FOUND IN TRANSLATION FOUND IN TRANSLATIONPHOTOGRAPHED BY MANISH SAMPAT Could it be that the hopes of Indian football rest on the shoulders of its foreign players? Vivek Menezes investigates N A FREEZING March morning in the Fergana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan, the champion team of Neftchi Football Club boarded a plane to Tashkent, then connected on another long flight to New Delhi, Ofollowed by a final hop to Goa. Less than 24 hours after arriving into the Indian heat, coach Yuri Sarkisyan led his players on to the floodlit pitch at Fatorda Stadium outside Margao, to play against Salgaocar Sports Club in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup. One of the storied teams of Indian football, Salgaocar had recently achieved impressive results under the guid- ance of its excitable Moroccan coach, Karim Bencherifa. Last year, they won the national I-League. But the AFC Cup presented another level of competition, against proven winners from 14 different countries: an Indian team had yet to win a single match in the Cup. As the teams warmed up, I observed an unmistakable air of res- ignation amid the crowd. The Goan fans clearly expected a drubbing. The early minutes of the game did nothing to change that expectation: thick-legged Uzbek defenders walled off their territory, and the deft Neftchi mid-field dominated possession easily. In the 25th minute, Atabek Isroilov headed home the game’s first goal, and triumphant Rus- sian cheers rang through the night air. But standing at the sidelines, I noticed the Indian team exchanging purpose- ful nods. Later, after the game, Salgaocar’s attacking mid- fielder Ryuji Sueoka would tell me that it was a moment of mutual understanding. His team had been hanging back to evaluate what they were up against, and had realized there was no reason to be overawed. Suddenly, Salgaocar began playing with confidence, its diminutive players scampering across the field to create GOING THE DISTANCE more space to pass the ball forward. Just before half-time, Brazilian captain Luciano Sabrosa and Japanese Sueoka saw that the Neftchi defense was visibly tiring. striker Ryuji Sueoka When a long pass floated to a backpedalling defender, train with their club – he pounced to steal it and quickly slipped the ball to Salgaocar FC, in Goa his teammate Chidi Edeh. Edeh kept control for a long JUNE 2012 — 203 second, then passed back perfectly in stride for Sueoka to slam the ball past the helpless Uzbek keeper. Goal, Salgaocar! It was now a tied game, and Fatorda Sta- dium rocked with delirious abandon. By the time play ended – still drawn, 2-2 – it was clear that something new, and potentially exciting, was happening in Indian professional football. As recently as the Fifties, football in India was of a reasonable international calibre – we regularly won the Asian Games, and other similar competitions, against teams like Korea and Japan. But since then, there’s been a steep fall from grace. By the Seventies, India was ranked a lowly 100 in the world, a situation that should have sparked a national crisis. But things only got worse. Earlier this year, India dropped to its lowest FIFA ranking ever: 165. Even narrowing the playing field, we stand at a shameful 32 in Asia. The Maldives, Nepal and Bangladesh all have higher FIFA rankings. But amid these bleak statistics, a glim- mer of hope is now being offered by teams like Salgaocar and Dempo, and some of their forward-thinking rivals in the I-League, who have started to achieve credible results in match play at the Asian level. There’s a long way to go, (NOT SO) STUPID GUY to be sure, but improved standards are GOES TO INDIA slowly becoming apparent across Unlike the protagonist of the popular Japanese the league. manga comic, Sueoka The upturn in fortunes can be partially and Bencherifa (below) attributed to the increase in media atten- found success quite smoothly in India tion and some money being pumped into the game. But what has really changed the game is the influx of high-quality the first Japanese star in the history of was soon transferred to the team’s foreign players and coaches, who bring Indian football. subsidiary in Singapore, then again to with them a level of professionalism Even before I met Sueoka for the first Bangkok United in the Thai league. The that was wanting. A new generation of time, I’d been impressed by his story – a Japanese striker found his career in international talent is dedicating itself physically small Japanese man finding free-fall as he scrambled ineffectually to producing results in and for Indian big sporting success in India. But, as I on the field, scoring just one goal in the teams, raising the hope that India will discovered sitting in the apartment he two years he spent there. It seemed like return to being truly competitive, at least shares with his wife in the Goan capital, Sueoka’s football dream was dead in at the Asian level. Sueoka’s journey to success has been far the water. from straightforward. But just when he thought he was done, Salgaocar’s Japanese goal-scorer an unexpected phone call from Arata Perhaps no team better reflects this only began playing in college, where he Izumi, the first Japanese player to line trend than Salgaocar, which has been worked hard to shine amid recruits on up in the I-League, for Pune FC, set in winning big under the tutelage of its full athletic scholarships. “Football has motion a series of events that brought Moroccan coach, and features strong never been fun for me,” Sueoka tells me. Sueoka to Salgaocar. Izumi had become players from four different continents: “It has always been about overcoming friends with Sueoka in Bangkok, and Luciano Sabrosa, the captain and great challenges, about managing my now he was calling to tell his friend that defender from Brazil; Chidi Edeh from tension and fear. It is still that way – I Sporting Clube de Goa was looking for Nigeria; Frenchman Maxime Belouet; hear people talking about enjoying the a Japanese striker. On the face of it, this and Ryuji Sueoka of Yamaguchi, Japan – game, but it has never been like that in seemed absurd: Indian teams almost who became the I-League’s Player of the my career.” The hard work paid off when always hire imposingly tough African Year in 2011, with a stunning first season he was drafted to enter Japan’s profes- forwards to man their front lines. But be- that saw him firing 22 goals and winning sional ranks and was recruited by Albi- cause “it felt like a call from God”, Sueoka crucial matches for his team, making him rex Niigata of the J-League. But Sueoka bought a ticket and left for India. Soon 204 — JUNE 2012 FOUND IN TRANSLATION after he arrived, he was informed that coach in the country, last year, the Indian right here in Indian football,” Bencherifa Sporting actually wanted a Japanese de- national team tried to hire Bencherifa, says. “Truly speaking, it’s Salgaocar’s fender. Dejected and depressed, Sueoka but was refused by Salgaocar. At 45 years diversity that is our greatest strength was lying on his hotel bed watching TV, old, the Moroccan’s stellar I-League’s – we’ve shown you must be open to the when he recognized Karim Bencherifa results are only the latest highlights in a world, and learn from other cultures and gesticulating animatedly on the sidelines long career that has progressed steadily playing styles. If you can do that, you can of a Mohun Bagan match in Kolkata. from Morocco’s first division through achieve the success we all want to see Sueoka vaguely knew the Moroccan Malta, America, Brunei and Singapore. from Indian sports.” coach from his Singapore days, and was He’s been Coach of the Year in three dif- There’s no question he is on to some- pleased to find that his team was flying ferent countries, and Bencherifa firmly thing big. On the Salgaocar practice field, into Goa to play a match just a couple holds the reins at Salgaocar. With steady I observe how closely the young Goan, of days later. He immediately emailed backing from his team owner – mining Punjabi, Malayali and Kashmiri play- Bencherifa saying that he wanted to talk. magnate Shivanand Salgaocar – he has ers shadow Sueoka’s explosive bursts to The next day, the coach responded with quickly modernized his team’s opera- the ball and sharp angling runs to the a number to call. The day after that, an tions, even engaging the services of a goal. They are all eyes, all the time, and airplane ticket to Kolkata was waiting at nutritionist and sports psychologist this you can almost see the gears shifting in the hotel reception. Sueoka scored two year – innovations that have been woe- response. When the Japanese veteran impressive goals in his first trial match, fully absent in Indian football thus far. needs a breather, his young teammates and the very next day, he signed his first The results of his efforts have been plain eagerly step in, raising their game Indian football contract. to see in the team’s success. impressively. Under the guidance of Bencherifa, “We have shown what can be done And it isn’t just during practice. In Sueoka’s talent came to the fore, and he that now historic match against Neftchi, soon established himself as a fan favou- it was the imported players who took rite, with his knack for scoring big goals the lead – Sueoka and Edeh made the in important matches.