Ground realities hit U-17 Cup director

NEW DELHI: The 2017 Under-17 World Cup tournament director, Javier Ceppi, said none of the 60 to 70 training sites he had seen complies with required Fifa standards. His assessment of the ground realities should serve as a sharp reminder to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and other stakeholders — the Central government and governments of states lobbying to be among the hosts — of the work that has be done.

Ceppi was the executive director of the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile and played a key role in the Abu Dhabi edition held in 2013.

“They need proper drainage, proper seeding… need to (set up) proper conditions to be of the required standard. Even the training pitches used by the ISL (Indian Super League) teams… I wouldn’t rate them even near what should be the standard. I’m not a grass expert but I know that they are not of Fifa standard,” said Ceppi on the sidelines of announcing a Memorandumof Understanding between AIFF and the Japan Football Association here on Tuesday. The MoU would help India acquire Japan’s knowhow with regards to preparation for the Under-17 World Cup.

Ceppi, however, added that India has time. “In Chile, even 27 months before the World Cup, there were no training sites of Fifa standards in place…The Indian government has ensured full support. It is also important to have (the support) of state governments and other stakeholders. They need to understand that an opportunity like this doesn’t come every night. In Chile, for example, the municipalities were paying to get the right to host the tournament…. Half-a-million US dollars just to get the right.”

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY Ceppi also stated that there are enough stadia in India, but their quality is a concern. “India has 96 stadium of 20,000-plus capacity. Granted, some of them are for cricket, some for athletics, some are pure football stadiums, but still 96 stadiums. Only three other countries have more — the US, Japan and China.”