First Live Football Experience

‘Unnecessary’

Baichung Bhutia being congratulated by Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery after he was taken off playing for 85 minutes in his farewell game for India
Source: Google

  

It wasn’t necessary.  Indian National Football team playing against Germany’s Bayern Munich.

Baichung Bhutia was celebrated for his contributions to Indian football.  

January 10 2012, I realised my childhood dream of watching one of the best clubs in the world, FC Bayern Munich at the JLN stadium.  A star studded line up comprising Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Maneul Neuer, to name a few. People flocked in like cattles, wearing Munich-German jerseys, chants reverberating from distance. A very unlike Indian setting (Salt Lake excluded).  Every single Bayern touch of the ball was cheered with a palpable sigh of respect.  

But to be honest, you’ve got to play an extremely substandard brand of football not to get noticed in front of a 35,000 odd packed stadium.  That is exactly what the Indian Team did, despite the game being Baichung Bhutia’s last. 

I was seated behind the German goal.  Neuer, hardly tested, played like an outfield player, making short passes standing half way in his own half.  Bayern attacked with full might in the first 45 scoring four goals in the process.  My end of the stadium could be the seen glued to the big screen, watching the proceedings take place at the opposite end. Half-time saw the German team making changes to their squad to lessen the embarrassment inflicted on the home team. Post match, the entire Munich contingent praised the India side. 

Indian National Football Team starting XI
Source: Google

Bayern Munich starting XI
Source: Google

Substitutes for both teams
Source: Google

But why?

That they didn’t concede in the second half could only be seen as a magnanimous side of Bayern to not disappoint the crowd who had turned in good numbers to see a decent game of football and not a mauling of their home team.  Speaking on my behalf, even a 10-0 defeat wouldn’t have changed the fact that majority of the young attendance was there to see the best club side in the world play in Delhi.  No matter how much the AIFF tried to convince that it was Baichung’s last game that attracted such a crowd, diehard football fanatics were there majorly to witness the brilliance of Die Mannschaft.  

Sad? 

Yes. 

A 16 year long Indian team career was glorified (tried to) using the popularity of an International club.  And on top of it, you could hear the admiration and disenchantment of the crowd on every goal scored by the German team and each misplayed pass by the home team respectively.  True, the Indians were up against world-beaters but the fact that they played poorly cannot go unnoticed.  Defender’s cleared the ball from the corner flag midway in their own half resulting in possession loss to player’s like Bastian, who are known for their long range strikes. 

Taking nothing away from Bhaichung, it won’t be wrong to say that he was recognized late, as is the case with Sunil Chhetri.  But what gives hope is that these are household names now when you mention Indian Football.  A lot has changed since the game on 10^thJanuary, 2012. Changes have been made including some that have an eye for the future.  It’s a long process but patience shall be the key.  

History and Achievements 

Facts

1937- All India Football Federation (AIFF) was formed

1948- India lost 2-1 to France in London Olympics (played barefoot)

1950- Qualified for the world cup by default but didn’t participate

(AIFF’s outrageous and outright foolishness, myopia not to send the team to world cup despite FIFA agreeing to finance travel, accomodation etc; one reason given by AIFF was that they didn’t have an organized system of selection)

Captain- Sailen Manna (Sailendra Nath Manna)

Howrah Union, a second division club in Calcutta Football League was his first team-two years from 1940-42

Played for Mohun Bagan for 19 years from 1942 to 1960, earning only 19rs in toto

Only Asian to be named amongst the worlds top 10 best captains by English FA in 1953

Worked for Geological Survey of India

Awarded Padma Shri by GOI in 1971

Footballer of the Millennium in 2000 by AIFF

Mohun Bagan Ratna in 2001

Died in 2012 at the age of 87

1951-64 Golden Era under tutelage of legendary Syed Abdul Rahim

1951- Won the Asian Cup beating Iran 1-0

1952,1953,1954,1955-Won the quadrangular Colombo Cup 

1952- Lost 10-1 to Yugoslavia in Olympics (all teams wore boots except India)

1954- Finished 2^ndin Asian Games

1956- Finished 4^thin Olympics (finest achievement of India Football Team, Neville D’Souza became first Asian to score a hatrick in the Olympics)

1958- Finished 4^thin Asia Games 

1960- Failed to qualify for the Asian games

1962- Won the Asia Cup beating South Korea 2-1

1964- Finished 2^ndin Asia Cup

1966- Eliminated in the first ROUND

1970- Finished third in the Asia Cup beating Japan 1-0

Syed Abdul Rahim played with a 4-2-4 in 1950’s (1956 Melbourne Olympics) even before it was popularized by Brazil in 1958 WC. He was greatly influenced by the 3-2-5 with a deep lying centre forward played by the Golden Squad of Hungary managed by the Gusztav Sebes and trainer Marton Bukovi.  S.A Rahim in fact played skipper Samar badru Banerjee in the deep playmakers role.

AIFF dropped Amal Dutta from the Technical Directors post and did not accept his services even at the age group level (reason was that he demanded proper remuneration for his services as a professional). It is to the loss of Indian football that his greatness was constantly questioned by the parsimonious mediocrity of the game’s more conservative elements. 

P.K Banerjee was a brilliant reader of the game.  Gave incessant instructions and gesticulations during a match.  India’s equivalent of Bill Shankly.  Crisp match analysis and numerous juicy quotes.  Scored in the final of the 1962 Asia Games against South Korea.  He has won all major club tournaments in India as a coach. East Bengal, coached by Banerjee, defeated Asian Giants- 2 North Korean Clubs in 1970’s with 4-5-1 formation.  The North Korean's eventually made videos and learnt his style of play.