AmreekanDesi Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Some may not know this but India actually qualified for the 1950 World Cup. And even more impressive is that we did this after a thrilling qualification campaign to become the first Asian team team to qualify for the WC and left Asian powerhouses such as Korea, China and Japan trailing in our steps. But after refusing to Not play barefoot, FIFA refused to let us participate and the Indian footballing authorities didnt budge. And we never qualified for another world cup? I personally think that the landscape of Indian football would have been very different if we had participated in that and potentially won it as it turned out to be a tournament of upsets. Cricket hadn't captured the national imagination and I believe that it didnt cath the attention of the length and breadth of India till our 1983 win. Who know what would have had happened if we had taken part in that tournament. We might have taking part in another world cup in Brazil 64 years later and who knows that it might have been as one of the favorites... Wil always remain one of the great what ifs.....
Tiger80 Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Some may not know this but India actually qualified for the 1950 World Cup. And even more impressive is that we did this after a thrilling qualification campaign to become the first Asian team team to qualify for the WC and left Asian powerhouses such as Korea, China and Japan trailing in our steps. But after refusing to Not play barefoot, FIFA refused to let us participate and the Indian footballing authorities didnt budge. And we never qualified for another world cup? I personally think that the landscape of Indian football would have been very different if we had participated in that and potentially won it as it turned out to be a tournament of upsets. Cricket hadn't captured the national imagination and I believe that it didnt cath the attention of the length and breadth of India till our 1983 win. Who know what would have had happened if we had taken part in that tournament. We might have taking part in another world cup in Brazil 64 years later and who knows that it might have been as one of the favorites... Wil always remain one of the great what ifs..... I don't think so . At present Indians need to focus on all sports which require Athleticism , speed , and stamina.We are very poor in that. even in cricket we still are searching to produce tearaway fast bowlers .Just accept the fact we are not good in these type of sports.Also clubs like Mohan Bagan iis older than real madrid yet we are at 154 in fifa ranking
JaiRamesh2 Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Indian won hockey World Cup and Oylmpic medals back then too, but now struggles to qualify for these events. We do pretty decent in third rate events like Commonwealth games, but pushing to greater challenges like Olympic Games we struggle. Success at sports needs heavy investment from grassroots levels, even cricket in India is poorly managed in that sense but fortunately BCCI has managed it's resources adquetely.
Malcolm Merlyn Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Is there any reference to the claim made by the OP?
CommonMan Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 We cannot play ads between every 5 minutes in football :((
StriKe Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Is there any reference to the claim made by the OP? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification However, due to the withdrawals of India, Scotland and Turkey after qualifying, only 13 teams actually competed in the final tournament.
StriKe Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 After the draw, the Indian football association AIFF decided against going to the World Cup, citing travel costs (although FIFA had agreed to bear a major part of the travel expenses),[8] lack of practice time, team selection issues and valuing the Olympics over the FIFA World Cup.[8] Although FIFA had imposed a rule banning barefoot play following the 1948 Olympics[9][10] where India had played barefoot, the then Indian captain Sailen Manna claims that this was just a story to cover up the real reasons for the AIFF's decision.[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_FIFA_World_Cup While England were present for the first time after winning the British Home Championship, Scotland – who earned the right to travel after finishing second – declined the opportunity, as did another qualified team, Turkey. India, meanwhile, said no because FIFA would not let them play in bare feet. Uruguay were among five South American participants who had not played a single qualifier between them. http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/brazil1950/index.html
Crookbond Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 There are some myths in the understanding of India's 1950 WC campaign. The only article which gives a holistic view is below - Did India withdraw from the 1950 World Cup because they were not allowed to play barefoot? http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/07/did-india-withdraw-from-the-1950-world-cup-because-they-were-not-allowed-to-play-barefoot.html TL;DR 1. India qualified in the 1950 football WC because 4 Asian teams withdrew 2. WC organizers agreed to pay most of the travel expenses to get India to Brazil 3. AIFF did not take the FIFA WC seriously (Olympics were considered to be the pinnacle then) and hence withdrew just like other Asian countries 4. India played the 1952 Olympics on barefoot and lost badly
BlueBee Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 I'm not getting this :// Why are you guys discussing this old 50s WC. Let it go !
Stuge Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Indian won hockey World Cup and Oylmpic medals back then too, but now struggles to qualify for these events. . Ever since astro turf was introduced to suit Europeans and Australian .. Indians are lagging behind .Indian hockey is more or a less a skillful one ,but since we lack power most of them time .Our hockey is in bad shape (if we ignore the administration part of it )
jusarrived Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 The best of Indian football was between 1960-70 , being the best in Asia at one point
Silva Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 Even if India won that World cup it would not have made a difference. You have to look at how the money is made. The reason why India, Sri lanka, Bangladesh zimababwe and the West Indian nations are top ten in cricket but mediocre in Soccer is because in cricket you can make big money playing in an ICC tournament or in a series with the Big 3. As long as that money exist their will be an incentive on the boards of those nations to find 11 quality players. In soccer on the other hand the money is more in leagues rather than international tournaments or "friendlies." India has a league but no one watches it. No one watches it means no money for clubs to find players, which makes India is ranked one fifty something in the world.
cowboysfan Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 cricket is a far superior game than soccer and its not even close.
Tiger80 Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 Even if India won that World cup it would not have made a difference. You have to look at how the money is made. The reason why India, Sri lanka, Bangladesh zimababwe and the West Indian nations are top ten in cricket but mediocre in Soccer is because in cricket you can make big money playing in an ICC tournament or in a series with the Big 3. As long as that money exist their will be an incentive on the boards of those nations to find 11 quality players. In soccer on the other hand the money is more in leagues rather than international tournaments or "friendlies." India has a league but no one watches it. No one watches it means no money for clubs to find players, which makes India is ranked one fifty something in the world. Isn't it strange that lot of Indians watch EPL, champions league but don't watch their own soccer what kind of football fans these people are?
cowboysfan Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 Isn't it strange that lot of Indians watch EPL, champions league but don't watch their own soccer what kind of football fans these people are? isnt it strange that stadiums are empty in india during a test match and yet stadiums are packed for the tamasha league?
Tiger80 Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 isnt it strange that stadiums are empty in india during a test match and yet stadiums are packed for the tamasha league? Both are different formats of game. A test match require lots of free time which in todays world people don't have
SLICKR392 Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 Isn't it strange that lot of Indians watch EPL, champions league but don't watch their own soccer what kind of football fans these people are? The footballer themselves favor club over country in most occasions, let alone the fans.
Stuge Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 isnt it strange that stadiums are empty in india during a test match and yet stadiums are packed for the tamasha league? Seriously speaking - Watching a test match is not an easy job .First you leave everything at home(coins ,bags etc etc ).You're forced to eat pizza or some burger during lunch as options are way to less .Plus weather can be an issue as times . Last not the least ,One needs a lot of spare time .
KhanSaab Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 India only 'qualified' because several other teams withdrew from the tournament.
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