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The fever is catching on
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With the World Cup just hours away, football fans in the city are getting ready for the big show
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PHOTO: MAHESH HARILAL
KICK-OFF Kochi youngsters get ready for a piece of the World Cup action
At a recent wedding in Malappuram, the groom's relatives were all attired in Brazilian yellow and green while the bride's party was marching in Argentine blue and white. It's the World Cup once again, a time when the football craze reaches headier heights with each passing day in the Malabar region.
Kochiites may not come anywhere close to their Malappuram cousins when it comes to exhibiting their passion for the beautiful game but there are some very interesting things happening in a few pockets these days. Fort Kochi, a little maze of a place that has produced many top footballers, is one such town.
"It's a four-cornered contest at home," chirps Priya, who has the beach behind her home in Fort Kochi and a couple of old grounds nearby. "My elder son is a staunch English fan but my little fellow surprisingly supports the Czech Republic. My hubby backs Brazil and I'm a true blue French fan. And we wear `our national colours' in the evenings."
For Nikhil Sathish, a student of Bhavan's Adarsha Vidyalaya, Brazil is his favourite team. "But I'll only be watching half the matches because of the late timings." Well, he doesn't want to be caught napping during classes.
Many of the city hotels are still working on plans to make the best of the cup of joy and the Regional Sports Centre will put up a giant screen as the big show moves to the quarterfinals.
Kochi's grounds may all be slushy and slippery these days but there is firm support for Brazil here. O. Chandrasekharan, the grand old man of Kerala football, is a Brazil fan too. "But though Brazil looks strong on paper, Argentina is capable of winning the World Cup," says Olympian Chandrasekharan.
Chandrasekharan belongs to the golden era of Indian football. He was a member of the Indian team which won the 1962 Asian Games gold in Jakarta, the country's last major success at the continental Games.
Asian Show
The last World Cup was virtually an Asian show, with host South Korea stunning giant Italy and later entering the semifinals for the first time. Co-host Japan also impressed, entering the round of 16.
Did India learn anything from the Asian success? Are we a better lot now? Has anything changed in Indian football?
"I don't think so... we've only gone worse," says Chandrasekharan. "Look how the AIFF (All India Football Federation) treated National coach Nayeemuddin. There was some hope when he was brought in but suddenly he was removed. All over the world, the coach is the boss of the team but here I don't think he received any support from the federation. I've been hoping for years that something would happen every time a World Cup comes around but it's been only disappointment."
As he spoke, Chandrasekharan lifted the curtain and rolled back the years. "Our best time was in the sixties. And till 1964, South Korea, Japan and India were in the same bracket, almost equal. Now, Japan is in the top 20 and Korea is just a little bit below while we are close to 120. We are only capable of winning against teams like Maldives and Sri Lanka," said the former India defender.
Thankfully, watching Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry would be a nice way to push away those bitter memories.
And, of course, to start dreaming again.
STAN RAYAN
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