Amid the buzz surrounding what has been termed a game-changer for Indian football, Brazilian legend Zico says the 158-ranked nation’s hopes of scaling greater heights in the world sport depends solely on the local players’ “mentality” and their “ability” to develop.
The much-anticipated Indian Super league (ISl), a first in international football, kicks off on Sunday and Zico is at the helm of FC Goa, one of the eight franchises that will be competing in the tournament which will run till December 20.Many see the league as an initiative that will change Indian football forever. Called the ‘White Pele’ — a sobriquet he loves to hate — for his extraordinary skills with the ball, the 61-year-old Zico has his own take as far as benefits of ISl are concerned.
“It depends. If India would like to grow, it depends on the Indian football players’ mentality. We can provide help through our rich experience and coaching but the ability to grow lies solely with the player,” Zico said in an interview.He added: “I am here to extend my help for the growth of football whether the player is amateur or a professional. But I hope that football scales greater heights with the combined help of the federation and the government.”
Zico is surprised that a country as big as India and, with its massive population, has not been able to make a mark globally. “India is a very large country but it is very unfortunate that the standard of football is not too high. I came to Kolkata in 2004 for the World Cup preliminaries and saw stadia full of people enthusiastically cheering and enjoying the game. If there is so much love for the game then there should be something done to raise its standard.“For success, we have to work very hard. I have done so in my country and will do the same in India. I will offer my experience and knowledge to better the sport of football in the country.”
Asked if India can dream big, Zico said it will need to believe that it can do well. “It’s difficult to say at this stage. To taste success, one needs to work together like a good team, everybody has to play their part well. It depends largely on the ideology and philosophy of the people. It takes time for sure. But India will need to believe that it can do well and it will,” Zico said.
There are a lot of expectations around him. While he doesn’t read much into his status as one of the greats of the game, he knows about the expectations.
“There is a huge responsibility placed on my shoulders and I will do justice to it. I know expectations are high. I am motivated to take on this role of coach to FC Goa. We cannot work in isolation but have to do so as a team. We have to work together to raise the standard of football in the country. I plan to take the team and football to the highest level and will do my best.”
Asked if has set any specific targets in the inaugural ISl, Zico said he would like his team to reach the final and win the tournament.“My objective is clear. The objective is to reach the finals and win. I am optimistic about this. We have to prepare well though. I want to get to know each and every one of the players well as soon as possible and I will share my philosophy of the game with the team.”
As far as the race for the world's best footballer is concerned, Colombian star James Rodrigues, according to him, is ahead of lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment.
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