SAN FRANCISCO: Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he is “not so sure” of the abilities of the national men’s football team, despite their recent victory over Thailand. Xi made the rare off-the-cuff remark in an informal conversation with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, according to a video posted onContinue Reading
AHMEDABAD: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi cheers India in the blockbuster climax of the Cricket World Cup on Sunday (Nov 19), commentators say he is also seeking to capitalise on the wildly popular sport to burnish his appeal ahead of elections next year. For tournament organisers and for Modi –Continue Reading
But, observers noted that more focus needs to be placed on the local development of the sport.
According to Mr. Bernhard Schumm, a former manager of the Indian national team,” we are too preoccupied with winning the championship game without realizing that you cannot begin with the roof, you have to start from the foundations.”
” Long-term thinking, which is constantly occurring in every European football’s best countries frequently, is not occurring here.” What we need to begin now is what we want in ten centuries.
Venues like Persija Jakarta, which competes in Liga 1, the major professional football league in Indonesia, are setting the standard for the development of young talent through football schools.
A sport school is what we have. According to the club’s president director Ambono Janurianto, the lowest( entry ) level is at a young age from primary school, then junior and senior high school and beyond.
We have the club after that. All of these are intended to help the players advance to the key team and develop into top players. This may help sport develop and change in Indonesia much more effectively.
However, the country is still reeling from a weakened economy, and record high youth unemployment.
Questions have arisen over the billions poured in to host the mega-event, with some businesses saying they are not yet seeing the benefits.
“(The Games have had) no impact on us at the moment. Everything is the same as usual. This is not the main competition venue, so the flow of people is not so much,” said Mr Han Yi, a shop assistant at a store located in the city centre, about 12km away from the Games venue.
Others, however, said the Games have brought significant changes to the city.
“It feels like the city now has a very new look. A lot has changed. For example, in terms of the subway transport system, and the way people have become more caring,” one Hangzhou resident told CNA.
“The world has given us the opportunity to host the Asian Games, we must cherish it and be responsible Hangzhou residents. We should be civilised and polite, be friendly and help others,” said a fellow local.
The Games are estimated to draw more than 20,000 visitors to Hangzhou, sparking hopes that they will inject a much-needed boost to the Chinese economy.
“For Hangzhou to host the Asian Games, it proves that our country’s comprehensive national strength is far more than that of many countries, and it is still gradually developing. So in this case, we spend the money to hold the competition, and it is an honour for us to do so,” another resident said.
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NEW DELHI: & nbsp, New Delhi canceled on Friday( Sept 22 ) a trip by its sports minister to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, claiming that Chinese authorities had denied admission and accreditation to Indian athletes from an area claimed by Beijing. Three female martial arts fighters from the AmericanContinue Reading
MALANG, Indonesia: Indonesia’s Supreme Court has overturned the acquittal of two policemen accused of negligence that led to one of the deadliest stadium disasters in football history, jailing them in a decision criticised on Thursday (Aug 24) by victims’ families as too lenient. The crush in the city of MalangContinue Reading
The curtain fell on the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia earlier this week with impressive displays of sportsmanship and moments of joy and heartache aplenty. Athletes competed in stifling humidity and scorching weather, with temperatures of close to 40 degrees Celsius punctuated by sudden torrential downpours. But everyone – officials, spectators, volunteersContinue Reading
President Joko Widodo has instructed Indonesia’s football chief to ensure that the country is not deprived of hosting other international tournaments in the future.Continue Reading
The use of tear gas canisters inside an enclosed stadium is banned by the world’s football governing body FIFA, due to its potential to create chaos. The same court had earlier sentenced the head of the match’s organising committee, Abdul Haris, and the organiser’s security official Suko Sutrisno to 18Continue Reading
SURABAYA: An Indonesian court jailed a police officer for 18 months on Thursday (Mar 16) over negligence contributing to one of the worst stadium disasters in the history of football. Last year’s crush in the city of Malang killed 135 people – including more than 40 children – after aContinue Reading