During my long association with the game I came across three very attractive and functioning football associations in different parts of our country. The first one was the Ahmednagar District FA which used to be a well organized unit promoting football in a serious way in the District. As an FY student at the Nagar College I enjoyed watching, playing and discussing football with the locals studying, playing and serving in the prestigious cantonment area. Tournaments would be held at the historic Chand Bibi Fort grounds involving everyone from Bhingar, camp and the city. One could see tremendous interest for the game in Ahmednagar.
The second healthy FA I came across was again during my studies. The Baroda District FA headed by the dynamic Shri Hardev Jadeja and ably assisted by Ramanbhai, Firozbhai, Lizardibhai, Glenbhai and Gul Vakhariaben showed a wonderful commitment for the promotion of the game in the University town. Charlibhai used to organize football tournaments for under 8, Under 10, Under 14, Under 17 and so one. It used to be full time football and full time refereeing for some of us.
As far as state FAs go I feel the Goa FA has been functioning well from the days of Bhausaheb Bandodkar. Though a cricketer himself the late Bandodkar encouraged football. FA Secretary Adolf Viegas was a tireless worker. In later years we keep witnessing business houses like Salgaocars, Dempos, Chowgules, Alemaos and our players showing commitment.
Dear Bob, This is what I expect 4m a true coach who is obidient to his work. This country praises only loser like the Indian cricketers, but unfortunately hardly anyone has the time, to look into football. It wouldbe your earnest endeavour if U raise the football standard in this country. Wish U all the best. 4m a Loyal Fan Abhishek
RE:Well Done, Bob, V r with U.
by rakesh choubey on Jun 05, 2007 12:21 AM
I dont know what these players do..in coaching.Dont they watch kaka,messi,tevez,,,I think they are selected on qouta basis or who knows whom basis.Why cant they see and improve themselves.The coach needs to make the Federation realise that drastic chnages are needed to improve our football.I wish I could see India in any world cups,,in this lifetime...
well said Bob and it is really appreciable.... i would like to wish good luck to indian football team and Bob. I am also keeping my fingures crossed with a wish that indian politicians wont poke their ....(god knows what?) into it and allow it to flourish if it has got any chance to do so....
We don't need dangerous games but we should encourage only good sports. Football, hockey, cricket, boxing what is there in them to be called as sports. And these races, cars and bikes.. wasting precious natural resources, they cannot be termed as sports, but dangerous games.
RE:Ban Football and other games
by Manu Mekala on Jun 04, 2007 08:30 PM
ok lets play checkers man.. r u mad or something? Ban? go tell that 2 6 billion other people...
RE:Ban Football and other games
by Kris Iyer on Jun 04, 2007 08:37 PM
Its upto you to open your eyes and see, what is good and what is bad. There are many track and field events, there are so many good sports, tennis, snooker etc
Just because there are many millions who smoke, that doesn't mean smoking should be good or should be encouraged.
RE:Ban Football and other games
by Sunit Kumar on Jun 04, 2007 08:54 PM
Kris Iyer, buddy, check ur head and see if the brain has not drained out through ur ears !!!
RE:Ban Football and other games
by Kris Iyer on Jun 04, 2007 09:06 PM
Just like football your comments too are brutal, shows the quality of your mind, your thought.
What is football or hockey or boxing, but violent entertainment, even spectators get killed at times. What is wrong if I say Ban it. No body died while playing or watching tennis or billiards.
RE:Ban Football and other games
by Rags Vinu on Jun 04, 2007 09:39 PM
Seems your thoughts are "inspired"(?!) from Ernest Hemmingways Quotes. Try your own ones next time
RE:Ban Football and other games
by kaka on Jun 05, 2007 07:07 AM
I think this guy might have been too girly and pansy to play football in his youth thats why the comments hahahahahahahahah
Very eye opening article.National coach rahter than defending his team is openly saying we have not made any progress in last one year! Whom to blame?Coach?Of course not!Hats off to him for his honest comment. It is the public of India,so called sports lovers who are to blame for this. Had it been a third rate report invloving indian cricket..as much as 20pages would have filled on rediff comment coloumn. Every one must have heard about ''Frog in a well'' story. Sports scene in India is like that only.We are becoming a frog in the sports well who has only one thing to talk..Cricket! Cricket which is played in 10countries out of 178 countries in the world.In that too we have able to win One world cup..that too mostly because of one persons Magic! If i try to pen-down 5 truely international sportsmen from India whom most of the sports lover know in the world...i can count 2 or 3 Maximum...Dhyanchand,Vish.Anand,May be Geet Sethi....(Milkha Singh,PT Usha got very near though) You ask any Tom,Dick and Harry in india..he can debate in length on who should be the next coach of indian cricket but so much indifferent about other sports! Wake up India!!People around the world think that we are Lazy by nature and thats why dont play sports!
IN MOST PARTS OF THE WORLD SPORTS IS PART OF THEIR LIFE...IN COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIA ITS A MUST FOR A STUDENT TO TAKE UP A SPORT AND TRY TO EXCEL IN IT...AND THE GOVT. PROVIDES MAXIMUM SUPPORT...ONLY SPORTS PERSONS ARE ALLOWED TO HANDLE THINGS..NOT POLITICIANS.MAY BE ITS EASIER FOR THEM SINCE THE POPULATION IS LESS THAN 25 MILLION. BUT IN INDIA WE SHOULD AT LEAST TRY TO BRING UP THE SPORTING CULTURE FROM THE JUNIOR SCHOOL LEVEL.CHINA HAS SUCCEEDED IN DOING THAT.MOST OF THE GOVT. SPORTS SCHOOLS ARE A JOKE...THERES NO SERIOSNESS AT ANY LEVEL.
RE:sports is a culture !!
by Sunit Kumar on Jun 04, 2007 07:47 PM
manoj when u were studying, did they teach u to write only in capital letters ? please man, cant even read what u have written.
Atleast Mr. Houghton had the humility to admit that Indian Football has not made much progress during the last 12 months. He did not produce a list of excuses and hit the nail on the head. All the best Mr. Houghton! We look forward to seeing India climbing the ladder.
RE:Humble admission
by Sunit Kumar on Jun 04, 2007 07:38 PM
ur dreaming, belive me no one will even notice when he goes, during his stint also india will not make any progress....if it happens the opposite, belive me i would be happy but the fact says something else !!!
RE:coach?
by Sunit Kumar on Jun 04, 2007 07:40 PM
Boss, let me begin by saying, let us have schools first, if we have them, let there be students with play grounds, rest is easy !!
RE:coach?
by vinay thakur on Jun 04, 2007 08:13 PM
Dear Sunit, Please think of African countries where Schools are a dream of futur.Hunger and constant fighting all over is daily routine!They simply dont have food to eat. Why making excuses that India doesnot have schools or playgrounds?? We guys are like shit..even we provide same facility like USA then also we are not going to get within top 100 nations in Football. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are ranked 115 and 117 against Great India's 165 rank
RE:coach?
by Sunit Kumar on Jun 04, 2007 08:52 PM
In 1956, India was poor, we used to get food aid from UN and we had our footbal team in Olympic in Semis, Dont mix whole of Africa, some of African Nations have a stable economy, Sri Lanka has better Infrastructer than India..., by winning football, nothing is going to change, but yes the underline principle lets get our things sorted out, football can come later...
RE:coach?
by chinmay yedurkar on Jun 04, 2007 09:25 PM
why cant things go togather with the football..? how cricket is going with it/ why it has better infrastructure..?why Bangladesh is better?
