AFC chief Hammam asks AIFF to act tough against clubs

New Delhi: Concerned at Indian football`s little progress in the recent years, AFC chief Mohammed bin

Hammam on Monday asked the AIFF to take tough decisions against clubs resisting professionalisation of the game in the country. Addressing the media after chairing the third meeting of the ad-hoc committee on Professionalising Indian Football here, Hammam admitted that the profile of the game in the country has not made much improvement since his visit in 2007 along with FIFA chief Joseph Blatter. "Not much things are not happening (since my visit in 2007). It is almost the same. India has a population of 1.2 billion and it is a vibrant economy. Football is developing fast in Asia but India is lagging behind. You should not accept this at all," he said. "Infrastructure is the biggest hindrance to the development of football in India and frankly speaking I don`t see much change in this aspect," he said. Hammam laid the blame on the state of affairs of the clubs and said the AIFF will have to take tough decisions if the profile of football has to improve in the country. "AIFF is not the only stakeholder in India. It is just one of the stakeholders. It is doing a lot. The clubs are resisting to the AFC professional criteria. It is natural the clubs are resisting as they are not suitable to them. But they have to meet the club licensing criteria if they want to be in the professional league.” "Tough decisions will have to be taken by courageous people. The current administration in the AIFF don`t lack such kind of people," said Hammam. Delving on the past history of the game in the country, Hammam said development of football in Asia cannot be complete without India. "Football in India has a long history. The first recorded match was held in India in 1854, 100 years before Asian Football Confederation was established in 1954 in Manila. You have the second and fourth oldest tournaments in the world (in Durand Cup and IFA Shield). But frankly speaking, India is lagged behind the rest of Asia.” "We in the AFC feel that no matter how much football develops in Asia we cannot do it without integrating India in it. India play a leading role in the development of football in Asia. So we formed this Committee with myself as chairman," he said. Hammam said AFC has no objection to institutional clubs taking part in Asian Champions League if they form separate commercial entities. "We are not against institutional clubs registering for taking part in AFC Champions League if they form separate commercial entities," he said. PTI