Indian football - changing for good !

Yesterday was a great occasion for football in India. After a very long time, India won a genuine tournament at Asia level (there were the Nehru Cup's, SAF Cup's etc, but then these didn't feature teams like DPR Korea or Tajikistan).
India won the second edition of the AFC Challenge Cup beating Tajikistan 4-1 in the final.
It was a commanding performance from India against a team, whose every touch showed the wide gulf between the technical abilities of the two sets of players.
India scored three quick goals in the opening twenty minutes and that pretty much wrapped the game up, although Tajikistan scored one back in the final minutes of the first half. Later, Sunil Chettri completed his hat-trick and in doing so put the game which was played before a jubilant crowd, to bed.

India's game was not a smooth, flowing, beautiful display, but at times it suggested that Indian football was changing for the good. There was the intent from every single payer on the field, although at times, the execution let them down.
Even after all the positive changes under Bob Houghton, a remarkable manager, there are habits the players seems unable to get rid of , like losing their composure while the opposition attacks. There are miss hits and dodgy clearances, which certainly don't reflect well on India. The over-eagerness to play the long ball need to controlled if India need to be successful against better, faster teams from the Middle-East and East Asia.


The jubilant Indian team with the AFC Challenge Cup

But things are looking good. Though it was not a surprise that most of the young men (and women) who turned up to watch the match wore shirts of football teams from Europe like Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid, it was heartening to see a lot of youngsters wearing the India shirt.
I grew up watching and playing football, in Malappuram district of Kerala, where football is the greatest crowd puller, and seven-a-side tournaments in make shift stadiums attract crowds of the size of ten thousand. I have spent a lot of money buying football stuff, Manchester United shirts etc. Yet, I have never owned anything remotely related to Indian football. Somehow it did not feel appropriate, in a country that is too mad about cricket.
But after yesterday, I know I want to have the India shirt. I am sure I will wear it, and feel proud of it. And I am sure most of the youngsters who watched India play yesterday will be proud too..
Things are looking good for Indian football, and I hope the journey forward continues.....