Datuk Seri Windsor John
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The previous few days had been bitter ones for Indian soccer. Many of the nation’s premier golf equipment had been reluctant to launch gamers for the Asian Games and the National coach Igor Stimac couldn’t actually have a single coaching session earlier than taking part in in Hangzhou.
There was loads of emotional noise throughout, definitely not the correct send-off for the staff.
But Datuk Seri Windsor John identified that the issue was solely prone to get larger in all places within the subsequent few months.
“This is not only an Asian Games problem but also an Olympics problem. Because these matches are played on a non-FIFA window. So, the clubs are not obliged by the rules to release their players,” stated John, the overall secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, in a chat with The Hindu.
Players belong to golf equipment
“Don’t forget, the players belong to the clubs. They are the ones taking care, so it’s always a good understanding between the clubs and the association that can solve the problem. You cannot throw the rule book at both sides — the federation or the club — it does not help anyone. It becomes very emotional if there is no proper discussion.
“For the Olympics, even the FIFA (world body) cannot force clubs to release players.”
A number of many years in the past the world’s finest, regardless of age, performed on the Olympics however from 1992 after negotiations between FIFA and the International Olympic Committee, soccer on the Olympics grew to become an under-23 occasion and from 1996, three gamers over 23 had been additionally allowed in.
“They realised that many players were not coming for these Games, so they brought it down to under-23 and later allowed three over-23 players (the Olympic Council of Asia decided to follow the same rule for the Asiad from 2002).
New Dilemma
One of the reasons FIFA was keen on making the Olympics an under-23 event was because it wanted its World Cup to be football’s premier event. But now there’s a new dilemma.
“The thinking at that time was that under-23 players would not be the first choice, they would not be in the first 11, but now we realise there are many young talented players in the first team. We realise that players who are 20 and 21 are all playing for some of the world’s top clubs. So now, we are stuck,” stated John.
“We cannot bring anything lower because it devalues the event. Olympic and Asian Games organisers would be upset if we decide to send under-18 teams. So, that dilemma is there.”
Some high gamers, who had been eager to play the Olympics, have discovered a method.
“They have in their contract that they will or will not play. Messi played in the Olympics because he told whichever club he was playing, that he would. So, it is up to the club and the national team to accept it. So it’s a negotiation and an understanding that could solve the issue,” stated the Malaysian.
Source web site: www.thehindu.com
