Tundla Junction

After a spectacular year on the international stage, India rose dramatically in the FIFA rankings to end the year ranked 143, narrowly beating Yemen, Malta and Liechtenstein to the post. “It is a golden era for Indian football,” said P K Banerjee, former Indian football star.

“We always had the potential, it was just a question of fulfilling it,” said football expert Laltu Ghosh. “We have had false starts in the past, but when we waltzed past Tajikistan and then thrashed Myanmar, we started believing that this time it was for real,” said an elated Bablu Das.

While Bhaichung Bhutia’s flair was on display throughout the season, it was team discipline and coach Bob Houghton’s vision that made this year truly different. “It isn’t easy picking a team for a country with India’s population,” said Bob Houghton. “I knew I was up against it when I was told I would have to pick a team of eleven from literally millions of high quality administrators wishing to make a mark. They all wanted their local boys in the team and I had to make some really tough decisions,” he said.

Meanwhile the All India Football Federation has announced its intention to build on the immense goodwill generated to promote football further in the country. “The government has agreed to increase our funding three times to Rs. 6 this year. We have had to lobby really hard for this,” said Priyaranjan Das Munshi, highly successful president of the federation for nearly 20 years (tundlajunction managed to interview him between overs during the Mohali cricket test match). “Our target is to end 2009 ranked at least 142,” he said optimistically.

Tundlafacts

India’s World Cup dominance:
1930 to 1938 – Did not enter
1950 – Qualified by default, but withdrew
1954 – Entry not accepted by FIFA
1958 to 1970 – Did not enter
1974 to 2006- Did not qualify

Current world rankings in the “group of death”:
Rank Team
135         Madagascar
136         Burundi
137         Kazakhstan
138         Swaziland
139         Indonesia
139         Liberia
141         Vanuatu
142         Puerto Rico
143         India
143         Niger
145         Yemen
146         Tajikistan
147         Malta
148         Turkmenistan
149         Liechtenstein

Related links:
India’s sensational year
FIFA world rankings
Photo courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/dipu87/2558739302/