I can cap the Indian league matches if you like.
Indian football has a rich history. Ever since Mohun Bagan defeated the Yorkshire Regiment in that historic IFA Shield final in 1911, football became a way of life for most Indians and to a great extent, Bengal became the home of Indian football. Later in 50s, 60s, 70s statewise football got a major boost following India's stupendous show at the international level.
In Calcutta alone football clubs started growing in large numbers. Some of the oldest football clubs are Mohun Bagan (1889), Mohammedan Sporting (1891), East Bengal (1920), Aryans, Sporting Union, Kalighat, Rajasthan Club .
One interesting anecdote that can be mentioned. Nobody knows that Indian football team actually had qualified for the 1950 World Cup. But we didn't go. Yes, we simply refused because our footballers were not keen to wear the boots since in those days Indian
footballers were used to playing barefoot.
India at the Asian Games
1. 1951: India won the Asian Games gold
2. 1962: India won the Asian Games gold at Jakarta
3. 1970: India won the bronze at Bangkok Asian Games (India's last medal at Asian Games)
In Addition to the above wins the Indian team also qualified for the Following Olympics
1. 1948: London Olympics
2. 1952: Helsinki Olympics
3. 1956: Indian Team finished fourth in the Melbourne Olympics
3. 1960: Rome Olympics
Many Brasilians and Africans play in the NFL. Too many foreign players in some clubs. The Goa clubs are good, all Indo-Portuguese players. Footie is not bad. Some derby games like Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal attract large crowds upto 1,50,000.
Clubs in the NFL :-
DEMPO Sports Club (Goa)
Goa's most prominent club. It was founded as Clube Desportivo de Bicholim in 1966. But it was renamed as Dempo Sports Club once Dempo Group of Companies bought in 1968. The club became India's only club to win the Federation Cup and National Football League in 2004-05.
Coach: Armando Colaco
NFL Record: Winner (2004-05), 2nd (2003-04), 4th (1996 - 97), 6th (1997-98), 12th (1999-00), 6th (2002-03)
Players to watch Climax Lawrence, Ishfaq Ahmed, Ranty Martins Soleye, Joaquim Abranches, Clifford Miranda
Sporting clube de Goa (Goa)
Sporting Clube de Goa, based in Panjim, Goa, and formerly known as Haywards 2000, is a team built on the lines of Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon and adopting a similar club crest. The club made its debut in the 2003/2004 season of the Indian National Football League, and were on the verge of winning their first league championship last season. But lost out on the last day when Dempo pipped them to the title.
Coach: Clifford Chukwama
NFL Record: Runners-up 2004-05
Players to watch: Anthony Levino Pereira, Felix D'Souza, Bibiano Fernandes, Chidi Edeh, Dudu
East Bengal (Kolkata)
One of India's top notch club. It was founded in the backdrop of Partition in 1920. The red and gold brigade has its own ground at the Maidan in Calcutta. The most consistent side in recent times in Indian football. From 2002-04, East Bengal was the center of attraction after it won two back to back NFL titles and then capped it with a resounding international triumph at ASEAN Cup in Jakarta in 2003. Under their recently appointed new foreign coach, the red and gold brigade will have their task cut out in NFL.
Coach: Philippe De Ridder
NFL Record: Winners (2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04), Runners-up (1997-98, 1998-99), Third (1996-97), Seventh (1999-00), Fifth (2001-02)
Players to watch: Baichung Bhutia, Syed Rahim Nabi, Habibur Rahman, Muttath Suresh, K Kulothungan, RC Prakash
Mahindra United (Mumbai)
Mumbai's most colourful football team and managed by automobile giants Mahindras. The club was founded in 1962 as Mahindra & Mahindra but was rechristened as Mahindra United in the summer of 2000. They are fondly known as India's MU after Manchester United. Today, MU have seven to eight players in the national squad and are the front-runners for the NFL this season.
Coach: Deryk Pereira
NFL Record: 3rd (2003-04), 4th (2004-05), 8th (1996 - 1997), 10th (1997-98), Did'nt Qualify for final 6 (1998-99), Sixth (1999-00), Seventh (2000-01), Sixth (2001-02), Eight (2002-03
Players to watch: S Venkatesh, Sandip Nandy, NS Manju, Krishnan Nair Ajayan, Ramirez Barreto, Abhisek Yadav
Mohun Bagan (Kolkata)
Founded in 1889, Mohun Bagan is Asia's Oldest club. It is actually an institution. Moreover, the green and maroon club became the first Indian football club to win a major trophy when it defeated Yorkshire Regiment in that historic IFA Shield final in 1911. The club has its own ground located across the Eden Gardens in Calcutta. Like its many 'firsts' Bagan became the first Calcutta team to win the National Football League when it annexed the crown in 1997-98. But this season, the three time winners face a tough task.
Coach: Jahar Das
NFL Record: Winners (1997-98, 1999-2000, 2001-02); Runners-up 2000-01
Players to watch: Mehtab Hussain, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Dharamjit Singh, Tomba Singh
Salgaocar Sports Club (Goa)
Goa's most successful side in recent years. Besides being a three-time Fed Cup champions, Salgaocar, which was formed in 1955, became the first Goan side to win the NFL in 1998-99 under the guidance of coach Shabbir Ali. Backed by the V M Salgaocar Group of Companies, this Vasco based club has always been the strong contenders in NFL. Besides, Salgaocar has won the Rovers Cup thrice and lifted the Professional Goa League a record 19 times.
Coach: Shabbir Ali
NFL Record: Winner in 1998-99; Runners-up 2002-03, Third 1997-98, Third 1999-00, Sixth 2000-01, Fourth 2001-02, Runners-up 2002-03, Seventh 2003-04
Players to watch: Manitombi Singh, Ashim Biswas, Sangram Mukherjee, Selwyn Fernandes
JCT (Punjab)
Inaugural champions of NFL in 1996, JCT is Punjab's or for that matter North India's major football team. Though an institutional side, Jagatjit Cotton Textiles became a name to be reckon with in Indian football in the nineties winning almost all major national trophies. It's home ground is Guru Nanak Stadium at Ludhiana.
Coach: Sukhwinder Singh
NFL Record: Winners 1996-97, Seventh 1997-98, Fifth 1998-99, Fifth 1999-00, Nineth 2000-01, Tenth 2001-02, Fourth 2002-03, Fifth 2003-04, Seventh 2004-05
Players to watch: Rennedy Singh, Marcos Pereira, Sunil Chettri, Praveen Kumar
Fransa Footbal Club (Goa)
Based in Nagoa in Goa, Fransa Football Club is an emerging club from Indian football's latest powerhouse. Initially, known as Pax of Nagoa it was renamed as Fransa SC in 2002 and is sponsored by Fransa Group of Companies. In its maiden appearance last season, Fransa did well and finished fifth in the 12-team NFL.
Coach: Norbert Gonsalves
NFL Record: Fifth (2004-05)
Players to watch: Marcus Peixito, Alex Ambrose, Mark Mascarenhas, Ryan D'Souza, Roque Barreto
Mohammedan Sporting (Kolkata)
The black and white brigade. Founded in 1891, Mohammedan Sporting became the first Indian club to win the Calcutta Football League for five years in a row in the pre-Independence era. Probably, it is one of the very few Indian clubs which boasts of a broadbased supporters throughout the country. Though it has lost much of its sheen, Mohammedan Sporting still holds that charm. Qualified for the NFL for the first time in 2003-04. But couldn't hang on to NFL standings as it was relegated. Once again they are back in the NFL fold. Need more consistency to be able to match with the rest.
Coach: Md Habib
NFL Record: 11th (2003-04)
Players to watch: Raman Vijayan, Bijen Singh, Okonji Patrick D'Souza, Madhab Das
Air India (Mumbai)
Founded in 1952, Air India though not a great side in terms of popularity and flair yet this Mumbai side have the potential to turn the tables on fancied teams. The Airmen grabbed the fifth spot in the 2nd NFL - their best result so far since the NFL started in 1996. Qualified for this year's National Football League after they finished second to Mohammedan Sporting in the 2nd tier of NFL. This is their fifth NFL appearance.
Coach: Bimal Ghosh
NFL Record: Sixth (1996-97), Fifth (1997-98), Relegated (1998-99), Relegated (2000-01)
Players to watch: Nepoleon Singh, Sunder Rajan, Paresh Shivalkar
The only unusual thing is that we have CHEERLEADERS in football.
We also have a very good tournament called the IFA Challenge Shield. The current champions are Bayern Munich. Great teams like PSV Eindhoven have participated and won this tournament.
India has the largest number of Football viewers in the World. The number of EPL viewers in India is estimated to be greater than the total population of UK!
Despite the interest in football, the AIFF hasn't been able to channelise the interest into results at National level.
AIFF has launched the GOAL 2010 programme to get India to WC 2006 in South Africa. India are coached by Bristish managers since a long time. The current coach is Bobby Houghton who was preferred over Brian Kerr.
Indian Football
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