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Former Arsenal manager and FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger, met up with AIFF President Mr. Kalyan Chaubey and Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran in Australia last month to complete the final talks for the new academy in India. The academy will mark the start of a significant association between AIFF and FIFA, and now Wenger has opened up about the footballing talent and opportunities in India.
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The academy will not work as a standalone entity, rather will be supported by four or five other academies. This is a part of Vision 2047, which aims to make India one of the top four footballing nations on the continent. The 24-year program has been broken down into six four-year strategic plans. The first of the six plans will look to cover the period until 2026, where the AIFF will aim to increase participation at the grassroots level.
Talking about the inspiration to work in India Wenger said, "I would say that football is the most popular sport in the world, and it looks logical that one of the biggest countries in the world has access to football development. I’d say that India is a sporting country, and I’m hopeful that we can bring great joy to children in India and have fun by playing football. I’m confident because I believe that success is linked to education. We want to give the opportunity to educate young people to watch football in India."
The vast population of the country certainly is an advantage but the other side of the coin is that it is harder to identify the talent among such a large group. “The number is an advantage, but the organisation’s task gets tougher. 1.4 billion people, I’d say it’s a gold mine, but a gold mine, which, at the moment, we have not analyzed or identified well.” the former Arsenal manager said.
“That’s why we need people inside the country who know where the talent is. This is why the cooperation between FIFA and the AIFF will be absolutely vital, with a strong desire. As per our conversation, the AIFF is highly focused and motivated to help us do that. I think we will do a great job together," he added.
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Wenger was also thrilled with the motivation of the AIFF during the meeting and further confirmed that he would visit the site of the work sometime around the end of October. He mentioned that although Cricket is the number one sport in the country, there is room for other sports as well, and both can succeed together. Wenger cited his stint in Japan, where he coached Nagoya Grampus Eight between 1995 and 1996, in which he said that India should follow in the footsteps of Japan and focus on grassroots football.
