Official Indian(South Asian Champs) Football Thread [R]

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Only Indian player i ever knew was Baichung Bhutia... he's still on the team, right? How old is he? (I remember there were some segments on him in footballasia in the late 90's) Does he still play somewhere in England?

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

India has no chance..not even worth discussing...

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

He went to Bury, I think when they were in the third tier (then called the Second Division), but I don't think he was much of a success. Went back to India, I think with East Bengal now.

Hopefully the AIFF can get cleaned up and India can actually contend for some honors in the next few years. Qualification in 2010 would be difficult, but a huge step in the right direction. Soccer isn't nearly as big as cricket, but it has a solid fanbase and the national team looks to finally be improving somewhat.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Thanks for the info, Ach. Hope he can help their national program improve further with his experience he got abroad.

Wait a minute, did I just respond to Achtung in Asia Forum?

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

and here is a DC Fan

so how come India can't get their act together? is the football infrastructure really poorly managed? i have always thought (probably somewhat ignorantly) that with such a large population, India could easily be considered a sleeping giant. but i don't recall any international or club success of note at all.

perhaps i will begin a game as national team manager of India in Football Manager and see how that goes

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

And there's also two United fans and two opposing Scousers supporters at the same time. This is just too much.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Indeed, it always surprises people when they find out I'm Indian.

From what I hear, everything in the AIFF is about politics, including the administration and often the managers. I'm sure there are plenty of talented players to form a team that can at least qualify for the World Cup, but they often fall through the cracks in the bureaucracy and corruption that seem to stifle the federation and often the entire country.

I'd like to follow Indian soccer more, even if its not a very big sport in Gujarat where my parents are from. I try to at least watch their results, but its tough to follow the club game.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

That too, but I was just too used to seeing you elsewhere, mostly.

Hope you can come by here with some Indian football info whenever you can.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Well the Asia forums do have a certain, em, "reputation" around BigSoccer. Looks like they got you in to help keep things in order.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Yeah It's been bad enough to chase away quite a few informative and quality posters from here in the past... there is a decent number of quality posters here too, though. And I think with the recent structure changes (with separate forums for major asian countries) and abolishing of Asian Rivalries, things will become a bit better. More moderators will help too, I hope (since there weren't too many active ones beforehand).

I'm still new, but I'll continue to do the best I can.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

India wont beat Yemen.
Yemen soccer is better than india...just watch.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

On what basis do you say that, though?

I do remember Yemen U-17 squad being impressive few years ago, but do they have better footballing infrastructure/experience/coach/teamwork, etc. than India? Just curious as you seem pretty confident that Yemen will beat them... (unless this is all just light pre-tournament trash talk... in which case, never mind. )

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

I don't want to say something then I'll regret it,
But yeah I think Yemen better than India.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

It was this festival where India played cricket againsty Kuwait's team (mostly Indians and pakistani) and then Kuwait played football against them. They scored two goals the started to change players so randomly that they stopped taking the match seriosly.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

LOL, even the UAE's cricket team is Indians and Pakistanis.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Nashua... used to go there every few months when we lived in Massachusetts, my parents had friends up there. Haven't been back in years though. I'd like to go in the fall, but I'd hate to be confused with the "leafers".

Good article here on India's recent progress and SAFF victory.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Cool, must have missed it my first time through.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

Guys just a update on things the squad is selected for the Asian cup qualifiers

Probables: Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul (Mohun Bagan), Sandip Nandy(Mahindra), Kalyan Chowbey (JCT), Felix D Souza (Sporting Goa), Usrat Kamal (Air India)

Defenders : Sur Kumar Singh, Mahesh Gawli, NS Manju (All Mahindra) M Suresh (East Bengal), Samir Naik (Dempo), Anupam Sarkar (East Bengal), A.S. Feroze, Sanjiv Maria (All Mohun Bagan)

Midfielders: S Venkatesh, S Dias, James Singh, K.Ajayan (All Mahindra), Mehtab Hussain, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Manjit Singh (All Mohun Bagan), Xavier Vijay Kumar (HAL), Jayanta Sen (East Bengal).

Forwards : Bhaichung Bhutia, Rahim Nabi (All East Bengal), Abdul Hakeem (SBT), Abhishek Yadav (Mahindra), Praveen Kumar (JCT), Shaji D Silva (Goa).

Reserves: Rajat Ghosh Dastider (East Bengal), B Narzary (Assam), Cedric Peixito (Vasco), Amulya Mondol (Air India), Habibur Rahman (East Bengal), S. Kuttimani (HAL), Nicholas Rodriguies (Sporting Goa).

Bhutia is in hot form since the SAFF cup he is doing really well for East Bengal. Other top players in the team are Venkatesh, Hussain, Wadoo, Gawli, Dias. This squad is missing other top players from injury but later they will be selected. As far as I know India is trying to organise a friendly match against Sudan soon, plus maybe a trip to Brazil if they can afford it

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

India will be a football powerhouse within the next few years. It's going to be a real rumble for the 4.5 2010 WC slots (if it stays 4.5). So who will be heading to South Africa? The favorites have to include: Australia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Saudia Arabia, and South Korea.

 

Re: Chances of india (SOUTH ASIAN CHAMPIONS)

4.5 2010 WC slots? are you sure?
No Iraq, Jordan, Uzbakistan or Oman? man thats Harsh.