Mohun Bagan's Brazilian coach Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva says India
would do well to aim at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup instead of focus 2010
edition of the quadrennial mega event.
"The Federation and everybody else connected with football should look at
the bigger picture and have a macro vision, not a micro one," Pereira, who
coached the famous Vasco da Gama club to national title in the 1970s, said.
"It is very important to spot talented youngsters now
so that they will be prepared when the next cycle of World Cup qualification
comes around," he said.
India take on Lebanon on October 8 and 28 in the first round
of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa, but Pereira
said it was imperative that India planned ahead for the 2014.
"Players such as Bhaichung (Bhutia) and S Venkatesh won't
be around by that time, so there is need to look for their replacements,"
Pereira, who has had coaching stints as far afield as Europe, Middle East and
South-east Asia, said.
Talent has to be spotted at a young age and groomed properly for the desired
end, he said.
"There should be a pool of Under-19 players who should undergo intensive
training for five to eight years under qualified coaches," the 61-year-old
said.
For that to happen, there needs to be academies and regular
tournaments in the U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-20 tournaments and the coach was disappointed
that such a structure was absent in India.
|
