New Delhi: Two days ago, indian football legend Sunil Chhetri He further engraved his name in the history books by becoming the highest goalscorer of all time. Indian Super League (ISL).
Chhetri, The bengaluru fc The captain calmly converted the penalty to secure his 64th ISL goal, going past Bartholomew Ogbeche and adding another record to his illustrious career.
His goal not only gave Bengaluru FC a significant lead mohun bagan But also cemented the lasting legacy of the player who recently retired from international football with 94 goals in 151 matches for India.
The national team is struggling with the absence of former Manchester City and Chelsea stars like Chhetri terry phelanwho now serves as the sporting director at I-League 2nd Division side South United FC, shares his insights in an exclusive conversation timesofindia.com,
From India’s fall to 126th in the FIFA rankings to the search for the next Sunil Chhetri. Terry has used his vast experience to shed light on what the future of Indian football holds.
If we talk about Indian football, India’s current FIFA ranking is 126th, what is your opinion on the current situation?
Well, it goes back to a clear strategy, what the all-India Indian Football Federation (AIFF) wants. Yes, they found a way. We have all seen the path and the roadmap of what they are trying to deliver.
we’ve all seen that Arsene Wenger FIFA has been in India with contingency to help and develop Indian football by helping to provide quality education at the top level, which will reach out to clubs and academies and coaches.
But for the sake of Indian football as a whole, we have to think deeply about this. Again, it starts with consistency and harmony. There are one million academies and football clubs in India. We have associations, we have district associations. Maybe it’s about everyone coming together, sitting down and saying, “Look, where are we going to improve, how are we going to improve.” A lot has been said about Indian football for quite some time now and the results in recent times have not been good.
There’s a new manager. We need to give him time. Like I said, FIFA will come. Hopefully, the AIFF can create a talent hub, maybe national talent, maybe four or five of them, there will be more technical directors, more sports managers and football development managers in the district in the football associations in and around India. Association, so that they can go out and work better and look at the talent.
I’ve been all over India, and I see talent everywhere, but are we really nurturing that talent the way we want to nurture it?
Where is it going wrong for the Indian national team?
It (becoming the head coach of the Indian national team) is a tough job. It’s probably one of the hardest jobs in the world if I’m honest. It’s about nurturing them, the young players, and having a holistic approach and really having a high-performance center with the best people out there, your game science, your best coaches, we’re getting there, But it will take more time. I know people have been saying when will this change? When is this going to change?
We are in this for the long run. I just trust that AIFF will have the answers. But for me, if you want the development of football, it is the national talent centres, technical directors, probably local associations and district associations that take the game forward.
They come out. They can look at the clubs, they can look at the players, they can look at the youngsters, they can look at the games, they can look at the scouting system. And this is paramount.
If we have to go ahead we will have to compete not with Europe but with Asia first.
We have to be the best in Asia before we can even think about competing with Europe, South America, Africa etc.
How will India get the next Sunil Chhetri?
Sunil has had a major influence on Indian football, especially the national team. He has been an absolutely wonderful servant. I have spoken to him on many occasions when we were doing TV together. And, he always says, “You know, if I knew a lot more when I was younger than I know now, maybe I could have played in Europe.”
They will have a scouting system, the All India Football Federation, but you will need top, top strikers. And I think at the bottom of the spectrum, it’s about developing individuals, not about developing teams again to go out and win trophies.
It’s about developing individuals to play club football first and then hopefully join the youth national teams and progress that way. But then, only the All India Football Federation and their scouting system and their coaches will know this.
There is also a common belief among Indian fans that ISL pays players so much that they do not want to go abroad. What is your take on that?
Well, that’s your problem, isn’t it? I always say, “If you want to develop as a football player and become the best, travel abroad, see what it’s like, and come back with success stories.”
There are millions of children and parents who want to take their children abroad to see what it is like, what it is like.
They are making money (in ISL). There is no harm in earning money because they have to take care of their family. He has worked hard to earn that money.
But now, if we want to compete with the rest of the world, players will probably have to play in higher, demanding leagues with more games. They must play the best against the best, the best against the best.
What do you think Manolo Marquez should do to get the Indian team back on track?
It’s always difficult because when you have a manager for five years, and then when a new manager comes in, he has to look at everything, what has already been done.
He will have his own views. He will have his own coaching staff. He is going to play two roles, which is very, very difficult. I don’t know how this will work.
Perhaps this will allow more time to find the person who can take the AIFF to the next level. I don’t know. But I think he has to go there with an open mind. He has to motivate the players with good solidarity and connect them with his ideas. I think it’s important. That’s probably what he’ll need to do.
I can’t tell him what to do. He is a very experienced man. He knows Indian football. He’ll know the players he wants. He would know the players who are playing in the ISL because he will be in and around the ISL, which is a good thing.
He will watch a lot of matches and that will give him a good idea. But at the end of the day, he will need time, he will need patience and he will need all the help and support he can possibly get.
