India's national team goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who has been offered a six-month contract by Danish top tier club FC Vestsjaelland, feels players must try and play overseas to improve their skills and get a feel of big clubs.
Paul, the first Indian set to join a first division side in Europe, had a month-long trial with the club in October and is waiting for his visa to join the Danish club by this weekend.
"Our players need to get a taste of football overseas, not necessarily the European clubs. For instance, the Japanese J League and the Korean league are top class and playing there would be a great experience," Paul told IANS.
Paul thinks skills-wise Indians are as good as any in the world, what they lack is the big-built physique of their European counterparts.
"We have a lot of talent and potential. When it comes to technical ability we can compete but we lose out on the body build," he said.
"After my trial, the club's coach and goalkeeping coach were impressed by my performance. They assured me that I would get to play in the first division matches if I did well in practice matches.
For Paul, the buck doesn't stop at FC Vestsjaelland. By giving good performances at the Danish club, the 27-year-old aims to play for some other big clubs in Europe.
"I hope I do well here and my performance gets noticed by top clubs in Spain and England -- that is my main aim." said Paul
Oh my god... the guy has not even played in 1 match in a foreign league and he is already calling for players to move abroad and that it is a good idea.
Look at all the past examples, no one has really gone abroad yet and been successful yet. Sunil Chhetri has gone many times and has failed to establish himself in leagues such as MLS, Portugese 2nd Division, and the English League One and this is our best player.
Jeje Lalpekhlua scored 11 goals in his debut season as a 20 year old in I-League and yet it was Chhetri who overshadowed him in the Rangers trials and both players did not make it. Nirmal Chettri and Godwin Franco, after being average I-League players, only practiced in German 2nd Division teams. I mean, average A-League players can barely play in the German 2nd Division so what makes us think that I-League players can?
In my honest opinion I think the only way for players to really leave is if they establish themselves as players who are to good for I-League in more than 1 season. Look at Japan. In their national team, all the foreign league players had at least 50 league caps in the Japanese league before leaving and they had already established themselves as players who were to good for Japan... this allowed them to go abroad and get into their new sides smoother.
Unless someone in India does this then I don't see why anyone should go abroad. Unless you are too good for I-League you stay. For an Indian striker, score more than 10 goals in more than 1 season. For a midfielder, contribute more assists and goals for you side in more than 1 season. Defenders and keepers, keep the goals minimal and CS's for more than 1 season.
Also, another thing that needs to be talked about is the leagues we go to. Back in 2010, Chhetri went to MLS and could not make it. Now today he would not even get a look by the league as the quality has increased in these four years. The Portugese 2nd Division is also to good. Perhaps the Dutch 2nd Division or Belgian 2nd Division though? Or maybe the A-League or Thai League? If Kayne Vincent can make it in the J. League Division 2 then an Indian can.
We need to be realistic before going abroad and that will help us in the future.
India's national team goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who has been offered a six-month contract by Danish top tier club FC Vestsjaelland, feels players must try and play overseas to improve their skills and get a feel of big clubs. Paul, the first Indian set to join a first division side in Europe, had a month-long trial with the club in October and is waiting for his visa to join the Danish club by this weekend.
"Our players need to get a taste of football overseas,
first Indian-Are you sure about that??? Mohammed Salim played for Celtic FC in 1936.
We are not good enough for CSL or J. League. A-League is just weaker than the other two but only if they prove they are to good for I-League... which no Indian is yet.
Their are many average chinese players in CSL who are equal to a top indian player in I league but the big problem is they can only sign 1 asian which are mostly top korean/japanese players
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Paul, the first Indian set to join a first division side in Europe, had a month-long trial with the club in October and is waiting for his visa to join the Danish club by this weekend.
"Our players need to get a taste of football overseas, not necessarily the European clubs. For instance, the Japanese J League and the Korean league are top class and playing there would be a great experience," Paul told IANS.
Paul thinks skills-wise Indians are as good as any in the world, what they lack is the big-built physique of their European counterparts.
"We have a lot of talent and potential. When it comes to technical ability we can compete but we lose out on the body build," he said.
"After my trial, the club's coach and goalkeeping coach were impressed by my performance. They assured me that I would get to play in the first division matches if I did well in practice matches.
For Paul, the buck doesn't stop at FC Vestsjaelland. By giving good performances at the Danish club, the 27-year-old aims to play for some other big clubs in Europe.
"I hope I do well here and my performance gets noticed by top clubs in Spain and England -- that is my main aim." said Paul