Can't blame the AIFF for Broadcasting rights, Indian football is not TV worthy :
I'll elaborate:-
1) Timings , no-one is around to watch 3 & 4pm kick off times on weekdays
2) Afternoon kick-offs ensure that players are playing football in the hottest part of the day in regions like Delhi, Kerela, Mumbai, Goa & Kolkata ! How can players play at any reasonable tempo that would make the game seem TV worthy
3) The style of play, tactics,referees & gamesmanship:
Most Kolkata teams once they go 1-0 ahead will look to time waste, by feigning injury , delay tactics , calling for the trainer/physio at every possible instance.
Referees must book players that pretend to be injured and then miraculously jog around the field after they get off the stretcher or once th 'magic" spray is applied
Referees don't have to stop the game just because a player is on the ground. A proper ref would be trained to recognize when a player is genuinely injured & needs attention ( unless a head injury). The other teams shouldn't be forced to kick the ball out of play ( refs cannot ask teams to do that !)
GK's who feign injury after each dive , even when they don't touch the ball, should be booked , and if video evidence allows as in the I-league , be banned for 2 to 3 games to prevent this bad habit permeating through the ranks.
Refs should alos look to add 10-15 minutes of injury time !! yes , that much , as often the coaches , trainers & players combine to waste almost that much time in the game !! ( recently concluded Pune FC vs. Viva Kerela was a prime example)
Unless we can rectify this, viewers on TV will just switch channels each time a team goes 1-0 up and just choose to watch the highlights instead.
The days of Doordarshan showing EB vs. MB are a distant memory, and ets face it , even if they did show the games on DD Sports , people would switch over to ESPN, STAR, Ten Action , etc or even watch old matches on GEO Sports because the product ( i-league ) is just not TV worthy at the moment.
Unless the product improves, the packaging won't make a slightest difference.
Proof is in the Indian Hockey league, so much hype etc and where are they now.
To make this rant relevant to the board, I think the I-league 2 might get some local channels to broadcast games , and I hope they are a lot more exciting.
Can't agree with ur 3rd point - this is not a problem of Kolkata club....Kolkata clubs are actually responsible for more than 50% of viewership....regarding the time wasting tactics...that's a major issue in many parts of the world, and not particularly of Kolkata...in fact it depends on the coach, not a region...if u follow most games...u will see that its not the Kolkata club who have been defensive but clubs like HAL, JCT, ONGC....are the one's who more or less play in their own half and the other teams keep attacking them...I think I league is more exciting regardless of quality as mostly the winners are decided in the last match days..even now I league is wide open
Can't blame the AIFF for Broadcasting rights, Indian football is not TV worthy :
I'll elaborate:-
1) Timings , no-one is around to watch 3 & 4pm kick off times on weekdays
2) Afternoon kick-offs ensure that players are playing football in the hottest part of the day in regions like Delhi, Kerela, Mumbai, Goa & Kolkata ! How can players play at any reasonable tempo that would make the game seem TV worthy
3) The style of play, tactics,referees & gamesmanship:
Most Kolkata teams once they go 1-0 ahead will look to time waste, by feigning injury , delay tactics , calling for the trainer/physio at every possible instance.
Referees must book players that pretend to be injured and then miraculously jog around the field after they get off the stretcher or once th 'magic" spray is applied
Referees don't have to stop the game just because a player is on the ground. A proper ref would be trained to recognize when a player is genuinely injured & needs attention ( unless a head injury). The other teams shouldn't be forced to kick the ball out of play ( refs cannot ask teams to do that !)
GK's who feign injury after each dive , even when they don't touch the ball, should be booked , and if video evidence allows as in the I-league , be banned for 2 to 3 games to prevent this bad habit permeating through the ranks.
Refs should alos look to add 10-15 minutes of injury time !! yes , that much , as often the coaches , trainers & players combine to waste almost that much time in the game !! ( recently concluded Pune FC vs. Viva Kerela was a prime example)
Unless we can rectify this, viewers on TV will just switch channels each time a team goes 1-0 up and just choose to watch the highlights instead.
The days of Doordarshan showing EB vs. MB are a distant memory, and ets face it , even if they did show the games on DD Sports , people would switch over to ESPN, STAR, Ten Action , etc or even watch old matches on GEO Sports because the product ( i-league ) is just not TV worthy at the moment.
Unless the product improves, the packaging won't make a slightest difference.
Proof is in the Indian Hockey league, so much hype etc and where are they now.
To make this rant relevant to the board, I think the I-league 2 might get some local channels to broadcast games , and I hope they are a lot more exciting.
Can't agree with ur 3rd point - this is not a problem of Kolkata club....Kolkata clubs are actually responsible for more than 50% of viewership....regarding the time wasting tactics...that's a major issue in many parts of the world, and not particularly of Kolkata...in fact it depends on the coach, not a region...if u follow most games...u will see that its not the Kolkata club who have been defensive but clubs like HAL, JCT, ONGC....are the one's who more or less play in their own half and the other teams keep attacking them...I think I league is more exciting regardless of quality as mostly the winners are decided in the last match days..even now I league is wide open
Let me elaborate:
When I meant most Kolkata teams , it isn't a reflection of the State or region etc.
It just so happens that there are a LOT of teams from this city, and unlike Goan teams that like to play attractive football, with the exception of EB under Trevor Morgan, a lot of the other Kolkata teams ( Techno, Southern Samity , BNR, etc , etc....) play very negative football.
Speaking to foreign players who have played in the recently concluded Kolkata League, a few of them were disgusted with the tactics they are forced to adapt. They are told to go down on any contact and stay down if their team is a goal up , irrespective of which time left in the game .
As for the 50% viewership, those "fans" of Kolkata teams will watch the games regardless, the same fans who will carry their players on their shoulders & later belt them with stones. Catering to these fans is 'preaching to the choir' , if Indian football needs to expand and attract larger broadcasting rights and proper sponsors, one needs to attract NEW fans and from a wider area, i.e the Youth.
Youngsters from Pune , Bangalore, Chennai etc. will more likely support teams that play attractive football & not employ time wasting and blatant cheating tactics in games.
As for JCT,HAL , Air India & ONGC playing defensively, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT, look at the budgets they are competing against when they play the likes of Dempo, EB , MB , Churchill etc. 1 players wages from Demp or Churchill will cover HAL's salary budget for the year ! If they tried to attack from the start in away matches they would end up on the wrong end of a cricket score ( Bangladesh score)
If you actually believe most I-league matches are entertaining to watch , you sadly are misguided and haven't seen a lot of high quality live football.
If you think having the strecther/physio com on 5-6 times in a 2nd half , only when a team is 1-0 up is acceptable , you have either become immune to this farce.
If you think goalies should be allowed to claim injuries everytime they dive & miss the ball, then you are delusional.
Yes teams at the highest level employ delaying tactics ( taking the ball to the corner) utilizing subs etc. but most are within the laws of the game & when they extend beyond the referees & authorities take action.
Sadly in India the referees are as Bob Houghton described them ! Until we start bringing in foreign refs to teach our refs , we will continue to allow such poor football to be played, and misguided fans like will continue to accept it.
Is this what the youth footballers of tomorrow should be aspiring to ?
Can't agree with ur 3rd point - this is not a problem of Kolkata club....Kolkata clubs are actually responsible for more than 50% of viewership....regarding the time wasting tactics...that's a major issue in many parts of the world, and not particularly of Kolkata...in fact it depends on the coach, not a region...if u follow most games...u will see that its not the Kolkata club who have been defensive but clubs like HAL, JCT, ONGC....are the one's who more or less play in their own half and the other teams keep attacking them...I think I league is more exciting regardless of quality as mostly the winners are decided in the last match days..even now I league is wide open
If you actually believe most I-league matches are entertaining to watch , you sadly are misguided and haven't seen a lot of high quality live football.
If you think having the strecther/physio com on 5-6 times in a 2nd half , only when a team is 1-0 up is acceptable , you have either become immune to this farce.
If you think goalies should be allowed to claim injuries everytime they dive & miss the ball, then you are delusional.
[/quote]
I said I league is exciting regardless of quality...never meant that the games are of good quality, I meant that the league is exciting, and the champions are determined mostly till the last round....
and when did I said that the time wasting tactics are ok!!!! I said I don't think these are particular hallmarks of Kolkata clubs....i am delusional ..aha <!-- s:o --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_surprised.gif" alt=":o" title="Surprised" /><!-- s:o -->
Comments
Can't agree with ur 3rd point - this is not a problem of Kolkata club....Kolkata clubs are actually responsible for more than 50% of viewership....regarding the time wasting tactics...that's a major issue in many parts of the world, and not particularly of Kolkata...in fact it depends on the coach, not a region...if u follow most games...u will see that its not the Kolkata club who have been defensive but clubs like HAL, JCT, ONGC....are the one's who more or less play in their own half and the other teams keep attacking them...I think I league is more exciting regardless of quality as mostly the winners are decided in the last match days..even now I league is wide open
I think Sikkim United and Shillong Lajong will qualify.
14 or will they increase it to 16 ?
Let me elaborate:
When I meant most Kolkata teams , it isn't a reflection of the State or region etc.
It just so happens that there are a LOT of teams from this city, and unlike Goan teams that like to play attractive football, with the exception of EB under Trevor Morgan, a lot of the other Kolkata teams ( Techno, Southern Samity , BNR, etc , etc....) play very negative football.
Speaking to foreign players who have played in the recently concluded Kolkata League, a few of them were disgusted with the tactics they are forced to adapt. They are told to go down on any contact and stay down if their team is a goal up , irrespective of which time left in the game .
As for the 50% viewership, those "fans" of Kolkata teams will watch the games regardless, the same fans who will carry their players on their shoulders & later belt them with stones. Catering to these fans is 'preaching to the choir' , if Indian football needs to expand and attract larger broadcasting rights and proper sponsors, one needs to attract NEW fans and from a wider area, i.e the Youth.
Youngsters from Pune , Bangalore, Chennai etc. will more likely support teams that play attractive football & not employ time wasting and blatant cheating tactics in games.
As for JCT,HAL , Air India & ONGC playing defensively, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT, look at the budgets they are competing against when they play the likes of Dempo, EB , MB , Churchill etc. 1 players wages from Demp or Churchill will cover HAL's salary budget for the year ! If they tried to attack from the start in away matches they would end up on the wrong end of a cricket score ( Bangladesh score)
If you actually believe most I-league matches are entertaining to watch , you sadly are misguided and haven't seen a lot of high quality live football.
If you think having the strecther/physio com on 5-6 times in a 2nd half , only when a team is 1-0 up is acceptable , you have either become immune to this farce.
If you think goalies should be allowed to claim injuries everytime they dive & miss the ball, then you are delusional.
Yes teams at the highest level employ delaying tactics ( taking the ball to the corner) utilizing subs etc. but most are within the laws of the game & when they extend beyond the referees & authorities take action.
Sadly in India the referees are as Bob Houghton described them ! Until we start bringing in foreign refs to teach our refs , we will continue to allow such poor football to be played, and misguided fans like will continue to accept it.
Is this what the youth footballers of tomorrow should be aspiring to ?
i think viva started playing attacking ball
I said I league is exciting regardless of quality...never meant that the games are of good quality, I meant that the league is exciting, and the champions are determined mostly till the last round....
and when did I said that the time wasting tactics are ok!!!! I said I don't think these are particular hallmarks of Kolkata clubs....i am delusional ..aha <!-- s:o --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_surprised.gif" alt=":o" title="Surprised" /><!-- s:o -->
2nd division has been increased to 22 Teams with Shimla Youngs,Delhi being given the green light.
1st of April 2011 start for Round 1:
*Chennai
*Guwahati
*Cuttack/Jharkhand
inspection team to finish their visits this week to confirm the venues suitability.