India are currently ranked 136th in the FIFA men\u2019s rankings and have struggled for consistency at the international level despite the growth of domestic football and increased investment in the sport.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rathi warned that unless administrators, clubs and support staff change their thinking, India\u2019s football dream could remain distant for decades.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe should work on developing football at the grassroots level, and people in power need to change their thinking,\u201d Rathi told IANS. \u201cIt can be a club, a coach, a physio or anyone. If that thought changes, we can see results in five years. But if things continue in the same repeated mode, then even 15 years is less. It can take 50 years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere are a lot of things where we should make a proper mindset. We should think long-term, not short-term. We are not competing with 10 or 15 countries. Football is such a game that any team can win on any day. The competition level is increasing day by day. Other countries are also improving,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The defender stressed that grassroots football and player development must become the biggest priority if India wants to compete consistently at the highest level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe should definitely work better on the grounds and grassroots. We should have a vision of how we can give competitive matches to the national team. You are investing so much, and you have everything, but if you don\u2019t produce proper strikers, defenders, midfielders and goalkeepers, then difficulties are going to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
According to Rathi, Indian clubs especially in Indian Super League, should trust domestic players more in important positions rather than depending heavily on foreign footballers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn our clubs, the major positions should be played by Indians. Automatically, we will improve and represent India at the FIFA level soon. The level I have played at, I think, there is only a small difference. The difference is that we are getting fewer competitive matches,\u201d Rathi explained.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
According to Rathi, Indian clubs especially in Indian Super League, should trust domestic players more in important positions rather than depending heavily on foreign footballers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf one or two main centre-backs, full-backs, midfielders or strikers of Indian origin play for us, the work of five years can happen in two years,\u201d Rathi concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n