Chickening out?

Recently,India’s link with the English top flight has grown even stronger,with the city-based poultry giants Venky’s taking over Blackburn Rovers. Anuradha Desai,chairman for the firm,has said,“Blackburn is a sturdy team,but now we will try to push the team to the top half of the table. The previous management has done a good job,but has not been proactive enough. We want to make Blackburn a bigger brand and want to promote the team throughout India. Our aim is to make Indians support the team,and we have come up with a number of strategies for that. For example,we plan to bring coaches down here in India to train the kids and have workshops with them. Another thing that is on the cards is getting the Blackburn team to come down to India to play some exhibition matches against the Indian national team or a club side. Ultimately,we would love to see an Indian player in the blue and white colours of the Blackburn Rovers sometime in the future.”

However,Indian fans have their loyalties to ‘their’ respective teams,and few want to budge as yet. Venkat Iyer,a media professional who is a die-hard supporter of London-based Arsenal,says,“These are the teams that we have grown up supporting,through thick and thin. Yes,we welcome the fact that Venky’s has bought Blackburn,because it will go a long way to promote football in our country,which is still a poor cousin of cricket. But,that is not reason enough for me to switch my loyalties.” Gayatri Salunke,a final year student at Fergusson College,opines,“Whatever Blackburn has planned might work to convert those who are just getting into the game – the younger generation. Probably,seeing them perform live will have a huge impact on them. But as for the older generation,those who already support the Chelseas and the Arsenals and the [Manchester Uniteds,for them to switch over will be a much,much more difficult proposition indeed,” adding that she herself is an avid supporter of Manchester United.

The fact of the matter is,since Venky’s has taken over,the Lancashire-based team has played just two games – one against Aston Villa,which they won 2-0 convincingly,and one last Saturday,against Manchester United,which they lost even more convincingly with a scoreline of 7-1. Thus prospective fans are still not quite sure what to make of the team. As Swapnil Khare,a city-based football coach says,“The Indian public is very fickle,and most fans support a team based on its performance. Yes,perhaps the Indian connection could kickstart a Blackburn following in the country,but if the team doesn’t perform well,most people would happily switch their allegiance.”

But not all people are convinced. Richa Nirbhay,who plays for Deccan XI,says,“I don’t think it should be too much of a problem for Indian fans to convert to Blackburn. After all,we have no emotional backing for whichever team we support,and with all that the parent company has planned to promote Blackburn in India,the Rovers will become a team that we ourselves can associate with.”