V.K. SANTOSH KUMAR
Former Liverpool left-back John Arne Riise wants to be part of Indian football’s growth story, despite the national team failing to make a mark at the ongoing Asian Cup in Qatar.
India lost to Australia 2-0, Uzbekistan 3-0 and Syria 1-0 and failed to progress beyond the group stages. Yet, the Norwegian, who had two stints in the Indian Super League (ISL) following his time in England, believes he has a role to play in lifting the fortunes of the national side.
“They have a lot of potential, and I want to go back and help out wherever possible,” said Riise, who played for the Delhi Dynamos in 2015 and Chennaiyin FC in 2016.
“Since my playing time there, Indian football has grown,” added the 43-year-old, who was in Singapore on Monday to launch the April 20-21 StarHub Football Festival.
“The fan base is huge and people are beginning to accept that football too can be a big draw and a money-spinner just like cricket.”
Riise does not know what exactly went wrong with India at the Asian Cup, especially after the team achieved some impressive results last year, including wins over Kuwait and Lebanon.
“I follow Indian football closely,” he said. “There are a good bunch of youngsters coming up, but they have to be 100 per cent professional.
If you don’t live, think and behave like a professional, you cannot perform at the highest level. They have to be like European footballers, who only train, eat, sleep and prepare well for matches. They certainly need top European coaches who can show them the way.
“It’s disappointing that India did not qualify for the second round at the Asian Cup. Obviously, there is still a lot of work to do.”
Riise, who made more than 250 appearances for Liverpool from 2001 to 2008, said he enjoyed playing alongside Indian players “who are big fans of football and want to improve all the time”.
“I saw some real talent there,” he said. “The young ones are always smiling and they always want to train, which is a good thing.
“They don’t get paid big money, which can be a hindrance. But they must be trained to think like a professional, and that will be a big boost for Indian football.”
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is now FIFA’s chief of Global Football Development, recently observed that there is a “gold mine” of football talent in India that needs to be tapped so that the country can play a more significant role on the world stage.
Riise agreed with that sentiment.
“I see young players, eager players, who can do wonders. All that is needed is to show them the proper way to excel at the highest level.”
Riise, who won the 2005 Champions League and 2006 FA Cup with Liverpool, and was until last year in charge of top-tier Norwegian women’s side Avaldsnes IL, believes that is where he can step in and shape up the Indian football team.
“I can make them understand what they need to take their game to the next level,” he said.
Noted football commentator John Dykes, who was involved with the ISL in its formative years a decade ago, also believes “there is a lot of potential” in Indian football.
“But the expectations are too high,” he said. “What the Indian media broadcasts and how the team performs, like at the Asian cup, can be vastly different.
“What India really needs to focus on is having a very competitive league, and the effects will trickle down to the grassroots level, where boys will want to shine and be stars.”
