Need better playgrounds to improve soccer: Munjal

Outlining the key initiatives required to nurture the country’s young football talent and make India a globally competitive footballing nation, Pawan Munjal said he is confident that “it is a matter of just a few years before football will be the chosen sport for millions of Indians.”

Commenting on the measures needed to take Indian football to its next level, Munjal said “There is a need to develop playgrounds with good quality grass cover so that our budding players are not afraid of making diving tackles for the fear of picking up injuries. Then we need better sports medicine specialists attached to the teams so that the injuries are treated expeditiously and appropriately. 

We also need to train and groom referees at the grassroots so that they gain enough confidence to officiate at the highest level without getting intimidated.” “These three measures will certainly go a long way in instilling a lot of confidence in our young players and preparing them for the intensely competitive big leagues at the global level,” Munjal – the Chairman, MD & CEO of Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer and one of the biggest corporate supporters of football in India, said. 

Munjal also called for a more collaborative effort between the private sector and the government bodies to create the right kind of infrastructure for the growth of football in the country. He added, “The efforts of the corporates need the government’s support for their initiatives to succeed. This can be in the form of developing more playgrounds and stadiums and all other necessary infrastructural facilities.”