This is what happens when you don’t have a team from Bangalore in the national level. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), who missed the second division I-League bus in the recently concluded season due to not conforming to the AIFF guidelines will soon loose some of their important players in the next season.
Thanks to their good performance in the ongoing Santosh Trophy, striker Dada Nabeel, mid-fielder Goutam Debnath, and defender Sumit Thapa are all set to join the premier division I-League clubs.
“I don’t see any problem, this was bound to happen”, says prominent football coach Andrews sir. “In this professional era, players would definitely want to earn more; this is the time for them to play and earn in a national level. They could not participate in the second divion I-League last season, and unsure about the coming season. So, I reckon this is a right decision.”
Andrews sir also adds, “Club management should look to it that their team is able to play the top-ranked national-level tournaments and ensure that their team conforms to the guidelines. Unfortunately, most of the city clubs are from the public sector, and public sector clubs functions unlike the other top-ranked football clubs”.
“Leaving HAL, I don’t see any team at par with the teams in the national scene. So you don’t really improve your game by only playing in the local league. When you go out, play in the national-level tournaments, you feel the difference, and then you raise your standard.”
HAL captain, Xaview VijayKumar opines that their team will not be weakened by the departure of these players. “We are in the process of making a good team for the coming season. Team management is working in tandem with the state and the district association to ensure our participation in the second division I-League, and I am sure we will be back with a bang in this season”.
“HAL football team is totally dependent on the sanctioned football budget. We can’t afford to pay high salary to the players, so they are bound to look for better growth.”
Asking about his own plans, Xavier says that he is very much a part of the HAL football team. “I am open to play for short stints, possibly on a loan, provided my club permits”. Xavier grins.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Football scene in Bangalore
If you thought that India’s success in clinching its maiden Nehru Gold Cup and qualifying for the Asian cup after a gap of 24 years has lifted the enthusiasm for football in the country, then you are completely wrong.
Football is still played in few areas in the country. And in those areas where the game is played, the local governing body finds it extremely difficult to run the show – sponsors, infrastructure, fighting between two governing bodies, you name it!
Amidst such a mess, you will still find few servants of the game working effortlessly nurturing talents. These rare breeds’ keeps a very low profile, stays away from murky politics of the game, and works with the sole aim to dish out football talents to the state and country.
One such rare breed is Bangalore-based C Thyaga Rajan, ex ITI footballer and Sri Kempe Gowda Awardee. He is running Sri Nandhan Football Coaching Camp for last 27 years.
But before I go on talking about him and his contribution towards the game, let’s understand Bangalore’s contribution in Indian football.
History
IT capital of India is no stranger to football. Olympians Raman, Kannaiah, Shanmugham, and J Anthony were part of the 1948 and 1952 Olympics football contingent. Arumainayagam who dominated the national scene in the sixties and Ulganathan in the seventies all belonged to this city. Not to forget Shanmuham Venkatesh, Carlton Chapman, Noel Wilson, R C Prakash, the list is endless.
The city used to host a top national-level tourney, Stafford Cup and the rivalry between the top teams Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) would bring in many frenzied fans to the stadium. Alas, Stafford Cup is stopped for many years and ITI has closed their football team. No team from the city is competing in the 1st division I-League as HAL got relegated couple for years ago. Situation is more compounded when the public sector enterprises like NGEF, BEL, BHEL, BEML, ADA, ADE, HMT, and MEG have stopped recruitment in the sports quota.
Present
Its amazing to see how these cantonment areas in India has emerged to a melting pot of sports, especially in football. I could easily name two cities, Pune and Bangalore. You will always find a group of kids playing football in areas like Khadki and Ghorpadi in Pune. And how could you forget Bangalore’s Austin town, considered to be the nursery of Bangalore football. Right from the era of playing the game in bare feet to modern day, Austin Town has always produced quality players who have made our country proud.
If you happen to be in the city and by any chance visit Austin Town football ground, (better known as Nandan ground) during evenings, you will found group of kids practicing football under watchful eyes of an elderly gentleman. Well that’s Thyaga Rajan for you, tirelessly doing it since 1981.
Thyaga Rajan focuses on nurturing young talents and feels there are enough of such talents around Austin Town. Sadly, he points out that the city boasts of so many footballers of international repute, but seldom have they come out to train these kids.
These kids come from very poor background and can’t afford to buy their own kits. Putting his own money and sometimes taking help from his old students Thyaga Rajan continues his show. He encourages them to continue studies, as he says, “During my times, there were ITI and many other enterprises who would offer job to the footballers. Nowadays, it is impossible to get a job under sports quota, so it is very important be educated.”
“Until you make it to the top level, there is no financial security.” He urges that the IT should step forward to take up sponsorship.
For the recently concluded season, none of the Bangalore teams were seen participating in the I-League, not even in the second division.
HAL who was relegated from the first I-Leages dominates the local football scene. However, they missed the chance to participate in the second division, as they could not conform to the guidelines set by AFC and AIFF.
One has to understand the fact that most of the football teams in Bangalore are from the public sector. The public sector football teams functions in a different way, unlike the other privately managed football clubs. At times following the guidelines takes too long and by the time the formalities are completed, you have gone past the scheduled date.
This exactly happended with HAL and the football lovers of Bangalore were deprived of watching their team participatig in the national level.
Whats next…
Needless to say that there was a communication gap betteween AIFF and HAL management team in the last season. It seems that the HAL management team has leant from their previous mistakes. They are more careful this time and ensuring that all the formalities and the requirements are met in well advance. Also, the state body is ably supporting their cause.
The feud between the state and the district association that delayed last season’s local league is also sorted out. The football lovers of the garden city will be able to see their favorite teams’ game much early this time.
Football is still played in few areas in the country. And in those areas where the game is played, the local governing body finds it extremely difficult to run the show – sponsors, infrastructure, fighting between two governing bodies, you name it!
Amidst such a mess, you will still find few servants of the game working effortlessly nurturing talents. These rare breeds’ keeps a very low profile, stays away from murky politics of the game, and works with the sole aim to dish out football talents to the state and country.
One such rare breed is Bangalore-based C Thyaga Rajan, ex ITI footballer and Sri Kempe Gowda Awardee. He is running Sri Nandhan Football Coaching Camp for last 27 years.
But before I go on talking about him and his contribution towards the game, let’s understand Bangalore’s contribution in Indian football.
History
IT capital of India is no stranger to football. Olympians Raman, Kannaiah, Shanmugham, and J Anthony were part of the 1948 and 1952 Olympics football contingent. Arumainayagam who dominated the national scene in the sixties and Ulganathan in the seventies all belonged to this city. Not to forget Shanmuham Venkatesh, Carlton Chapman, Noel Wilson, R C Prakash, the list is endless.
The city used to host a top national-level tourney, Stafford Cup and the rivalry between the top teams Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) would bring in many frenzied fans to the stadium. Alas, Stafford Cup is stopped for many years and ITI has closed their football team. No team from the city is competing in the 1st division I-League as HAL got relegated couple for years ago. Situation is more compounded when the public sector enterprises like NGEF, BEL, BHEL, BEML, ADA, ADE, HMT, and MEG have stopped recruitment in the sports quota.
Present
Its amazing to see how these cantonment areas in India has emerged to a melting pot of sports, especially in football. I could easily name two cities, Pune and Bangalore. You will always find a group of kids playing football in areas like Khadki and Ghorpadi in Pune. And how could you forget Bangalore’s Austin town, considered to be the nursery of Bangalore football. Right from the era of playing the game in bare feet to modern day, Austin Town has always produced quality players who have made our country proud.
If you happen to be in the city and by any chance visit Austin Town football ground, (better known as Nandan ground) during evenings, you will found group of kids practicing football under watchful eyes of an elderly gentleman. Well that’s Thyaga Rajan for you, tirelessly doing it since 1981.
Thyaga Rajan focuses on nurturing young talents and feels there are enough of such talents around Austin Town. Sadly, he points out that the city boasts of so many footballers of international repute, but seldom have they come out to train these kids.
These kids come from very poor background and can’t afford to buy their own kits. Putting his own money and sometimes taking help from his old students Thyaga Rajan continues his show. He encourages them to continue studies, as he says, “During my times, there were ITI and many other enterprises who would offer job to the footballers. Nowadays, it is impossible to get a job under sports quota, so it is very important be educated.”
“Until you make it to the top level, there is no financial security.” He urges that the IT should step forward to take up sponsorship.
For the recently concluded season, none of the Bangalore teams were seen participating in the I-League, not even in the second division.
HAL who was relegated from the first I-Leages dominates the local football scene. However, they missed the chance to participate in the second division, as they could not conform to the guidelines set by AFC and AIFF.
One has to understand the fact that most of the football teams in Bangalore are from the public sector. The public sector football teams functions in a different way, unlike the other privately managed football clubs. At times following the guidelines takes too long and by the time the formalities are completed, you have gone past the scheduled date.
This exactly happended with HAL and the football lovers of Bangalore were deprived of watching their team participatig in the national level.
Whats next…
Needless to say that there was a communication gap betteween AIFF and HAL management team in the last season. It seems that the HAL management team has leant from their previous mistakes. They are more careful this time and ensuring that all the formalities and the requirements are met in well advance. Also, the state body is ably supporting their cause.
The feud between the state and the district association that delayed last season’s local league is also sorted out. The football lovers of the garden city will be able to see their favorite teams’ game much early this time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)