Hyderabad, June 24 (IANS) The World Cup has rekindled interest among football fans in this city that has produced 15 Olympians and 150 internationals. Former Olympians feel that, if nurtured properly, young talent can help revive the past glory of Hyderabad’s football that saw its heydays in the sixties and seventies.
The mega event in South Africa is providing a rare opportunity for youngsters here to watch the football greats in action and learn new techniques.
For players of Hyderabad Sporting Club, the oldest football club in the city, the World Cup provides a golden opportunity to learn something new. ‘It’s in the formative years that as a player you learn. A player gets to watch big stars, learn something new and improve his game,’ Zubair Bin Sultan, who was part of the Andhra Pradesh team at sub-junior and junior nationals, told IANS.
‘Sports channels don’t show matches played by the top clubs in the world. It is a treat watching the games in South Africa. We can learn how to pass the ball and make moves and we are also motivated to work on fitness, seeing their stamina,’ the 16-year-old said.
Mohammed Akbar, a former national player who played for Mohammedan Sporting and Mohun Bagan in the 1970s, said: ‘The World Cup is one thing for the man in the street and a different thing for a player. It may be temporary fever for others but for a player it is an opportunity to learn.’
Akbar said today’s generation is lucky to see the world-class action live on their screens. ‘We used to see only the photographs in sports magazines,’ recalled Akbar, who is currently chairman of the coaches’ committee at the Andhra Pradesh Football Association.
Hyderabad Sporting Club’s ground in Vijaynagar colony comes alive every evening with young players practising under the watchful eyes of former national and international players. ‘You will find them playing here every evening,’ said Fida Hussain, vice president of the club which has produced many international players.
Established in 1940, it is the oldest club in Hyderabad and has survived despite the fact that the game is almost dead in its former stronghold, which contributed as many as nine players to the Indian team that ended fourth in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956.
Three players from this city were part of the team at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, while the city contributed nine players for the 1960 Rome Olympics, the last time India featured at the Olympics.
Some of the former Olympians who are still around rue the fate of football in this historic city, which produced 15 Olympians, 21 Asian Games participants, 150 international players, seven international referees, eight national coaches and five Arjuna awardees.
‘No other city has produced so many stars but unfortunately vested interests have almost killed the game,’ said S. S. Hakeem, who was part of the team at Rome.
‘Children are watching the football World Cup, but this is only fun for a few days. This will not help unless there is some follow-up action. A player has to practise for four to five days a week, but there is hardly any tournament these days,’ said Hakeem, son of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim, under whose stewardship India played in three Olympics.
‘Hyderabad football is almost dead. Court cases are damaging football. Children are interested, but what is the use? Deserving boys are not selected. The team does not go out to play,’ Hakeem, who is currently consultant-cum-advisor for sports at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, told IANS.
Mohammmed Zulfikaruddin, who was part of the Indian squad at the Melbourne Olympics, was happy the present generation is getting so much exposure to international football.
‘The World Cup will help the growth of football because players can learn a lot by watching the world-class games. During our days there was no television and we never had any idea of the standard of European and American football.’
Zulfikar cannot afford a television at his rented house in Padmarao Nagar but goes to his daughter’s house in the same locality to catch up with some live action from South Africa.
He recalled that his first exposure to world-standard football was when a Russian team came to Hyderabad in 1955. ‘Their stamina, speed and formation were just incredible,’ recalled the former striker.
‘Those days we came close to world standards, but during the last three to four decades we have lagged much behind. Making a comeback is not impossible, but we will have to work very hard to catch up with the rest of the world,’ Zulfikar said.
‘The game is being played in courts and offices and not on the ground. Both administrators and players are playing politics,’ he said referring to the legal tussle between two groups in the Andhra Pradesh Football Association.
However, Habibul Hasan Hamid, another former Olympian, said there is no future in football.
‘Today’s youngsters are reluctant to play because there is no future in the game. My only son was interested in playing football, but I discouraged him because I did not want him to suffer the way I did.’
At 19, Hamid was not only the youngest player in the Indian team but was also the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the 1960 Olympics.
Hamid, who played for Mohammed Sporting, East Bengal and Mafatlal, Mumbai, worked in the railways and continued playing till 1974. However, financial considerations forced him to discontinue football and leave for a job in the UAE.
‘Even the primary schools used to have teams. Thousands used to watch matches between high school teams. Then there were inter-college and inter-university tournaments,’ recalled Hamid about the city’s past glory.
He fet that an atmosphere to nurture the young talent is what was required to make a serious attempt to revive Indian and Hyderabadi football.
(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)
