is striving for professionalism," said All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. However, Dasmunsi was confident of reviving football's glorious past in India with the help of AFC. India had won the football gold medal at the Asian Games in 1962 and bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The AFC general secretary conceived a significant role for the media for popularising the game among the masses. Dasmunsi felt that television coverage of the National Football League (NFL) had left much to be desired. He said efforts were on to rope in satellite channels to cover the league, currently broadcasted by the state-owned Doordarshan sports channel. The AIFF had requested the AFC to undertake a study of Indian football to identify the strengths and weaknesses. The endeavour was to chalk out a proper development plan for Indian football. Citing the example of Japan, Velappan said: "Full football culture in emerged in Japan only by 1992. But clear vision and dynamic leadership in the following 10 years has taken them to where they are." "India needs to set definite goals for itself and then work according to them. Then be it reaching the final rounds of Asian competitions or the World Cup." Velappan felt that India needed to work on football in schools, progress to youth level and then clubs. He pledged AFC's support to India in the form of technical assistance. The AFC has singled out India and China for special treatment in the body's development plans for the continent. Velappan said the two countries have been given high priority due to their rich football culture. Velappan believed that India's NFL was not fulfilling its potential. "Players world over play 40 to 45 matches over a period of eight months," he told IANS. "Whereas here you close shop in six months, with players playing just 20-odd matches." "Besides, 14 clubs in the country's premier league is too small a number for India." "Clubs are the nucleus around which football talent in a country can be harnessed," he added. --Indo-Asian News Service _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
