Must expand talent pool: Ex-France international defends blueprint for Indian football

The yellow and green have already arrived in Kolkata. Brazil is here, Carlo Ancelotti is here and on Saturday night the Salt Lake Stadium will host one of the biggest nights of football India has ever hosted.

Vikash Dhorasoo will also be there. But as City prepare for Vinicius Junior, Endrick and Brazil, the former France international looks beyond the magic of one evening. India vs Brazil should also be a reminder for him of what Indian football could become if he started thinking on a bigger scale. Courtesy: PTI

Dhorasoo, who has Indian roots and played for France at the 2006 World Cup, believes India needs to expand its talent pool, give more players a chance to experience football abroad and, most importantly, agree on a long-term plan.

“Each game has its own meaning and helps you progress,” Dhorasoo said. “Obviously it’s a great help to play the best team in the world, but local football has to be just as important as the special game you can have.”

WILLIAMS WILL SHOW THE WAY

There is already a current example in the Indian team.

Ryan Williams was born in Australia before completing his transition to represent India at senior level. He scored on his debut for India and then found the net again in last week’s 1-1 draw against Panama, making him one of the most important attacking names in the squad heading to Brazil. FIFA approved his change of association before he made his India debut.

It’s only two goals and there’s no need to rush comparisons with Sunil Chhetri. But since Chhetri’s retirement, India have been looking for a striker who could offer a reliable scoring threat. Williams quickly started to fill that space and scored against Panama when India needed an attacking spark.

His story also lends some weight to Dhorasoo’s argument that India should take a closer look at its diaspora.

“I could have played for India if that option was there then,” Dhorasoo said. “And I hope there will be room in the future to integrate these kinds of players.”

Dhorasoo mentioned DR Congo international Samuel Moutoussamy as another Indian-origin player who could potentially be part of the conversation. The wider group includes names like Yan Dhanda and Sarpreet Singh, although origin or OCI status alone does not make a player eligible to represent India. Eligibility requirements for FIFA and Indian citizenship remain relevant.

For Dhorasoo, the first step is to create a pathway that will give these players a reason to consider India.

“First of all, there has to be an opportunity to start a conversation with the players,” he said. “And we also have to show them a good project, a big project. What is the future of Indian football?”

BRAZIL IS MORE THAN A NIGHT

This issue is particularly important for Brazil now in Calcutta.

India are ranked 138th in the latest official FIFA rankings, while Brazil are among the top teams in the world. So the match is less about a conventional competitive goal and more about measuring Indian players with a level rarely seen. Courtesy: AFP

India started this friendly series with a 1-1 draw against Panama where Williams scored. Brazil will be next on October 3, followed by Uruguay on October 6. The three matches offer India exposure to teams with recent World Cup experience, but Dhorasoo believes the benefit depends on what happens after the final whistle.

“They have to enjoy the moment,” he said of India’s players. “They have to put on the best game of their lives. They will take a lot of experience and also memories.”

However, for this experience to translate into progress, Dhorasoo feels that Indian players need more exposure outside the country as well.

He pointed to Japan’s decision to send players overseas over the past three decades, with Japanese footballers now established in leagues across Europe.

“Now there are a lot of players who play in the Bundesliga, in the Premier League, in Spain and also in France,” he said. “And it helped a lot for Japanese football to reach very high levels.”

He sees the same principle in French football, where many of the country’s best players have built careers outside of France.

INDIA NEEDS A 10 YEAR PLAN

Ultimately, Dhorasoo’s vision extends far beyond Saturday night.

He wants India to decide what kind of football they want to play and then build that identity through youth development, coaching and basic structures.

“First of all, India has to choose the path it wants to take for its football,” he said. “And then implement it at the level of the youth categories and also at the level of coaches and develop it over a long period of time.”

There is no promise of quick change in his assessment. Dhorasoo believes India is considering a project that could take a decade or more.

“For me, it’s been 10 years, maybe 15 years,” he said. “It’s a long way, but we have to start with the young guys, the young footballers.”

That makes Saturday’s game an interesting starting point rather than a destination in itself.

Dhorasoo will watch India take on Brazil on October 3. And perhaps the biggest question after the final whistle will not be how India fared against Vinicius Junior and Co, but what India will decide to do with that experience.

– The end