With the world of football standing up and taking notice ofthe talent present in India, it has never been a better time for an Indianyoungster who dreams of making it big on the global football scene. Having saidthis, it is also necessary to note that the road to become a professionalfootballer is still a long and arduous one. More so for an Indian.
Along with talent, a professional footballer should exhibitthe virtues of discipline, dedication to stick to fitness regimes and anunquestionable passion for the game. The first and the most obvious step tostart your journey of becoming a professional footballer is go out and startplaying as soon as you can kick a ball. By doing this, one can assess one’sstrength and weaknesses early on in life and chart out a plan of action toreach the goal of being a professional footballer.
In India, the first step is being a part of your schoolteam. That’s alongside joining an Academy to get professional help. And then, acollege team. If you are good, people will take notice of your talent. Thetalent scouts of various clubs present at the games might offer you a chance totrain with their teams. Following the Golden Rule of 10,000 hours of practicerequired to play at the highest level, every budding footballer should aspireto reach those hours on the field with the ball.
Awareness about the various national and internationalfootball academies is a must for any budding footballer who dreams of becominga professional player. Baichung Bhutia Football schools, Tata FootballAssociation, Pune Football Academy, Indian Tigers football academy are some ofthe national football academies that are known to help a footballer hone hisskills and understanding of the game. With major European clubs like ManchesterUnited, Barcelona and Bayern Munich bringing their brand of football to Indiaby setting up their own academies, a boy’s dream of being coached by the bestis now possible.
Case in point of an Indian boy making it big: BrandonFernandes from Goa made it to trials with a couple of Barclays Premier Leagueclubs. He has not only given hope to many, but is also a role model for othersto look up to.
A rigorous training regime, an understanding of the game, awillingness to learn and a wholesome, technical approach is the recipe forsuccess.
The future is bright for professional football in India andfor Indians if the learning is done properly. Talent can ride on this wave ofopportunity that’s currently encompassing football crazy parts of the country.
Mark Rodricks is a Pune based Goan footballer and coach of the Pune FC U-13 team. He is also the technical head of the Bayern Munich India selections.
