FC Goa youth coach Israil Gurung has thrown down a candid challenge to Indian football’s decision-makers: are they ready to put in the work for the next four years, or will they only talk when the World Cup comes around?
Speaking in Fukuoka, Japan, where his team is on an exposure tour, Gurung said, “This is the question that people start to raise every four years. But what kind of work do we do? Now, as soon as this World Cup gets over, for the next four years, are we ready to work in a certain, in a positive way? This is my big question.”
He pointed out that India, once a dominant force in the SAFF region, is now struggling against smaller teams. “Before India used to dominate among the SAFF teams hands down. But now, if you can see, we started struggling. There is something wrong going on,” he said.
Gurung urged all stakeholders to keep individual egos aside and work together for the betterment of the sport. “I feel like keeping individuals’ ego aside, this will come together. Look for the betterment of the football. I think that is the saddest part, that it is going very slow,” he added.
India’s recent form has been worrying. The national team endured an 11-match winless streak in 2024 and has seen three coaching changes in two years, with Igor Stimac leaving in 2024, Manolo Marquez departing after a year, and Khalid Jamil taking over in August last year. The Blue Tigers have not qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup, and their World Cup ambitions remain distant.
Gurung’s comments strike a chord with frustrated fans who have watched India’s progress stall, making his honest assessment a viral talking point.
Article and image source: singaporestar.com
