Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President It would make sense to create a third division. And AFC should give the AIFF all the help they need. I towuldn't be fair to take I.League teams out of the state leagues if something else wasn't provided for the teams that get left behind.
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President AIFF will first replace the amateurish cup like second division into professional one and then think about third division.Yes AFC is doing wonderful job by assisting AIFF State leagues are just useless,actually teams are meant to give youngsters an opportunity but instead these opportunistic and greedy clubs use foreigners in their positions and result is that there are no good strikers coming up in India.For instance see India U-23 scoring record,its only 4 goals in 8 matches which includes one penalty and self goal Generally Indian youngsters hardly play regular football in India.All the teams fill-up their squads with foreign players.Adding to that AIFF doesn't conduct any kind of reserve league or youth league.There is an urgent need of professional second division where these bench warming youngsters can be loaned to and thank god AFC forcing them to start one
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President Thanks ashindia for letting me know about this thread. Question: Is the AIFF making any effort to find Indian-eligible players in England or other parts of Europe? I don't know of any playing here in the States off the top of my head.
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President Yeah AIFF has to provide some compensation, state leagues(especially kolkata) have rich history(probably the oldest football league in Asia).
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President AIFF is not making any effort for indian origin players as there is a new rule by sports ministry that makes only Indian passport holders elgible for representing India in any sport. there are a few PIO(players of Indian origin) in Canada and US as far as i know: Avneet Shergill (plays for Salgoacar) Mohanto(playing for Churchill Brothers)
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President The AIFF had sent a couple of scouts to England and continental Europe for most of the last 2 decades.There is an interesting anecdote that I can share with you guys on the topic. I have spent a few years at Luton, UK, during my teens.During those days, I had the (mis)fortune of having one football scout from India dine with my family. He was specifically sent from India to 'poach' (his exact word) young Indian talent. He didn't know where to begin and was scouting by visiting school games and Hyde park. He used to ask my father for recommendations on good Indian PIO players, and my father being a total cricket maniac had no clue. When he asked me, I gave him a couple of names of Indian origin players that I knew. Later I came to know that he had approached Michael Chopra and almost managed to ''poach' him. I also know for a fact that this scout had poached a 17 year old reserve keeper of Cheltenham FC, who did play for India U-19. This scout was a hockey player for the Indian Railways, and a good Punjabi amateur poet ( the only reason we had him visit us, I guess) . His association with football started when he offered to coach some semi pro football side after his hockey career was over, as no hockey side were in need of his services. Most of the PIOs in England that I have come across are 3rd/4th generation and they do not see any reason or attachment towards India. Even the 2nd generation ones are not particularly attached to the country of their origin. The AIFF also sends talent scouts to other places where Indians/PIO are a substantial minority, like Singapore, HK, Malaysia, T&T and East Africa. I do not know if they 'poach' in the USA. This site will give you a good idea about the PIO players and their status wrt to playing for India and the related rules. http://old.indianfootball.com/pio-database/index.html Hope it helps.
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President That rule makes sense, as for every international match, the players have to present a passport for their country. Bobby Convey once was ruled ineligible for an Olympic Qualifier in the US because he forgot his passport. Speaking of which, I need to finish the applications for our PIO cards.
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President Chirag United meets Shillong Lajong in the finals of the third edition E K Nayanar Gold Cup http://indiainfootball.com/page.php?hash=280c1b7e37c004a9b262d136983d2363
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President The hosts Haryana will take on Andhra Pradesh in the 1st semi-finals of the U-21 championship for Dutta Ray Trophy on February 24, while Jharkhand will battle out with five times champions Goa in the second semi-finals a day after. Haryana vs. Andhra Pradesh Haryana emerged as the group A Champions with seven points and is having a superb tournament so far. The Hosts started their quarter final league against their neighbours Delhi and defeated them comprehensively 4-1 to start their quarter final round league on a high note, while they were held to a goalless draw by Goa. Haryana escalated their tremendous run and shown the exit gate to defending champions Punjab drubbing them 3-1 to remain as one of the title contenders of the ongoing Dutta Ray trophy. Andhra Pradesh had a mixed performance in the group B quarter final league as they finished with four points in three matches to finish second in the group. But Andhra Pradesh root to semi-finals took a twist when Meghalaya defeated Kerala which gave Andhra Pradesh automatic qualification for a place in the last four. They shared points with Kerala in their first group league encounter; trounced Meghalaya in the second, while went down to Jharkhand in their last league match. Haryana looks a better and balanced side in comparison to Andhra Pradesh as their strikers have been in excellent form, Mandeep Singh and Manandeep has shared more than half of the goals Haryana has scored and will again look to change the fate of the match with their presence. The Hosts back line has equally matched the performance by their mid-fielders and strikers with conceding least numbers of goals which has made them as one of the front runners to take away the coveted title. Andhra Pradesh will have to be on their toes right from the outset and will have pull out something special to edge past the mighty Haryana to book a place in the grand finale on February 28. http://www.the-aiff.com/pages/news/index.php?N_Id=1185 Andhra are the surprise of dis tournament!!!!!!
Re: Key Indian Official Meet AFC President Hi my friend, can you explain what the E K Nayanar Gold Cup is? Who can take part?
This thread is certainly a hit, but remember it only works with your dedication. Your doing a good job. Maybe you can give me your thoughts on the structure of Indian football and if you think it's good to see the I.League expanded using teams that are not yet founded instead of promoting teams that could have been around for years from the State Leagues? Is it fair to state including teams that are generally franchised over clubs that have been around for donkey's years?
Vancouver whitecaps youth teams have quite a few 2nd gen indians in it. I know India has tried to get a lot of them to play for indian national youth teams and have had some success.
Re: Few Good Articles Comment: Can We Avoid The Mixing Of National And State Football Leagues In India? The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted a day’s seminar in Malaysia last week with AFC president, Mohamed Bin Hammam asking for some radical changes in Indian football, which has been considered ‘vital.’ “The main obstacle in the development of Indian football is an unusual mixing between national and state football. “The AIFF should separate these two as a first step. The clubs playing in the Indian League should be separate and should not play in the state leagues,” Bin Hammam was quoted saying. Haven’t we heard this before? Very much so and from our very national coach, Bob Houghton who has time and again stressed the need to “change” and do away with several tournaments, which hinder in streamlining the football calendar needlessly. You could possibly do this but given that India doesn’t have enough grassroots level tournament or those which are aren’t really up to the mark, that some of tournaments which come in the “should be done away” category gain importance automatically not so much because of their history but mainly as a pre-season or a closing curtains type of tournament Of course, there is a need to differentiate between professional and amateur football as is the case with every successful football nation. The challenge in India is that those two are intertwined and to separate them is no by no means easy. To completely do away with the state leagues would be a stupid mistake given that there aren’t any back-up tournaments wherein the top clubs can get their reserve teams to play. By getting those players who have only just recovered from their injuries, or to give an opportunity to those on bench to prove their mettle, the state leagues do provide an ideal platform for the coaches. But the issue is that in certain states like Kolkata, the onus to win the state leagues is amongst the agendas their coaches are being given at the start of the season. Even Bob Houghton acknowledged this fact recently. “It would be better if the states and clubs work in an honest manner. There’s nothing wrong by giving the players that are on the bench a chance to play in the state leagues. It’s good for them. The problem is that when you play your best team in the local league as it happens in Kolkata given that they want to win it.” The main problem with AFC’s suggestion is that in the name of separating the mixing of national and state leagues, one tends to completely compartmentalize the system, which isn’t possible in India, something which one can’t just ignore given the vastness of the country and the lack of enough worthwhile tournaments where the clubs can engage their bench. The I-League isn’t yet spread out and to consider it ‘national’ is a debate altogether though there are plans to change the geographical map of the I-League from next season. It’s vital to understand that the state leagues are part of the system and how we utilize them best to achieve the target in coherence with the vision for Indian football. The alienation process doesn’t seem to work either in theory or in practice. The principle behind every solution is to reduce the complexity to simplicity and going by the recent suggestion by AFC, it wouldn’t in anyways simplify the matter. What do YOU think? http://goal.com/en-india/news/2291/...can-we-avoid-the-mixing-of-national-and-state
Re: Few Good Articles Specials: Ten Reasons Why The I-League Division II Should Be Given More Importance Fresh from the special workshop organized by the AFC for the I-League clubs, one of the key discussions undertaken in the meeting was regarding the better set up of the lower leagues or the I-League 2nd Division in India. With the AIFF still not decided over the tournament teams and the schedule of matches, it is high time to have a look into why I-League 2 should be dealt with more professionally and given its due importance. 1) Establishing A Line Of Supply The second division league in India is contested by at least 8 teams. With most of those teams depending on local homegrown talent for setting up their squads, the Indian football scenario gets boosted with a database of many more talented footballers. 2) Following The European System The I-League 2 can become a very powerful tool for the I-League playing teams and their process of youth development. By following the very common practice in Europe, the I-League clubs can loan out their younger footballers to gain experience in the I-League Division II and get much needed match practice, which is not often guaranteed while staying with an I-League team 3) Scouting Platform The second division can provide a good platform for many I-League clubs to conduct scouting activities as some of the best performers in the second tier can easily be signed by an I-League club on the basis of their performance. 4) Enhancement Of Domestic Structure It is a fact that the domestic set up in Indian football is very poor but with the arrival of a professional second division league, it gives ample opportunity for many individuals to think of pursuing football as a professional career. 5) Training Ground For Referees The Referees have always been in the center of many controversies related to the I-League. Having a good set up in a lower tier league can prove vital for training referees and getting them ready for the big league by letting them officiate matches in the second division and gain handy experience. 6) Exciting Football Action Just like the I-League, the second division also proves to be a big hit among many football fanatics in the country. The matches played between the clubs, most of whom are similar in strenght and quality, turn out to be very nerve-cracking and exciting. 7) Arrival Of New Teams The first two editions of the I-League Division II have given some wonderful gifts to Indian football in the form of newly promoted teams like Chirag United, Shillong Lajong, Pune FC and Mumbai FC. These clubs, who came through the second division, have taken the top flight by storm. Similarly, in the years to come, we may have many more such teams making their entry into the I-League. Teams like New Delhi Heroes and Amity United are certainly good prospects. 8) Chance To Regroup The lower tier league gives a massive chance for the relegated teams to regroup themselves and prepare their bid for making a re-entry to the 1st division. Teams like Salgaocar, Vasco and Mohammedan Sporting used the league as a tool to stage a comeback to the I-League after getting relegated. 9) Emergence Of New Foreigners All Indian clubs playing in the second tier employ the services of foreign players. It is expected that the league can help some foreigners to earn a call up from bigger clubs as well. The best example is of former Chirag United player Theodore Sunday Wrobbeh, who not only got a contract from Mohammedan Sporting, but a call up from his national team in Liberia. 10) Testing New Venues The league can be used to test new venues and the AIFF is already experimenting as the second division competition in 2008 was played in Guwahati. After its success, the Assam Football Association was given the right to stage the country biggest football cup competition, the Federation Cup, in 2009. http://goal.com/en-india/news/2292/...easons-why-the-i-league-division-ii-should-be
Yeah some o them did try for a youth cap but i dont think anyone got it!!!! The most recent one Bob went after was Netan Sansara when he couldnt find a decent LB.
Re: List of Footballers Who are eligible to play for India :- 1) Michael Chopra(Cardiff City,England) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Chopra 2) Diego Biseswar(Feyenoord,Holland) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Biseswar 3) Harmeet Singh(Valerenga,Norway) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmeet_Singh
4) Prince Rajcomar(Zalaegerszegi TE,Hungary) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Rajcomar 5) Netan Sansara(Walsall FC,England) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netan_Sansara 4) Kiran Bechan(Ermis Aradippou,Cyprus) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiran_Bechan
7) Furdjel narsingh(AZ 2,Holland) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furdjel_Narsingh 8)Luciano Narsingh(SC Heerenveen,Holland) 9) Aman Verma (Leichester City,England) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aman_Verma_(footballer)
10) Rajiv van La Parra(SM Caen,France) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_van_La_Parra There are many more players but since Indian Govt doesn't allow any of them to represent ,I have stopped searching
The I-League 2nd division qualifying round will be held from March 26 to April 25 in three venues viz. Delhi, Bangalore and Tripura. 21 teams will be participating in the qualifying round and has been divided into three groups. Top two teams from each group will then meet in the final round along with Mohammedan Sporting and Vasco S.C (who faced relegation last year in the I-League Division I) scheduled to be held at Bangalore. The final round will take place sometime at the end of April or first week of May.The two top teams from the final round will qualify for the I-League Division I next year. Group A: Bangalore HAL (Bangalore), BEML (Bangalore), Malabar United (Kerala), Titanium (Kerala), Golden Thread (Kerala), SBT (Kerala), Chandni F.C (Kerala) Group B: Delhi Sesa Football Academy (Goa), ONGC (Mumbai), Simla Youngs (Delhi), Indian Nationals Football Club (Delhi), Hindustan Football Club (Delhi), New Delhi Heroes (Delhi), Amity United (Haryana) Group C: Tripura Guwahati Town Club (Assam), Oil India (Assam), JCB Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Ar-Hima (Meghalaya), Denzong Boys (Sikkim), NISA (Manipur), Mumbai United (Mumbai) http://the-aiff.com/pages/news/index.php?N_Id=1192
No change to format of second division .Same cup like format which really doesn't determine the true winner .