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But of late football has lost out to its more illustrious cousin cricket in the popularity stakes. The dwindling interest in the once-popular game is an ample reflection of the shabby state of affairs in Indian football.
At a time when Indian sportspersons are asserting themselves in the world stage and bringing laurels for the country, the Indian football team is languishing at the bottom of the world football rankings. This, despite the fact that India has been Asiad champions in football and have performed commendably well in the Olympics in the 1960s.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body in football, introduced the National Football League in 1996 in a bid to raise the standards of the game in India. The effort has met only partial success due to the lack of a comprehensive package to focus on the fitness and tactical dimensions of the players.
But a wind of change is blowing in Indian football. The AIFF has roped in Bob Houghton as the new manager of the national team and the Englishman is expected to deliver the goods on account of his associations with some top-ranked Asian teams.
