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| SPORTS TRIBUNE | Saturday, January 18, 2003, Chandigarh, India |
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Durand Cup joins AIFF ‘hit list’ End of road for Bruno Coutinho? Hockey made easier |
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Durand Cup joins AIFF ‘hit list’ THE National Football League, started by the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) in a bid to control all the soccer activity in the country, has sounded the death-knell of many a prestigious tournament. The Durand Cup, the second oldest football tournament in the world, after the FA Cup of England, is the latest to figure on the AIFF “hit list”. The half-empty Ambedkar Stadium in the final of the 115th edition of the Durand Cup between East Bengal club of Kolkata and Army XI was a cause for concern for the lovers of the game in the
Capital, nay in the country, as the Durand Cup final had always attracted a capacity crowd, notwithstanding the quality of the competing teams. Just a few thousand spectators had turned up to witness the entire tournament, which was a far from the halcyon days of the tournament, when the semi-finals and the final alone attracted over a lakh of people to the Ambedkar Stadium. It’s now an open secret that the AIFF has throttled a number of tournaments, including the DCM, in the country to fulfil its own agenda. The DCM closed shop a few years ago when the AIFF made matters difficult. Once upon a time, the country used to be dotted with tournaments like the DCM, Durand, Rovers Cup, Nagjee, Chakolas Trophy, Darjeeling Gold Cup et al. But the new dispensation in the AIFF saw to it that one by one, all these tournaments downed shutters and those brave ones, who have resisted the AIFF overtures, are now battling for life, like the Durand Cup. What indeed has gone wrong with a tournament of Durand’s stature, which has always enjoyed a halo around it, as it is organised by the Army? “Timing”, observes an insider. The AIFF sees to it that the Durand Cup is allotted the wrong dates, which clash with the national league, national camps and school exams. This year, due to the SAFF football camp, many of the leading clubs like JCT and East Bengal could not field some of their star players as they were attending the national camp. The restriction of 12 teams per tournament, lasting just ten days, is also cramping the schedule. In the olden days, the DCM and the Durand Cup used to be month-long affairs, almost. The season would start with some important local tournament, followed by the DCM, the Subroto Cup for Schools, and the Durand Cup. When the Durand Cup comes around, the soccer season would be in full swing, with spectator interest whipped up to a frenzy. But times have changed, and now hardly a few hundred people turn up to watch even the semi-finals and the final. This year the stands started filling up only when Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata played in the league matches. Mohammedan Sporting were making their appearance in the Durand Cup after a gap of five years. But unfortunately for the organisers, Mohammedans were knocked out by Army XI in the semi-final, and the final, though featuring East Bengal, was shorn of any sheen. The hosts should also own up some of the blame for the present plight of the Durand Cup. Ever since the exit of the late lamented Wg Com A K Ganguly as the organising secretary, the Durand Cup authorities had failed to find an able substitute. Over the years, career officials came, saw and departed,
without contributing much to the growth and consolidation of the tournament, barring a brief spell when Col Padmakaran was at the helm. The late Ganguly, with his no-nonsensical approach, was singularly responsible for putting the Durand Cup on a pedestal, as he cut corners and enforced strict discipline to make the cup financially viable through gate collection and panel hoardings inside the stadium. Later, a time came when the Cup was making profits as sponsors came forward with lucrative offers. Col Bhupinder Singh, the new man in charge of the Durand Cup, did a good job within his limitation. But unless the Durand Cup organising secretary is given a longer tenure, ad-hocism will prevail, detrimental to the sustenance and growth of the tournament. It’s time, Durand Cup also organised a pre-tournament competition in which teams like Border Security Force, Punjab Police, Central Railway and others, who want to compete in the tournament, but are not given entry into the main draw, can be invited to participate, to create the necessary tempo for the tournament proper.
At present the pre-tournament qualifying competition is confined to a few local teams and some minor teams from Haryana. “AIFF is killing football in the country”, lamented a long-time Durand Cup watcher. But Durand Cup can still regain its lost glory if it sets its own house in order, first. Some old faithfuls are helping the show go on, but for how long? |
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End of road for Bruno Coutinho? IS it the end of the road for star footballer and former India captain Bruno Coutinho ? Perhaps yes, if his decision to switch over to coaching is any indication. Bruno's announcement that he was donning the coach's mantle for Goa's Fransa FC, who will be competing in the second division, has come as a surprise as he had already signed for Vasco SC, a top Goa outfit which is currently playing in the National Football League. It seems the striker's prolonged absence from the game due to a nagging foot injury, compelled him to take the decision, as he remained sidelined in Vasco's NFL ties as well as other engagements. In a chequered career spanning 14 years, Bruno Coutinho had become an inseparable part of the Indian football team. His exploits at home and abroad brought forth due rewards and recognition culminating in his selection for the Arjuna Award last year. Spotted by his school coach Salvador Fernandes at the tender age of 14, Bruno Coutinho first represented India in an international school tournament at Brunei in 1987.He then joined Dempo in 1988 before joining Salgaocar in 1989. The diminutive striker made his international debut in 1989-90 and last played for India in the Millennium Cup in 2001. Bruno's association with Salgaocar had seen the Goan team winning the Federation Cup (1997), Rovers Cup (1989, 1996), Taca Goa title (1989) and the National Football League(1998). He also represented the country in the President's Cup in 1989 in Dhaka before captaining India under-23 team for the pre-Olympics tie in 1991.He again led the country in 1995 and 1996 for the SAF Games at Chennai and Asia Cup in Malaysia. Bruno's happiest hour with the Indian team came on his own soil in 1999 as he led the country to victory in the SAFF championships. Three years back, football buffs of Punjab had a glimpse of Bruno's lethal firepower in the National Football League matches at Ludhiana. Playing for Salgaocar against Border Security Force and JCT, Bruno Coutinho led from the front, carving out many a dangerous move. Out of 23 goals that Salgaocar scored in the fifth NFL, Bruno alone accounted for seven as his team finished sixth winning eight matches. But how long can a player remain at the peak ? Most of the stars prefer to quit honourably when the going is still smooth instead of being hounded out and disgraced. For many, coaching is the best option after quitting the game. JCT Phagwara's coaches Sukhwinder Singh and Parminder Singh are also former internationals. Parminder hung his boots immediately after being adjudged the ' footballer of the decade' in 1993. Similarly, Mohun Bagan coach Subrata Bhattacharya, East Bengal coach Subhas Bhowmick, Indian Bank's VP Sathyan and Mohammedan Sporting coach Mohammed Habib are today utilising their vast experience to polish the skill of promising youngsters. An honourable shift indeed after years of struggle on the field. |
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Hockey made easier THE decision of the Indian Hockey Federation to go ahead with the experimental rules relating to the scope given in penalty corners and allowing for a more liberal view in the defensive posture within the circle is to be welcomed. It is a positive step and will mean less whistling and less interference with the course of the game. As per the new rules the ball need not be stopped “dead” anymore before a shot can be taken and the defenders are allowed to raise their sticks shoulder high to be able to negotiate aerial shots. The new rules mean that the umpires will have that much work less to do. Or does it? The rules board of the International Hockey Federation has done really good work in its endeavour to ensure that the pace of the game is maintained by liberalising the rules in quite a few areas. The most popular rule has been that of the rolling substitutes and the elimination of “off-side”. Both have changed the course of the game though it could be argued that the fitter Europeans have benefited more. Some of the rules, however, have left room for ambiguities with the result that the umpires are not always able to interpret in a uniform manner. According to Mr Amarjit Singh Bawa, former international umpire and still associated with the world body, unless the ambiguities were removed the application of the rules could lead to chaos. He quotes, for instance, the repeated violation by goalkeepers in India of the rules which allows them to propel the ball to safety as a preventive manoeuvre. While dealing with aerial shots goalkeepers quite often tend to palm and slap the ball away, giving height and direction. Umpires are never seen penalising such actions. Since a very thin line separates preventing and clearing the rules must be made more liberal and legalise slapping of the ball. As it is they seem to be getting away any case, at least in India. It is unfair to expect an under pressure goalkeeper to differentiate between defending and clearing. The new rules, particularly the one which allows the defenders to raise their sticks shoulder high comes under the same category. Once the license is given to allow the stick to be raised shoulder high, it is but natural that the height allowed will be used for more than prevention. It will be very difficult for the umpires to decide whether it is a defensive ploy or an attacking formula. The international federation needs to be a little more specific while framing the new rules. Not all of them contribute to make the game easier and faster. Take for instance the proposed rule which expands the scoring area from within the circle to 23 metres area. That is fraught with disaster. To convert the 23 metres area into a scoring zone would mean near total elimination of midfield play, easily the most attractive part of hockey. In India it was perhaps tried in the MCC Tournament in Chennai. The details are not known. It is not very clear if it has been successfully experimented elsewhere in the world. The fact, however, is that the idea seems to have been either shelved or given up totally. It was a wrong move from the beginning. The best part of the new rule pertains to doing away with stopping the ball “dead”, a crucial part of the penalty corner exercise. No longer will one man be wasted by the attackers for doing this particular job. It is an advantage to the attacking team and at the same time it will also mean saving valuable time. There is another aspect too. It has always been a difficult task for the umpires to judge whether a ball had been stopped as per rules. There are many occasions when a goal has been scored despite the ball not being stopped properly. One remembers the time when India drew five-all with Germany in the 1985 Champions’ Trophy in Perth. One of the Indian goals in the famous match came from a penalty corner and while viewing the recast of the match on television the next day, it was seen that the ball had not been stopped “dead”. It was fortunate for India that the indiscretion had been missed by the umpires. |
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Punish dope testers who err IT is shocking to know that dope tests are done casually even at prestigious international sports meets like the Asian Games! My heart goes out to Sunita Rani who was made to undergo acute humiliation because of the error in the dope test. She says she, along with her coach, was forced to stay in a small room for three days at Busan after she tested ‘‘positive”. Neither were they allowed to leave the room nor was anybody allowed to enter it. Surprisingly, they were not even provided food or any kind of information. I really do not know why such an inhuman treatment is meted out to a sportsperson. Now that Sunita Rani’s dope tests have been found to be erroneous, the persons responsible for the error deserve punishment. If medals of a sportsperson, who is found to have consumed drugs, can be taken away, then persons committing such errors should also not be allowed to go scot-free.
Surendra Miglani Why criticise? India’s tour to New Zealand changed the victorious image of our team. This is indeed sad. Today we have people criticising Ganguly for being moody. Mind it he is the same man whom all praised for being a true leader and a fighter just a few weeks back. All of a sudden the same Indian team, which had the world’s best batting line-up is being called spineless and directionless. With the World Cup so near, it is not the time to criticise our team. The talent and temperament is there. So what, if we had a poor New Zealand tour. Rabina Cricketers exposed The aura of solidity surrounding the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up has evaporated as India have been thrashed in the one-day series by New Zealand. It is a pity that the richest batsmen of the world could not last 50 overs in any of the first four one-dayers. It gives credence to the often heard remarks that they can only advertise for cold drinks and biscuits. Unable to perform they found faults with the pitches completely forgetting that their opponents, who do not boast of a formidable batting line-up, out did them on those very pitches. Judging from their inept, pathetic, spineless and shameful batting, it can be deduced that they won’t be able to do well in South Africa next month. Look how the Springboks have made mincemeat of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Tests as well as one-dayers. There the batsmen will have to
perform or perish irrespective of the nature of the pitches which won’t be palatable to the Indians. Tarsem S. Bumrah II India cricket has fallen to its lowest ebb. After losing the Test series against New Zealand, our team lost the ODI series. The Indians had gone to New Zealand with a lot of hope in view of the coming World Cup. But now the fall will have an adverse psychological effect on the team. Y.L.
Chopra |
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IS it the end of the road for star footballer and former India captain Bruno Coutinho ? Perhaps yes, if his decision to switch over to coaching is any indication. Bruno's announcement that he was donning the coach's mantle for Goa's Fransa FC, who will be competing in the second division, has come as a surprise as he had already signed for Vasco SC, a top Goa outfit which is currently playing in the National Football League.
