Indian soccer set for some top-class samba

After several years of Brazilian third division rejects playing starring roles, it seems that the world8217;s top footballing nation is pla...

After several years of Brazilian third division rejects playing starring roles, it seems that the world8217;s top footballing nation is planning some quality input into the country ranked 140. It8217;s early days yet but one Brazilian club is in talks to send coaches and trainers to improve the standard of football here.

That8217;s Club America, whose vice-president marketing, Antonio Baltazar, was among the participants at the India International Trade Fair IITF, currently on in New Delhi. The Belo Horizonte club have won 14 Brazilian titles in their 88-year history and their youth teams are currently topping their respective leagues.

Baltazar left India late on Sunday night but left behind a permanent representative, youth coach Juan Marcos Troia. 8216;8216;It8217;s a project Club America initiated because they see a lot of potential in India8217;8217;, Troia, an Argentine with a Brazilian coaching license, told The Indian Express. 8216;8216;The first step was to meet officials, which Baltazar has done. Next, we want to organise a friendly tournament between Club America and some Indian clubs. Then we8217;d want to send coaches who can work with children.8217;8217;

Baltazar and Troia went to Goa to meet AIFF secretary Albert Colaco, a meeting also attended by officials from local club Vasco. One of them was Vasco patron Noel Da Lima. 8216;8216;There are a lot of spin-offs possible at a later stage8217;8217;, he said, 8216;8216;but for the moment they Club America are looking at a few youth development programmes. Vasco is one of the clubs they might tie up with, the other two being in Kolkata and somewhere in north India.8217;8217;

There may even be something in it for Delhi, not usually associated with football. Baltazar held a long meeting with the India Youth Soccer Association, which conducts coaching classes for around 1,000 children in the capital. The feelers from Baltazar were positive, IYSA secretary Arup Das said. 8216;8216;Our main discussions were about bringing youth coaches from Club America, it could be great for us and for Indian football at large.8217;8217;

The talks are at planning stage and, as Lima says, 8216;8216;no MoU has been signed8217;8217;. Second, is the issue of funds which, Baltazar says 8216;8216;shouldn8217;t be a stumbling block8217;8217;, because what they are trying to do is 8216;8216;make football a business in India, otherwise there8217;s no future8217;8217;.

But a lot of distance remains to be travelled. The talks have to go in the right direction, and Club America have to be shown the money, or at least told how they might gain. India, and Indian football, can only gain from the exchange and though the AIFF has not commented on the subject yet, they might want to grab this golden opportunity at all costs.