Mizorams surprise

Mizorams upset win over Kerala in the pre-quarter final stage of the 64th Santosh Trophy is a tale of hope within the larger tale of wishful longing and disappointment thats been the trajectory of Indian football. Ever since the Fifa world rankings were created in 1992,Indias best rank has been 100 in 1993,the first year of the published rankings. India,currently No 132,fell to a low of 157 in 2006 and are 126 on average.

Notwithstanding the cynics,the door to a footballing future had never closed for India. If internationally,India havent moved much upwards,Indian national footballs geography has changed significantly,if not unrecognisably. And thats not just a story of nurturing raw talent or of the training provided by the Tata or SAIL academies. Its also a tale of how our club and inter-state/service football leagues have seen new champions. Bengal,Punjab and Kerala no more monopolise Indian football than do East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. The Northeast,where football is indeed cared about,threw up a Santosh Trophy champion in Manipur in 2002-03. Now,Mizoram has made it to the quarter final league.

Such changes,even ruptures,are good for Indian football. Especially when we note that Mizoram,which has excellent talent,has no footballing infrastructure not even a single proper football ground as the team manager has said and depends on financial assistance from the state government and the training provided by the academies. This success was long awaited,and Mizoram will now hope to emulate Manipur. If India are to re-emerge as a serious footballing nation,investment in infrastructure and academies will be imperative,along with full-scale professionalism and player exposure to international standards. However,spreading out the domestic success and discovering talents across the country is news of renewed possibility.