FOOTBALL " A CULTURE "
The South American Nations like Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Uruguay the game football is a part of their culture.The two British visitors Oscar and Charles Miller introduced the game to Brazil in 1894 , the teams was made up of members from Brazilian social elite and it was only after the waning of European influence in Brazil over a period of time led to more democratization of the game filtering down to lower classes and football became the game of the people. The game gradually transformed from British's Defensive Posture and Tactical Movement of English Football much similar to the the Defensive Tactics introduced by the Origins of the game Cricket in England where the strategy of the game was primarily to wear down the opponents that out of sheer fatigue a victory was planned.Imagine Indian Test Player of 1960's Bapu Nadkarni bowled against England in the Madras Test 21 consecutive maiden overs it is anyone guess who was the strategist bowler or the batsman. The South American football playing nations have won Half of the World Cup Titles and produced perhaps two of the most transcendent players of all time Pele and Maradona .It was about Speed, Power and Urgency. However in Columbia as a leading national player of the country said " Football in this country is a sordid business it reflects the culture completely not only it is owned by cartels but run by cartels and now played by cartels ". It may be a coincidence that the greatest years in Columbian football coincided with the rising of money laundering and cocaine;somewhat identical to our BCCI controlled by the diverse political spectrum, business houses with bidders taking players on lease and creating several format of the game.Both Football and Cricket is played to raise the pitch of the public to the hilt it is to entertain public at large the way " THE COLOSSEUM " was introduced and staged during the reign of Roman Emperor Titus to keep his popularity and throne secured. Uruguay a small South American football nation a very liberal to immigrants, after the slavery was abolished its national team was taken over by the Italian immigrants this country has bagged two Word Cup Titles in Paris and Holland Olympics.
INDIA'S STORY : India qualified for 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil ( It was due to 4 or 5 withdrawal of qualifying teams from the competition ) but India refused to participate because FIFA DID NOT ALLOW PLAYERS TO PLAY BARE FOOTED. Our team has never since came closer to qualifying rounds for Word Cup. However we had our share of GOLDEN ERA for a decade 1952 to 1962 and eventually once became the best team in Asia.In 1962 India beat South Korea in the final and won the Asian Cup; Chunni Goswami from Bengal possessed a dribbling skill of 360 degree turn sending shivers to opponents. The club matches in the State of Bengal ( breeding state of emerging footballers) East Bengal versus Mohan Bagan has been a life and death contest for the people of Bengal but instead of truly professionalizing club football -Kolkata allowed it to lapse into cesspool of mediocrity very much like BENGAL the game played on poor grounds with limited infrastructure and the football administrators have woken up too late for the rest of the world has left us far behind.We may never play in football world cup in near future but we can at least work to recapture at least some pride in the Asian context as we did in 1962, perhaps the Union Sports Minister should introduce an ordinance and induct few of Veteran BCCI members in Indian Football Federation they have the tested magic potion to receive the support of our SPORTING CULTURAL PUBLIC and quite likely we may get success just similar to SOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL LOVING PEOPLE.
The South American Nations like Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Uruguay the game football is a part of their culture.The two British visitors Oscar and Charles Miller introduced the game to Brazil in 1894 , the teams was made up of members from Brazilian social elite and it was only after the waning of European influence in Brazil over a period of time led to more democratization of the game filtering down to lower classes and football became the game of the people. The game gradually transformed from British's Defensive Posture and Tactical Movement of English Football much similar to the the Defensive Tactics introduced by the Origins of the game Cricket in England where the strategy of the game was primarily to wear down the opponents that out of sheer fatigue a victory was planned.Imagine Indian Test Player of 1960's Bapu Nadkarni bowled against England in the Madras Test 21 consecutive maiden overs it is anyone guess who was the strategist bowler or the batsman. The South American football playing nations have won Half of the World Cup Titles and produced perhaps two of the most transcendent players of all time Pele and Maradona .It was about Speed, Power and Urgency. However in Columbia as a leading national player of the country said " Football in this country is a sordid business it reflects the culture completely not only it is owned by cartels but run by cartels and now played by cartels ". It may be a coincidence that the greatest years in Columbian football coincided with the rising of money laundering and cocaine;somewhat identical to our BCCI controlled by the diverse political spectrum, business houses with bidders taking players on lease and creating several format of the game.Both Football and Cricket is played to raise the pitch of the public to the hilt it is to entertain public at large the way " THE COLOSSEUM " was introduced and staged during the reign of Roman Emperor Titus to keep his popularity and throne secured. Uruguay a small South American football nation a very liberal to immigrants, after the slavery was abolished its national team was taken over by the Italian immigrants this country has bagged two Word Cup Titles in Paris and Holland Olympics.
INDIA'S STORY : India qualified for 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil ( It was due to 4 or 5 withdrawal of qualifying teams from the competition ) but India refused to participate because FIFA DID NOT ALLOW PLAYERS TO PLAY BARE FOOTED. Our team has never since came closer to qualifying rounds for Word Cup. However we had our share of GOLDEN ERA for a decade 1952 to 1962 and eventually once became the best team in Asia.In 1962 India beat South Korea in the final and won the Asian Cup; Chunni Goswami from Bengal possessed a dribbling skill of 360 degree turn sending shivers to opponents. The club matches in the State of Bengal ( breeding state of emerging footballers) East Bengal versus Mohan Bagan has been a life and death contest for the people of Bengal but instead of truly professionalizing club football -Kolkata allowed it to lapse into cesspool of mediocrity very much like BENGAL the game played on poor grounds with limited infrastructure and the football administrators have woken up too late for the rest of the world has left us far behind.We may never play in football world cup in near future but we can at least work to recapture at least some pride in the Asian context as we did in 1962, perhaps the Union Sports Minister should introduce an ordinance and induct few of Veteran BCCI members in Indian Football Federation they have the tested magic potion to receive the support of our SPORTING CULTURAL PUBLIC and quite likely we may get success just similar to SOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL LOVING PEOPLE.
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