Vision 2047: FIFA ropes in Arsene Wenger to breathe life into Indian football

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been entrusted with spotting and honing grassroots talents to help football stay afloat in cricket crazy India.
The popularity of football has been overshadowed by cricket though authorities tried to pump energy with the introduction of the Indian Super League (ISL) in the country. India fared badly in International tournaments and is dismally placed 106th in world rankings despite high hopes of its resurgence.
The team was once called a ‘sleeping giant’ of football by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Now, All India Football Federation (AIFF), sport’s apex body, has woken up to the urgency of overhauling the system. The AIFF came under fire for poor governance which resulted in country’s temporary suspension by FIFA last year.
Fresh election was conducted in September. The football’s world body is now hoping to make remarkable changes with the help of 73-year-old Wenger.
‘We are going ahead with the plan to install a data driven scouting system in place for the national team,’ secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran said on Saturday.
He said the AIFF will work under a development project with FIFA and Arsene Wenger is tasked with overseeing the state of affairs.
Wenger is engaged by FIFA as its head of global football development.
Though AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey did not say anything about Wenger’s exact role in the talent development programme but said the drill would be key to India’s transformation to a football powerhouse by 2047, the year of country’s centenary of Independence.
‘We will approach methodically and looking to build infrastructure at a fast pace. Building the foundations of a strong structure may not be easy. It is going to take time but we’re on track,” he said. (Agencies)