Why can't South Asians play football?

People remain glued to television sets and spend sleepless nights in great delight. This euphoria has touched all areas of the country -- thousands of country flags of favourite teams can be seen even in the countryside, and fans seldom hesitate to spend their money to highlight the sides they love. Celebrations are impromptu and at times, wild, following the victories of favourite teams, and many have already made bets over the ultimate outcome of the World Cup.

These celebrations provide respite from the political tension, acrimony, and endless debates that unquestionably take away much of our normal peace and tranquility. Indeed, a large segment of the population, similar to their counterparts in many other countries, are relishing this event to the max, which is particularly noteworthy in countries like ours which are generally mired in myriad political, economic, and social problems. No one knows when this nation will reverse the cycle, even though we desperately hope that things will change someday for the better, and we keep our fingers crossed.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

While enthusiasm for football is admirable, it is a dismal fact that performance in Bangladesh, as well as South Asia, is seriously lagging behind this enthusiasm. The South Asian nations are strong in cricket and field hockey, but this is not the case when it comes to football. Paradoxically, cricket and also hockey -- to an extent -- are known as games of the elite; however, South Asia has excelled fairly well in these two disciplines, despite poor economic conditions. Football is the oldest game in this part of the world, and it is familiar even in remote areas of most countries and certainly in Bangladesh. With this in mind, it is hard to believe the magnitude of the lack of progress in football performance here. This is very frustrating.

As far as cricket is concerned, three South Asian sides -- India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka -- have won the World Cup, thus reaching the zenith of this game. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh has not been as successful thus far, but good omens exist as cricket is progressing somewhat satisfactorily. India and Pakistan are still big names in world hockey, but they are struggling to retain their reputation from tough competition from nations like Argentina, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Bangladesh has yet to make a mark in hockey at a high level, but prospects are there.

However, the state of football in South Asia is saddening, since South Asia is nowhere near a commendable standard, let alone closer to reaching the global level. No South Asian country can even dream of playing among the 32 teams that comprise the World Cup finals. In the qualifying matches for securing eligibility, four Asian nations: Iran, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia earned berths for World Cup. Obviously, no South Asian team representing a huge population qualified, and this reflects poorly on our standard of football. Also, the fact that these four countries failed to get past the first round is also discouraging for Asian football. Although a Herculean task, surely it is possible for South Asia to reach the World Cup finals.

The status of football in South Asia has regressed -- previously, there were good teams and several well-known players. There was the legendary Samad -- better known as "Jadukar Samad" -- who was known for playing like "magic" with the ball, and several other players also earned reputations in football at a much larger scale. India's PK Baneerjee, Chuni Goswami, Naimuddin, Habib, and Saylan Manna, as well as Pakistan's Torab Ali, Jahan, and Ayub Dar are a few names to mention in this context.

Erstwhile Pakistani players such as Omar, Abbas, Murree, Sgt. Nabi Chowdhury, Gafoor-- popularly known as "Kala Gafoor," Pratap Hazra, and great keepers like Ranjit and Mintoo were famous. In Bangladesh, Salauddin, Enayet, and Zakaria Pintoo are only a few names among many for whom we can boast about. Where has this legacy of South Asia gone? We still have good players, but South Asian football is still lacking in accomplishment.

Why is South Asia lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to football? The low standard of physical fitness in South Asia as compared to European and South American standards is definitely a handicap, not only for South Asia, but Asia in general.

Japan and South Korea reached the quarter and semi-final level in the last World Cup partly due to the weather and their supporters, who helped them in their matches. All four Asian nations in this World Cup are rich and have spent huge amounts of money in their quest for success.

In South Asia, we have neither fitness nor the money required for such a fast-playing and expensive discipline. Inadequate facilities, lack of proper planning, and excessive squabbles or narrow politics hinder whatever prospects exist in football in this region. Coaches are appointed mostly ad hoc without any long-term strategy. Last but not the least, the eagerness and determination needed to improve the game is largely absent.

This unhappy scenario notwithstanding, we should not lose heart because a silver lining is slowly emerging. Bangladesh is not lagging behind its South Asian cricket and hockey rivals in football, as Bangladesh has won the South Asian Federation (SAF) championship. Small regional countries like the Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan are also exhibiting potential.

There is not an iota of doubt that South Asia has a long way to go to reach a level of world standard, but infinite interest for football is evident during the World Cup. Hopefully, this will make the organisers and players sit up and think how to improve their performance in football, a game so very loved in Bangladesh and the region.

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury is a senior journalist.