U-17 Football World Cup: Coming of age, but still too young
, ET Bureau|
Updated: Oct 16, 2017, 11.39 PM IST
India’s performances have created a wellspring of expectation for the future, but the opening days of the Under-17 World Cup have been especially notable for the displays from the leading Asian sides. Japan destroyed Honduras 6-1, while Iraq drew with Mexico in their opening game. North Korea lost narrowly to Niger – who had beaten Nigeria, five-time champions, to qualify – and held Brazil scoreless for nearly an hour.
But the pick of the bunch were undoubtedly Iran. Having thumped Guinea – who eliminated Cameroon in the African tournament – they then towelled Germany 4-0. The Iranians had less than 40 per cent of the possession, but were devastating on the counter. They did to Germany what the German senior side has been doing to others for nearly a decade.
But does this necessarily mean that Asian football has come of age, or are these junior tournaments red herrings? After all, who remembers West Germany’s Marcel Witeczek, who top-scored in the 1985 event, or Philip Osundu, James Will, Mohamed Kathiri and Sergio Santamaria – all winners of the Golden Ball for Best Player, whose international careers never left the runway? Will, the Scot who was once an understudy to David Seaman at Arsenal, eventually became a police constable.
The reality is that Asian and African sides usually take these competitions far more seriously, associating victories with national prestige. Brazil, for example, haven’t even sent Vinicius Junior, currently playing for Flamengo in Rio ahead of next summer’s move to Real Madrid. England’s Jaden Sancho will return to Borussia Dortmund, the club he joined after refusing to stay in the gilded cage at Manchester City, once the group stage is complete.
These kids, and presumably their advisors, recognise that club football is the pinnacle, in terms of playing standards. There will be the odd team – like Brazil 1970 and Spain 2008 – that elevates international football to a similar level, but in general, it’s impossible to think of a national side playing with the cohesion and fluency of, say, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
If Indian football is truly to renew itself, the clubs need to invest in robust youth programmes, and create pathways for the likes of Jeakson and Dheeraj. The current system, of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) academy being the feeder for the national side ensures there's no onus on the clubs to emulate their peers in Europe. As of now, only four of the 21-player squad are associated with an Indian club, and that too the little-known Minerva Punjab FC.
As for the best in Asia, they need to follow the example of Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata and grow wings. Nakata left Japan at 21, already something of a folk hero, and did his apprenticeship at Perugia before moving to AS Roma, where he won a Scudetto.
Contrast that with the United Arab Emirates’ Omar Abdulrahman, who still plies his trade in the Gulf at the age of 26. One of the most gifted players in Asia has now spent half a career treading water instead of testing himself against the very best. For Iraq’s brilliant Mohammed Dawood, the key is to time his move right. Move too early, like Ghana’s Nii Lamptey did in the early 1990s, and the vultures will tear you apart.
Ultimately, the best players realise that age-group tournaments are mere stepping stones. I recall being at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in March 2008, at a ceremony organised to welcome home India’s Under-19 cricketers, who had just won the World Cup in Malaysia. “What you give us is hope,” Rahul Dravid told them. “We can believe that the future of Indian cricket is bright, and I hope that you'll be part of a World Cup win someday.”
Then the cautionary note. “I just want you to remember that of the boys who won the U-19 World Cup in 2000, only one member (Yuvraj Singh) was part of the (CB Series) winning team in Brisbane today. It’s something for you to think about... This is the start of a critical phase in your lives. What you do from here on is what matters.”
But the pick of the bunch were undoubtedly Iran. Having thumped Guinea – who eliminated Cameroon in the African tournament – they then towelled Germany 4-0. The Iranians had less than 40 per cent of the possession, but were devastating on the counter. They did to Germany what the German senior side has been doing to others for nearly a decade.
But does this necessarily mean that Asian football has come of age, or are these junior tournaments red herrings? After all, who remembers West Germany’s Marcel Witeczek, who top-scored in the 1985 event, or Philip Osundu, James Will, Mohamed Kathiri and Sergio Santamaria – all winners of the Golden Ball for Best Player, whose international careers never left the runway? Will, the Scot who was once an understudy to David Seaman at Arsenal, eventually became a police constable.
The reality is that Asian and African sides usually take these competitions far more seriously, associating victories with national prestige. Brazil, for example, haven’t even sent Vinicius Junior, currently playing for Flamengo in Rio ahead of next summer’s move to Real Madrid. England’s Jaden Sancho will return to Borussia Dortmund, the club he joined after refusing to stay in the gilded cage at Manchester City, once the group stage is complete.
These kids, and presumably their advisors, recognise that club football is the pinnacle, in terms of playing standards. There will be the odd team – like Brazil 1970 and Spain 2008 – that elevates international football to a similar level, but in general, it’s impossible to think of a national side playing with the cohesion and fluency of, say, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
If Indian football is truly to renew itself, the clubs need to invest in robust youth programmes, and create pathways for the likes of Jeakson and Dheeraj. The current system, of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) academy being the feeder for the national side ensures there's no onus on the clubs to emulate their peers in Europe. As of now, only four of the 21-player squad are associated with an Indian club, and that too the little-known Minerva Punjab FC.
As for the best in Asia, they need to follow the example of Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata and grow wings. Nakata left Japan at 21, already something of a folk hero, and did his apprenticeship at Perugia before moving to AS Roma, where he won a Scudetto.
Contrast that with the United Arab Emirates’ Omar Abdulrahman, who still plies his trade in the Gulf at the age of 26. One of the most gifted players in Asia has now spent half a career treading water instead of testing himself against the very best. For Iraq’s brilliant Mohammed Dawood, the key is to time his move right. Move too early, like Ghana’s Nii Lamptey did in the early 1990s, and the vultures will tear you apart.
Ultimately, the best players realise that age-group tournaments are mere stepping stones. I recall being at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in March 2008, at a ceremony organised to welcome home India’s Under-19 cricketers, who had just won the World Cup in Malaysia. “What you give us is hope,” Rahul Dravid told them. “We can believe that the future of Indian cricket is bright, and I hope that you'll be part of a World Cup win someday.”
Then the cautionary note. “I just want you to remember that of the boys who won the U-19 World Cup in 2000, only one member (Yuvraj Singh) was part of the (CB Series) winning team in Brisbane today. It’s something for you to think about... This is the start of a critical phase in your lives. What you do from here on is what matters.”
