Ranjit Bajaj stood up for football in India ,literally alone,
when the chips were down and now that the world is pooling together to fight
COVID-19 and sports is literally on the back burner he is worried because “football is not just sports but a livelihood.”
“ Sports is a very important part of the ecosystem and I
think football in India will be going through tough times. This virus is
capable of not just destroying careers but clubs in India. Change will need to
come from within one self first if we want to stop careers and clubs from being
destroyed,” Ranjit who sold Punjab FC just before the pandemic broke out told Goalfest.com.
When Ranjit was chief of Punjab FC , he was also the
outspoken spokesman against the ills going on in All India Football Federation
(AIFF). Unlike many , he knew when to call a spade a spade and many times got a
bollocking for it. Yet ,it did not deter him.
Football in India is at a crossroad with there being doubts
that the Indian Super league(ISL) will be held this season and the fate of the
I-League even worse. “Sports will be the last thing anyone will want to start.
Looking back , I think my selling the reminaing stake of Punjab FC was the best
decision ever taken ,” reflects Ranjit as he outlines his plans for Minerva
Punjab Academy .
“The AIFF has kept shifting dates of when India will qualify
for the World Cup . I am different and have set 2034 as the deadline when my
Academy will start churning World Cup players.Through these years we will
qulaify and be part of the mainstream of Indian football but the focus now is
primarily on the six year olds,” believes Ranjit who has been the most
succesful hand in football grass roots development over the last many years-
having won all the AIFF Youth titles in store.
“We will be starting the Academy when the situation permits
in the country and consider ourselves lucky in deciding to dedicate primarily
on youngsters because it is well documented that COVID-19 has limited success with
children of this age group. We have the set up in place and boys have already been
selected from all over the country,” disclosed Ranjit as his voice dips in
releif over his way forward with football in India.
“I will still be the biggest vocal critic of AIFF. My voice
will be louder now because now they have no control over me. They used to
threaten me with sanctions and fines before and yet they could not muzzle me.
They are not going to suceed now,” says Ranjit who is convinced that football in India will be in peril as
long as there is no change at the top.
“AIFF needs a person at the top who can dedicate himself for
the game; a man who is president not to use the title on a visiting card but
because he is there because he loves the game; he wants to see a change for
good in the game. Not a person who takes four months to give an audience to
clubs owners who run the game with their passion,” avers Ranjit.
“Football will always remain a contact sport and people as
well as players will not be able to risk their lives as long as no medical
solution is found for this pandemic. It is going to take somewehere between six
months to a year or even a bit more for football to start rolling effortlessly
in Inda . We will have to be patient till then,” avers Ranjit.
“Stay Safe ,” he concludes.
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