Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu advices India to grow 'football population'

The legendary tactician holds a lot of respect in the world of football for his wisdom.

Japan are a footballing force in Asia today because of their tireless work at the grassroots level for the last two decades. Currently, Japan rea the highest-ranked Asian team in terms of FIFA Rankings (at 17) and the favourites to win the ongoing 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

The Samurai Blue opened their 2023 AFC Asian Cup run with a 4-2 win over Vietnam in Group D. Their head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, in an exclusive conversation with Khel Now, spoke about how India can also benefit by focusing resources towards developing football at the grassroots level.

“India has a big population. So, if the country emphasises more towards developing the grassroots, the base is there, if more people can work at the grassroots level with players of younger age, then the football population will grow and the level of football will improve from a younger age,” the 55-year-old tactician said.

Work needed at the grassroots level

It does not come as a surprise that Hajime Moriyasu has urged Indian football to dedicate resources towards developing football at the grassroots level. Japan worked diligently towards strengthening its foundations and as a footballing nation, they are reaping the rewards for working patiently.

India opened their 2023 AFC Asian Cup account with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Australia, who were too good in all departments despite a determined effort from the Blue Tigers. While India, under Igor Stimac, strive to compete amongst the top Asian teams, they need to target the younger generations and provide them with top-end infrastructure and build a footballing culture back home to reach that level, one or two decades down the line. 

Hence, Hajime Moriyasu suggests that India must utilise its large population and build a strong grassroots network. Focusing on improving the quality of football at the grassroots will go a long way in producing top-class talents for the future. 

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