'AIFF A Disgrace?' Soccernetindia editor Lyndon Miranda gives us his view on the recent developments over the Fransa issue.
Well it looks like sense has finally prevailed in the AIFF as they have decided to postpone Fransa's matches to a latter date. I can assure you that it is not really a change of heart, they have just got wiser. Big step forward there for them. Maybe their administration skills will also improve now. Click http://www.soccernetindia.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1927 The AIFF has said that the game cannot be replayed as the rules don't permit it, then how come Uzbekistan vs Bahrain match for the WC qualifiers was replayed after a referee error changed the outcome of the match??? The reason given by FIFA was that the referee failed to adhere to a rule and that is why the match was replayed and if I am not mistaken the referee was suspended for life. Hmm? Interesting. So I guess the rules can be bended in such an instance. Well, the referee in the Fransa - Mahindra match also did not adhere to the penalty rule as he made his own, and not to forget the penalty he gave to Mahindras and also the goal he disallowed. I guess, the fact that the referee has changed quite a few rules of the game or misintrepeted it or whatever, is grounds enough for Fransa getting a rematch. People from the AIFF only sit in their office and talk, have they ever pumped in money from their own pockets into the game? Actually, they have taken money fron the game. I am not accusing anyone in particular of taking the money, as i don't know who, but it is someone from within the body as the 1996 audit of the AIFF found out that 2.5 crores had been unaccounted for. Hmmm? Where did the money go? I will also like to bring to the notice of the Federation the manner in which they responded to journalists when questioned on the Fransa matter. Remarks such as " It is a democratic country", and " You should not take Politicians words at face value" or the fact that Dasmunshi seemed not bothered at all of Fransa's threat to pull out of the NFL, just goes to show that people who dont know how to respond to the media, considering their position within the game, shouldn't be allowed to run the game. You'll dont even know how to speak to the press. In a situation like this when one would try to be diplomatic to try and diffuse the tension, the AIFF has only acted in a manner where the situation would only be aggravated. If you'll dont know how to think before making a statement considering your position, whatever your personal feelings may be on the same, I can just imagine the thinking that must be going on into running the game in the country. An example of thw way the AIFF should have handled the situation, is the way Savio Messais did. I was witness to the abusive language Messais recieved at the hands of the crowd though it wasn't his fault. But if one had to see his letter to Fransa's decision to withdraw from the NFL, one would notice that he has been Diplomatic and has tried to convince Fransa to play on in the NFL and how the loss will be big to Indian football. Thats how my friends the situation should have been handled not the manner in which the AIFF handled it. Getting back to what they said, " You shouldn't take what politicians say at face value.' Woh! I guess the guy who said this statement spoke before he could think, yeah i know he is from the AIFF so it is obvious he spoke before thinking, but an interesting thing I will like to point out, isn't Dasmunshi a politician??? So i guess whatever Dasmunshi says, we shouldn't take at face value. All the things he has been blabbing about like how Indian football is going to move up and WC qualification and blah blah blah blah, shouldn't be taken at face value. Afterall he is also a politician. Ain't I right AIFF? So now to put things in simple words, the person who is running the game that we love so much in India is being run by a person whose words we shouldn't take at face value, or rather pay any heed to. Interesting. Especially since it comes straight from the mouth of AIFF's top brass. Damn, all this while i thought that Indian football was really progressing, but now i am dissapointed as i learnt that the person who was saying that, is a person whose words i shouldn't believe. As far as Bikramjit is concerned, the AIFF suspended him. What I don't get though is why did the AIFF not discuss the Fransa issue the same day Bikramjit issue was discussed. Why did they want 15 more days? Video footage was available, the mistakes were easy to point out, then why the delay? Are you'll going slow with the decision to keep pace with the speed at which your brains function, i.e slow.??? As far as Gary Love Joy's comments on not showing matches of AIFF goes and his stand of support to the AIFF, let me ask you a simple question. How long have you been associated with the game in India? A few months nah? You know nothing about the past. How refereeing has seen teams relegated. So, when you are unaware, it is better that you refrain from making comments. Once you learn more about the game in India, then you may speak. I have been following Indian football since i was 7. Its almost 13 years now. That is why I speak. From what I have heard, the AIFF things I am too sarcastic and they want to know why I am attacking them so much, you see as an Indian football fan, I can't bear to see such injustice being done. I want to see the game in India move up. That's the only reason. It is nothing personal. If tomorrow you'll had to do something right, I would congratulate you'll on it. A request to Indian Football fans. Please support our stand on giving justice to Fransa. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com