After all the dust and octopus legs have settled on this year's edition of the FIFA World cup, I would just like to share some of the thoughts that came to my mind while watching this event. Now the World cup is one big party as we all know, and the hangover is felt all the up to India where we have people picking their teams and backing them all the way. But just lately the sight of someone wearing a Messi or a Kaka jersey has just started to hurt a little bit. Its not anything new to me by a long stretch but lately the fact ,that my own country is never invited to this ' party' ( just for stats sake, India qualified for the 1950 World cup,but couldn't go coz they didnt have boots!!!), yet people dress themselves up in all their pomp, and somehow manage to take pride in the achievements of other nations, has started to bother me a bit . Now don't get me wrong! There is nothing wrong in appreciating someone who is very good at something, but shouldn't an international ranking of 132 rankle just a little bit? I mean if a country with a name like Togo can qualify,and a country with the population of Slovenia can qualify, then why can't India with its blue billion do so???
The fact of the matter is that its not even close to doing so...the chances of it quaifying in the next 20 years in cricketing terms is as bright as that of Ashish Nehra scoring a 100!! Why??Don't blame facilities and administration for once, the fault lies within U n I... What the hell did we guys, who were so passionate about football ever do to improve the quality of football here?? How many of us slogged to get into the football team, and when we reached there, how many of us doubled our efforts to make it to the next level?? Leave aside the playing part, most of us won't know that a club called Mahindra United, which was one of the top level clubs here disbanded recently, yet will gladly blurt out the names of Manchester United latest signings. I never wanted this to sound like a 'deshbhakti morcha' (it may have) ..but have a chat with someone in China or Germany to understand what taking pride in your country's achievements and culture means....(India does not have achievements in football, how we can help it improve that is beyond me...I mean seriously... what can a normal citizen like me at the ripe old age of 22 do to save this sinking ship? I demand answers from u!!!)
I never said that you should stop watching football matches, I just want that, the next time you watch an EPL or La Liga match, just hold this thought in your heart for a second...I want u guys to take a little responsibility for this collective failure, just feel a little guilty for that little second...that's all I want!!! As for me..well...I have given up supporting Manchester United, the club I vehemently supported for ten years. Its been nice cheering for u...Man U...no hard feelings..(i'l still wear your jersey..its kind of comfy!!!)....its just something I needed to do...from now on you are just a small part of England to me.....I wish u well for the future...So long ....till the next crazzzzy idea comes along....!!
P.S:- (as i read my own blog ,it seems pretty incoherent, and random thoughts have been blurted out(a typical case of literary diarrhoea)...but as long as u guys get the basic gist..its alright,fellas!!!)
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