Kashmir has great football potential but the game is not being properly patronized and lack of infrastructure is forcing the talent go waste.
Valley’s soccer star Mehraj-ud din Wadoo, while talking to us he said that lack of infrastructure is the only problem that growth of footballers is decreasing day by day and we don’t see much quality players coming from the new generation.“Our government is busy sorting out other things of the state rather than build a basic infrastructure for the youth to get involved in sports,” he said.
Wadoo said that government should spend money and time to upgrade the basic football infrastructure in the valley, so that youth could get attracted toward the game. “Grounds of international quality should be made with proper astro-turf instead of grass,” he said.
“Football has always been a favourite sport in the valley, liked by young and the elderly alike. But Interest toward football is becoming less nowadays due lack of scope in the State. Why would someone want to become a footballer? That’s a big question, not everyone is going to become Messi and Ronaldo but they should get something from football to earn bread and butter at least,” Wadoo said.
He also said that there is need to open more and more clubs in the valley so that the talent doesn’t go waste.
“I think the more clubs we have the more players will get employment and players will have some goal to achieve at least. Like ‘Lone Star FC’ is being proved worth to get Kashmir football recognized, which is a positive step.
Kashmir University Football Coach, Sajid Yousuf Dar also expressed his concern over the lack of infrastructure and callousness of government toward the up gradation of basic infrastructure.
“Valley has produced so many great footballers in the past but today we see a lot of talent go waste due lack of facilities, proper playing fields and lack interest among the new generation players,” Sajid said.
He said that in the past there would be lot of space available for playing. I live in Dalgate and when I was a child we would play football in the open fields but today these spaces have now been converted into shopping Malls and other commercial buildings leaving no space to carry out sports activities, same is the case with other areas of the valley.
“Though government has introduced state-of-the-art astro turf stadia which would facilitate the game even during the winter which spreads over almost half the year. But that is not enough government should upgrade the basic football infrastructure in the valley,” said Ishtiyaq Ahmed, a footballer.
“The players are forced to go to Jammu or outside the state during winters for practice sessions as there are no facilities available to play football when the valley is covered with snow,” Ishtiyaq added.
When contacted JKFA president, Zameer Thakur acknowledged the fact that there is lack of basic football infrastructure in the valley but as compared to the past much of the football infrastructure has been upgraded in the valley by JK Sports Council.
“Various football grounds have been developed in the valley by JK Sports Council and also the astro-turf has come up at TRC ground which allows us to carry out football activities also during the winters,” he said.
He said that JKFA has the mandate to organise football activities and not to develop the infrastructure. This is upto the government.
