'Not Working Hard To Be There': Shaji Prabhakaran On Why India Isn’t Qualifying For FIFA WC

Not working hard to be there: Shaji Prabhakaran on why India isn’t qualifying for FIFA WC (Image Source: IANS)

All India Football Federation: Former general secretary of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Shaji Prabhakaran believes that India's failure to qualify for a FIFA World Cup is not because of a lack of talent, population or potential, but because the country's football ecosystem has not worked collectively and consistently enough towards that goal.

Speaking exclusively to IANS about the reasons behind India's prolonged absence from football's biggest stage, Prabhakaran called for greater unity, transparent planning, stronger grassroots structures and long-term investment to change the nation's fortunes.

“It's a very sad situation in terms of the world asking the question like why 1.4 billion people are not qualifying for the World Cup, but the reality is that we are not working hard to be there, simple as it is, yeah. We have everything to be there, but then it requires consistent hard work, honest hard work, bringing people together and working as one, which is very important because we definitely lack in every aspect, but then these are not difficult things,” Prabhakaran told IANS.

Rather than singling out one department, he said Indian football needs improvement across governance, grassroots development and elite competitions if it is to compete consistently on the world stage.

"In every aspect, we need to improve, whether it is the governance aspect, whether it is the grassroots aspect, whether it is about our competitive situation at the youth level or at the senior elite level. We have to improve but it is all about sincerely working towards a goal with very, very, what to say, having the drive to change,” he added.

According to Prabhakaran, India already has two of the most important ingredients required for success, a passionate football fan base and a government willing to support the sport. What is missing, he said, is the ability of football stakeholders to align behind a common vision.

"We have everything to be there... the government of India like is very serious to see sports grow in a bigger way and therefore they would like to support football as well and I know very well within the system that they are keen but now it is up to the football people who are in command of the situation, command of the organisation to take the right decision at the right time and bring people together,” he opined.

Despite the current shortcomings, Prabhakaran insisted that qualifying for the FIFA World Cup is an achievable target if Indian football commits to a structured long-term roadmap.

"Definitely, we can qualify for the World Cup. That's the hope we continue to believe in. One of my biggest goals in life, before we say goodbye to this universe, is to see India play at the FIFA World Cup. That would be the biggest joy for people like us who have devoted their lives to the game,” the Indian football administrator mentioned.

He dismissed the notion that India requires extraordinary solutions, arguing that the task is more about execution than innovation, saying, "It's not rocket science, as I said. If we want to see our team playing in the World Cup in maybe 10 years' time, or 15 years' time, it's very much possible.

“What we have to do is focus on developing our structure from the grassroots to the top, bringing people together, and having a real project plan where we say, 'Okay, this is what we will invest,' while following a complete and transparent blueprint. Any fan should be able to see what an organisation is doing to bring about that change—where the money is coming from and where it is going. That transparency is very much required.”

Prabhakaran also argued that sustained government backing could transform the sport, but only if football authorities build credibility through planning and accountability.

"Then we need to convince the government that this is a sport worth investing in, and that we will be able to deliver results and make India proud. If we can convince the government, it can put a lot of resources into the game. It will also bring people together because the government will see that football has the capability, football has the potential, and that the people working in the sport can really make it happen,” he expressed.

Prabhakaran also argued that sustained government backing could transform the sport, but only if football authorities build credibility through planning and accountability.

"On the technical side, we definitely need to hire good foreign professionals, and then focus on developing teams from the Under-17 level all the way to the senior team. We might need 10 to 12 teams in every age group, with around 2,000 elite players in each age group, and then stay focused on that for the next 10 years. If we do that, we might really get there," he concluded.

Article Source: IANS