As explored in the first article in this series exploring Indian football, there are a number of problems surrounding Indian football. The 2007 formation of the I-league (a revamp of the declining National Football League) is just the first step in the solution of improving India’s football scene, by making professional football in India a viable career. The league has been expanded by four sides for the 2009-10 season, with sides formed in Pune and Shillong and Kerala, revealing the growing interest in the game throughout the nation.

The formation of sides such as these are slowly eradicating the term ‘institutional teams’ - the notion that most sides in the country are off-shoots of companies for the social benefit of workers, with Air India FC the most obvious example. Several sides have formed in such a fashion, limiting the potential of the fan base size and economic growth of the club. This is because the majority of the clubs’ fan-base consists of the main company’s workforce. Regional pride is very important in India and clubs representing whole states instead of single companies will do well to spread the interest in the game.

Despite the formation of such sides, the I-league has not grown without its share of troubles. The domestic calendar was clogged with each state running its own amateur championships, with players expected to play in these smaller tournaments as well as the more prestigious I-league. National coach Bob Houghton successfully lobbied for I-league players to be rested in midweek state games, knowing the future success of the country as a football hotbed hinges on the success of the I-league.

In August Houghton led India to victory in the AFC Challenge Cup and qualified for the Asian Cup Finals, the first time India have done so since 1984. Along with the formation of the I-league, Houghton has also led the nation to a mini-renaissance from an all-time low ranking of No.165 in May 2007, with India now ranked No.147.

Furthermore, following a review of the I-league’s progress by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the champions of the I-league will gain a place in the prestigious Asian Champions League from 2009 onwards. This reward reveals the improvements in the standard of play in the league. India have also adopted the 3+1 foreign player quota, where 4 foreigners are allowed at each club, although one of these must be from another Asian country, providing a fillip to the regional game, and encouraging mobility of talented Asians.

However, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will not host India, with the side losing emphatically, in a 6-3 score-line over two legs, to Lebanon in the first round of qualifying. Such an early elimination shows there is still huge progress to be made, but baby steps may be the key. This is evident in Delhi, where FIFA and AIFF began a pilot project in 2007 to catalyse the restructuring of grassroots football.

College level football is to be started, while coaches, paid for through the funding of the two governing bodies involved, will be implemented at every club in the Delhi region, with coaches also requiring the correct qualifications. Coupled with the rise in training standards, the quality of facilities will also be monitored for improvement. Despite these promised changes, many fear that the tropical heat and widespread malnutrition in the country may hinder the physical development of young players and spread lethargy.

Yet, as India develops as a world power, so should the level of the football played in the country, as living standards and basic sanitary conditions improve. Over time, the standard is expected to rise to semi-professional and eventually, into a fully professional state. Big things are expected but patience is the key to this one.