Sunday 16 June 2019

INDIAN FOOTBALL

India v Pakistan has been an electric cricket fixture for decades and today they meet at Old Trafford to renew their rivalry.
This is in cricket of course and in football the two have met and it has been full on but hardly "world class".

Unofficial football was played by India, pre-Independence, with unofficial internationals against Ceylon (0-1 win) in 1933 and China (1-1). The national development was spurred on against foreign opposition with some English encouragement, forming the All India Football Federation in 1937.

There was an Australian tour post independence, playing State sides from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Northern Districts. The tour began in August 1938 and on September 3rd 1938 India played Australia in Sydney losing 5-3. The Indians stayed in Australia until October playing a variety of opposition from State teams to town teams such as Ipswich. A later tour visited Australia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.

The national side (above) played in the London Olympics in July 1948, losing to France only 1-2. In preparation the team played barefooted against teams from:
"The Department Store XI" won 0-15, Met Police 1-3, Pinner 1-9, Hayes 1-4, Alexander Park 2-8, Isthmian League XI 1-3 and Welsh amateur sides.

In 1950 the national team withdrew from the World Cup tournament, the reason not being allowed to play without boots!

Since the end of the war various English managers have taken over the coaching; Harry Wright in 1964 a goalkeeper from Charlton,  in 1982 the aptly named Bob Bootland took over and more recently, Steve Constantine who did two spells in 2005-7 and 2015-19 and Bob Houghton (once of Malmo 1979 European Cup Finalists) from 2006-11.
Joe Kinnear of Ireland had a spell in the post in 1983!
The team ranks 101st in FIFA and this summer has had a full fixture list from commitments to the Asian Cup v UAE and Bahrain, the King's Cup in June beating Thailand 1-0 and losing to Curacao  1-3. In July they meet Thailand, North Korea and Syria in the Intercontinental Cup.

Matches against Pakistan have been sporadic, much depending on the tournaments provided. They have met India 24 times only, Pakistan winning 3 and drawing 10 games. India very much on top.

Pakistan football in FIFA is less powerful, ranked 205th. The first official international was in 1950 against Iran losing 1-5.
Today's squad includes Samir Nabi from Torquay Utd, Rahi Nabi at Alvechurch and Tabish Hussain playing at Guiseley.
George Ainlsey was the national coach in 1959-62, having previously coached Cambridge University AFC.
You will find Bert Trautmann, the German goalkeeper, on the coaches list (1980-3), David Burns a half-Dutch FA coach in 2000-1 and John Layton from Hereford United 2001-2 and ex-Spurs Graham Roberts 2010-11.
Shirt badge/Association crest

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