For some time now, India has been looking at a private-investment led sporting scenario as the way forward. The resource crunch the teams sponsored by government often face, and the need to ensure long-term sustainability by turning them into commercial ventures have led to the mushrooming of professional leagues like the Indian Super League (ISL) and a glut of private clubs.
In Chennai, the trickle-down is now visible in the senior division football league. After Netaji SC (now Chennai City FC) won the league in 2008-09, two of the last three seasons have seen private clubs triumph. Arrows FC won the 2013 league and Hindustan Eagles was crowned the 2015 champion last week.
“Around the world professionalism is the way forward,” says A. Robin Charles Raja, the Eagles coach. “Slowly we are also getting into it. Youngsters are willing to take risks. They are being paid more. So they see it as a productive alternative. We are able to provide good facilities; like taking them for a swimming session, have dedicated physios and so on. Not many institutional teams will have these. Young players see all that and if they feel like they have the talent they would want to play for a private club.”
In the year after Arrows won the title, i.e. in 2014, the private clubs numbered two. In the just concluded league there were four, including both the promoted teams — Viva Chennai and Chennai FC.
In fact, the top three positions in the table were occupied by private clubs — Eagles, Chennai FC and Arrows — and the 2016 season will see a minimum of five in the 12-team top division, with Chennai City FC, the first division champion, the new entrant. Madras Sporting Union, another non-institutional team, can also get in if it wins its impending playoff against Income Tax.
“Training programmes are better for players,” says Raman Vijayan, a yesteryear India international and current coach of Chennai FC.
“We have pre-season camps, residential camps and players spend more time with each other which is extremely important in modern-day football. There is money. With the ISL, market value for Indian footballers has also gone up. Even coaches would want to get ahead. They would want to get their coaching licenses and private clubs provide such opportunities.”
One view as to why institutional teams are finding it tough is that a certain amount of lethargy sets in once the players secure permanent employment.
“There are pros and cons here,” says Sabir Pasha, former India footballer and current Indian Bank coach. “It might lead to complacency but on the other hand, it allows the side to stay together. Without permanent players it is tough to build. We have those who sign for six months and one year.”
It is now widely accepted that sports quota appointments are at their lowest. P. Stephen Balasamy, Sports Secretary and Manager, Indian Bank, says that in the banking sector, recruitments are almost nil.
“For example, in Indian Bank we have given jobs to nearly 250 people in the country across nine disciplines in the last two and half decades. Now we have hardly 50.”
Robin Charles, who once played for Customs, weighs in here: “Since staff recruitment, in general, is low, these players have to go for normal work too. So they slog more than ever before which is very tough.”
Sabir offers a way out of all this. “Even institutions can have good teams without appointments,” he says. “We can have two or three-year contracts. It’s a question of livelihood and security of the players after all. The game has developed so much that the odd injury is inevitable. So a three-year contract gives them some security and also the time for us to build.”
(The story is a part of the series looking at the sports scene in Chennai)
