MARGAO
Former India football team captain Prasun Banerjee is highly optimistic about the entire Indian Super League initiative and said it may prove to be “the stepping stone for football” in the country to go ahead.
“In order to reach somewhere, you need to start somewhere. I am sure there will be positive changes. I am excited about what's happening in Indian football,” Banerjee, who is visiting Goa, said. “When foreign players come and play with our local players, there is a tendency for improvement. We have to be patient and hope that everything works out well. I’m sure that there will be positive changes in football in near future.”
Banerjee, now a politician, is a three-time parliamentarian representing Trinamool Congress from West Bengal's Howrah constituency. In 1979, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award for his contribution to Indian football.
Banerjee is amazed at Indian football's leap from amateurism to professionalism and said it will go a long way in raising the standard of the game in the country.
"I am pretty optimistic that another six or seven players will play for world Cup and our players will gain confidence following their showings in the Indian Super League,” he added.
Banerjee expressed his hope that India will play the FIFA World Cup in the future. He lauded the efforts of Nita Ambani, the boss of Football Sports Development Limited, which organises the ISL and hoped that more corporate houses will invest in the development of football in the country.
Banerjee, however, criticised the leadership of All India Football Federation for “doing nothing” for the development of the game. “Nothing is being done for the sport by the chief of the country's football federation, Praful Patel. Football can be more popular in the country but nobody is making efforts... Patel, who is also a parliamentarian, is doing nothing (for football)," he said.
