In a not-so-happy update, I've tested positive for COVID-19. In better news, I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon. No better time to keep reminding everyone to continue taking all the safety precautions always
Mumbai triumph enhances City Football Group brand but clashes loom
Will CFG’s involvement in Mumbai help Indian football? It has been largely welcomed so far, though with fans absent from stadiums this season it can be hard to tell. There has not been much outside investment in the sport and being part of a global network is seen as exciting. Football is growing in popularity, especially among the urban middle classes – though Mumbai has never been one of the country’s football hotspots. If CFG can help to change that, it would be another step forward for Indian football.
The test for CFG will be when interests clash. There is a realistic chance that Melbourne, Mumbai and Yokohama, as well as Sheikh Mansour’s original Abu Dhabi team, Al-Jazira, could all meet in the 2022 AFC Champions League. Fans can be sensitive if other clubs are perceived to be more important. In 2014, Melbourne City supporters didn’t like it when the Spanish striker David Villa left for New York City after just four games in Australia. Another complaint in Asia is that big European clubs are happy to send famous old names to run a few coaching sessions but don’t trust their Asian counterparts enough to send their young prospects for a season or two.
If Manchester City did so it would be well received – but what would really make headlines is a player going the other way. “The dream is to have Indian players go to Manchester,” said Le Fondre. “In Indian football, the next 5-10 years will be crucial. There will be a young player who comes out of India who will be a star. That will be a big deal.”
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Mumbai triumph enhances City Football Group brand but clashes loom
Will CFG’s involvement in Mumbai help Indian football? It has been largely welcomed so far, though with fans absent from stadiums this season it can be hard to tell. There has not been much outside investment in the sport and being part of a global network is seen as exciting. Football is growing in popularity, especially among the urban middle classes – though Mumbai has never been one of the country’s football hotspots. If CFG can help to change that, it would be another step forward for Indian football.
If Manchester City did so it would be well received – but what would really make headlines is a player going the other way. “The dream is to have Indian players go to Manchester,” said Le Fondre. “In Indian football, the next 5-10 years will be crucial. There will be a young player who comes out of India who will be a star. That will be a big deal.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2021/mar/19/mumbai-fc-abu-dhabi-city-football-group-india