FIFA, AIFF’s cooperation, strong desire key to setting up academy in India: Wenger

Legendary football coach Arsene Wenger believes “cooperation” and “strong desire” between FIFA and AIFF will be key to the success of a central academy in India, for which he would visit the country next month.
Wenger, who met with AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey and secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran last month in Australia to finalise setting up the academy, expressed he was “very optimistic” after the meeting.
“I would say that football is the most popular sport in the world and it looks logical that one of the biggest countries in the world has access to football development,” Wenger was quoted as saying in an AIFF release.
“The number is an advantage, but the organisation’s task gets tougher. 1.4 billion people, I’d say it’s a gold mine, but a gold mine, which, at the moment, we have not analysed or identified well,” he said.
“That’s why we need people inside the country who know where the talent is. This is why the cooperation between FIFA and the AIFF will be absolutely vital, with a strong desire,” he added.
Wenger hopes the conversations with AIFF to translate into success.
The 73-year-old said India can follow the example of Japan for ensuring growth of football in the country.
“I arrived in Japan in 1995. They started the professional league in 1993. But they understood very early that you need to create academies and education for young players, and did that programme very well,” he said.
“Look at them now, the boys as well as the girls. Japan are among the top of the world rankings. They are a good example to follow. They understood very quickly that education was the key,” Wenger added.Wenger said apart from identifying talent, AIFF will have to “take charge” of education.
The legendary coach plans to visit India in October to take matters forward.Wenger said despite cricket being India’s No 1 sport, there is enough room for other sports too.
“At the moment, cricket is their number one sport. I have nothing against cricket. I was in England for a long time and I know how important cricket is to England. But there is room for other sports. (PTI)