Footballers’ welfare should be first priority: IM Vijayan

JAIPUR: Even MF Husain would have struggled to paint a happy portrait of Indian football. Such is the low the sport has hit in recent times.
Days after All India Football Federation bosses turned a blind eye to many Indian footballers being left in the lurch, and two clubs all but closing operations in Pune, Indian football’s living legend IM Vijayan, in an interview with TOI on Friday, stated there is no way the national team can improve if players are ignored.
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The AIFF president recently said he is not bothered about clubs shutting down, with the general secretary adding that the players should fend for themselves. Where are we heading?
See I can’t comment on the Federation. I have not been in touch with them and I am happy doing my football coaching with the academy boys of the Kerala Police team. I have a job here with them and some films here and there too. I don’t want to put the blame on anyone but all I can say as a footballer is if you don’t look after your own players and provide them the platform to earn their bread, you are not helping the national team nor the sport in the country.
Keeping in mind the current scenario, do you fear Indian football running into trouble?
I fear for the footballers. During our time we had so many tournaments to play in. Besides the Federation Cup and the Calcutta Football League, we had so many invitational tournaments of high quality like the Durand Cup, IFA Shield, DCM Trophy, Sait Nagjee, Rovers Cup, Stafford Cup and so on. Now with the ISL only accommodating 100 odd players and I-League clubs shutting down, I don’t think the future looks bright. Where will the left-out players go?
What is the solution?
There should be tournaments to accommodate Indian footballers. I don’t know why the Federation Cup was stopped abruptly. Where will the players go if they are not playing ISL and the I-League is for just five months with lesser number of clubs?
What’s your take on the ISL-I-League merger?
There cannot be so many foreigners playing at the expense of our footballers. The ISL has brought the eyeballs back to Indian football. I know that if you don’t have players like Roberto Carlos, sponsors won’t come. But then why not make the I-League only for Indian players. Why have four foreigners in one league and six in the other in the playing XI.
The national team is going nowhere too it seems with poor results against teams like Guam and Nepal.
We used take to Nepal for a ride. It saddens me to see what it is now. I watched the Iran game on television and felt our players are not fit enough. Also as I said earlier, there needs to be motivation and a sense of security.
What do you make of the team management?
I have played under Stephen (Constantine) and he is a very good coach. It takes time so let’s see but the overall scenario needs to improve. You can’t blame him. I am not sure about (Shanmugam) Venkatesh as his assistant and how good he is.
Why don’t we see more of IM Vijayan in Indian football these days?
Because I stopped playing! I am happy with what I am doing now. I cannot join any club because of job commitments but I am open to the national team, if they need me.
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