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On a round of inspection with other AFC representatives at Fatorda stadium, Basil Sylvester Pinto caught up with Tournament Director Javier Ceppi during the unveiling of the draw for AFC U-16 Championship to be held in Goa in September.
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Q: How do you see India’s preparedness for staging football tournaments looking at a larger picture?
Ceppi: India has its own particularities, own benefits and its own advantages as well. What I would say is that we are extremely happy with the planning so far. I would say that 95 per cent of the planning is done which we know that India is an execution country more than a planning country. Usually India is very good at executing and implementing, not so great in their planning stage. Getting the planning stage right is very important for us (pointing at work underway at the ground). You can actually see people at work. The core infrastructure is being improved. Goa unlike the other provisional centres for the U-17 World Cup to be held next year in India is in a more advanced stage. This will certainly help them in meeting the requirements of the youth FIFA World Cup with Goa getting ready to stage the Asian World Cup Qualifiers in September.
Q: Given the Indian team’s performance at AIFF Youth Cup, do you think they deserve merit in participation on a bigger stage?
Ceppi: If you see their performance in the AIFF Youth Cup, they drew against the two Asian teams (Malaysia and South Korea) which are decent, encouraging results. In September, India will be playing the World Cup Qualifiers in Goa at the AFC U-16 Championship. We all hope that India is in the U-17 World Cup by virtue of their performance, not just being the hosts. What I have seen in the AIFF Youth Cup, the (Indian) team has shown lot of progress and I am extremely confident that they can compete with the powerhouses of Asian football. South Korea in the last U-17 World Cup in Chile had beaten Brazil. And in their last group match at the AIFF Youth Cup, against South Korea (which they drew), they dominated the game. So I believe that India has the capability to perform against Asian countries certainly in the World Cup qualifiers in September. They will get there to perform in the World Cup as well.
Q: Having associated yourself with the last two U-17 World Cups, you have great knowledge on these mega pieces. Taking that forward to the one to be played in India next, what are your thoughts?
Ceppi: There are two parts to it. Firstly, the planning is very important. What we are extremely proud of is that the planning is put in place at the six provisional venues “ Assam, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi and West Bengal. Secondly, the World Cup is much more than a 23-day extravaganza. Goa has the honour to host the World Cup qualifiers and we expect no less than a full stadium in Goa. If the Goan fans do not show up in large numbers, it will be extremely hard to stage marquee matches here.
Q: The next major football tourney Goa would stage is the AFC U-16 Championship later in September. Which are the practice venues?
Ceppi: We have selected Ambelim, Cuncolim, Benaulim, Utorda, Navelim, Tilak (Vasco) and Peddem (Mapusa) as the practice venues.
Q: Why not Duler Stadium (Mapusa)?
Ceppi: The artificial turf is the main reason. Tilak does not comply for the World Cup qualifiers as well (AIFF Youth Cup was held here), so it will only be a practice venue. Only the stadiums at Bambolim and Fatorda comply with the required norms.
Q: And what is the criterion to host a tourney of such magnitude?
Ceppi: The set-up of the tournament has to be of a particular standard. If you see here (gesticulating to the work in progress at Fatorda), they are increasing the number of rooms, for the Competition Area.
Q: Your message to football fans of Goa..
Ceppi: I would like to tell them that they are extremely fortunate to see 16 of the best teams from Asia. I would like to tell them that they would not have seen better football in India then they would be seeing at the World Cup Qualifiers and at the AFC Championship. Even at the AIFF Youth Cup, the level was much better than what we have seen here earlier. World Cups do not come along often. It would be the first World Cup Qualifiers of any sport to be hosted in Goa. India will be playing on an actual tournament that is a Qualifier for a World Cup. If that is not enough motivation, then the level of play should be which is much better than what Goa has seen.
