Indian Football Team head coach Igor Stimac has persistently advocated for the inclusion of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) in the national squad for the longest time now. This call has grown even more resonant after India’s disappointing exit from the AFC Asian Cup, marked by a series of lackluster performances.
The team’s Asian Cup journey concluded with three consecutive losses against Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria, leaving India at the bottom with zero wins, zero points, and zero positive outcomes. The underwhelming performance raises the crucial question: Could India have performed better in this challenging group if players like Yan Dhanda and Danny Batth, both holding OCI status, were part of the squad?
In an exclusive interview with Insidesport, football presenter Joe Morrison shared his insights on this pertinent question. Having observed Indian football across various stages for an extended period, Morrison concurred with Igor Stimac’s perspective, stating that the inclusion of PIOs and OCIs could indeed enhance the overall scenario for the Indian Football Team at present.
“I totally agree with him [Stimac]. It’s not because of ability of PIOs. It’s because of game intelligence. When you play at a much higher level, you’re able to you have better game management, basically, and he sees that, and I see them” asserted Morrison.
“Some people think that you need 11 PIOs? No, no, you don’t. You need two, three, if you get four fabulous, but you don’t need a lot. I mean, even one PIO, I think would make a huge difference,” he added.
PIOs to change the scenario for Indian Football Team?
The Indian Football Team were completely outclassed by the opponents as they took the centre stage in Asia. Playing year around in a confined domestic circuit with handful international games against SAFF Nations was not going to prepare them for World Class teams like Australia either. India’s performance were mirrored by where they stand and showcased a huge real gap that has continued to exists with the teams at the top. However, Morrison belives, PIOs with experience and exposure can actually help bridge the gap as well.
“Players like Danny Batth to have tremendous experience of game management, and have played at a very good level. There’s a classic example. I have noticed from this tournament is the naivety amongst the players. When they’re under pressure, they are naive. And that’s the difference that PIOs make under pressure.” Morrison added.
At the ongoing AFC Asian Cup 2023, some countries, including Iraq, have significantly benefited from the inclusion of players of Iraqi origin. Notably, Iraq, which recently stunned Japan in the group stage, has 11 players in its squad who are either born or brought up outside of Iraq but have chosen to represent the West Asian side. This highlights the impact of allowing players of origin to contribute to the success of their national teams in international competitions.
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