Is Bob talking sense?

Last week my friend Riyas (Komu) asked me what do I feel about Bob Houghton’s proposed idea of building Team India for Asian Cup 2011. Well, in the first place I was wondering if Bob is aware of the ground realities. By contracting the 25 best Indian footballers for the next two years and then engaging them with foreign exposure tours will certainly require a great amount of financial support. First question, where would the money come from?

Having done that (contracting the players) and thus removing the top names from club football would mean that Mohun Bagan, East Bengal or even Dempo will cease to exist as a club. We are not doubting Bob’s footballing knowledge. But we can still expect some sensible ideas from this globetrotting coach. Like in his own country England (though he is based in South Africa), club culture is equally important in the Indian context. The Englishman would have given a second thought before proposing it.

Experts say a mininum budget of Rs 40 crores is required to maintained this team. So fund is a big issue here because All India Football Federation (AIFF) itself is struggling to generate funds for its own tournaments.
Besides, we are yet to know who would be central characters in his so-called Team India for the Asian campaign. His skipper (Baichung Bhutia) is in his mid-thirties. Renedy Singh too is ageing. Bob has completely failed to work on a second team which should have been in place after he took over in June, 2006. Some of the players who already deserved a place in the national squad doesn’t know how much more they have to prove themselves. Too much big talk will not really help Indian football. Besides the alleged coterie inside the Indian team with “Bob the CEO” isn’t doing good.