Is soccer a dying game in India?

Soccer popularly called Football in India is no more popular in India.Is it because TV channels don't get enough sponsors for football matches or Is it because there is no big money involved in football? Or is it because the AIFF has no big financial clout like the BCCI? I don't think all these are the real reasons.During World cup football there is great euphoria among TV viewers even though the telecasts are made at odd times in India.Most importantly India doesn't feature in any World cup football matches.Even then there were sufficient enthusiastic viewers all over the nation.One witnessed the same euphoria during the recent Euro 2008 Soccer games.Then What ails Indian Football?
Four decades ago football was played in almost all streets of India by bare footed kids.Therewas abundant talent to be groomed.Especially states like Bengal,Kerala,Punjab and Goa were cradles of football in India.If at all, some soccer is left in India,it is only in these states.More prominently in Bengal and Kerala.But even in these states it is a dying game.Cricket a predominantly urban game has taken strong roots in rural centres,thanks to the wide TVcoverage.The fame and money in cricket has also lured budding footballers to cricket.The TeamIndia Cricket skipper Dhoni himself is an example.Dhoni was a socer goalkeper in Ranchi,a small town in Jarkhand never known for cricket.The state federations and the AIFF should host as many tournaments as possible in all rural centres through out the breadth and width of the nation.Infra structure is not a problem at all.Tournaments can be held in school or college football grounds where ever stadia are not availbale.At school levels there should be specialised sports and games oriented professional curricula.Our schools still have the out dated Physical education curricula.The regional associations should get sponsors for kit,equipment,TV and media coverage.In this era of satellite TV, it won't be a difficult task.Public sector undertakings should promote the game by giving employment to talented players by sponsoring them.Public sector undertakings can conduct invitation tournaments or sponsor tournaments at league level.Even armed forces and police,who were hitherto promoting the game are not doing so.It is really a sorry state of affair.What is India's status in soccer at international arena? In 1956 Olympics,India came fourth.After that India has never figured in soccer Olympics.India has never figured in World cup Soccer.The only time India qualified for World cup was in 1950,that too by default.Since qualified teams like Burma,Indonesia and Philipines withdrew from the tournament.But then Indian footballers played bare footed and FIFA refused to acceed to the Indian request to play bare footed!!.What a tragedy! India could not qualify even for Asia cup since 1984 until recently.AFC challenge cup win over Tajikistan has now qualified India for the 2011 AFC cup to be held in Doha after a gap of 24 years.Thanks to the foreign coach, a former England player Bob Houghton.Currently India is ranked 151 in world and 24th among Asian teams.Will India qualify for the 2010 world cup?Let us hope for the best.

Busy Beijing -changing Chinglish to English

The Beijing olympics is scheduled to begin on 8 th August ,2008 .Authorities are busy changing sign boards, sign posts ,restaurant menus ,placards etc from Chinglish to English . Chinglish is a commonly used term for English from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Chinglish is known for its mistranslated sign boards and products. Chinglish can be quite entertaining and evoke instant laughter.Obvioulsy China does not want to become the laughing stock before visiting dignitaries and sportpersons from all over the world. Of cource English is a foreign language and mastering it is difficult . Countries under the former colonial imperialism , speak comparatively good English. Even in such countries this is restricted to metro cities where the imperialists ruled . Even the current statistics, reveal native speakers of the English Language is a negligible 15 % . Out of the estimated 2 billion people using the language, majority of them use it as a common link language. China always had a paucity of native English teachers . With 300 million chinese trying to speak English, English will become more like chinese.

Some chinglish sign boards to entertain you

• If you are stolen, call the police at once .

• please omnivorously put the waste in garbage can.

• deformed man lavatory.

• The stairs and Pu Jiang Hotel of the carving arm-rest is like the long history
  (on a wall next to a staircase in a hotel)

intended to convey "This staircase with carved banister has a history as old as that of the Pujiang Hotel."

• Those who suffer from high blood pressure, mental disease, horrifying of highness and liquor heads are refused.

(notice at the entrance to a ride in an entertainment park)

The four letter F*** word is used in the context of " to do " in some Chinglish boards !!!

• No tresspassing, violators will be shot survivors will be shot again
  

• Be dangerous we are insured

• Danger if you fall in the pond you will be boiled

• Smoking/naked light is prohibited within the petrol filling station

• Welcome to come again

• No photoing no smoking

• your careful steps keeps tiny grass invariably green

• please do not spilt everywhere and liter up .The violators will be amerced with in range of 20 to 50 yuan.

A sign board at world famous Great wall of China

welcome you to visit Mutiyanu great wall.For you and others security please attention to following items

1.please don't carve arbitrarily on the great wall .protect one brick and stone consciously

2.for your safety .please don't climb crelenated wall.

3.please walk carefully on abrupt slope and dangerous way.Dont run and pushes to pash violently and the laugh and frolic

4.please pay attemtion to your safety in the rain and snow weather.

5.old people and children must have been accompanied and leaded by their family members when climbing the great wall .

6.The fire is forbidden here .Please don't take the tinder.

7.When you have a problem please call the alarm tel 61626683

We can find equally funny sign boards in India. Neverthless , one can not understand how such a board can be displayed near the Great wall of China.The Language Police of China is all out to make the boards comprehensible . Let us wish them all the best.