Zoran Djordjevic

Sunday, 26. July 2009 - Armstrong Vaz (GW)

India has potential to win World Cup one day say former Churchill Brothers coach Zoran Djordjevic in an interview with Armstrong Vaz.

Congrats on being the first foreign coach to win the I-League and been judged as the best coach. What were your impression about the I-League and Indian football before accepting the Indian club coaching offer from Churchill Brothers and your impression now of Indian football and the I-League.

My knowledge about Indian football as a professional coach was that India is at the lower level of world football. However, I also know that during 1950's India was the best in Asia and champion of Asia. Now after one season in India and after having passed out through a lot of difficult barriers to become champion, I believe that India has great potential in football.


The grey areas for improvement for Indian football and I-League.

A lot of talented players are found in India. But, no proper facilities, also some facilities are not adequately maintained. There is no youth programme system. No quality refereeing. No proper football management. Minimum football equipment. For such a big country it is necessary to have 20 clubs in professional I-League. India does not have a general football concept. No strategy for the future. Also, every club in India from professional I-League to the lower divisions must have proper structures: It's own field with unlimited time for use, necessary equipment in the field and around the field, promoting all youth categories, school football and academies.


Again, after all this I am sure and I believe that India as a rich country with human potential in all aspect of life has a big chance to be in the football World Cup and to one day win the World Cup.

It is necessary for all the above mentioned points to be developed and improved. I have great respect for India, and without open and direct discussion and professional remarks and criticism, there is no chance for progress, development and improvement.


Your impressions about the I-league crowd turn out.

My impression is that Indian people love football. When you play a game in Calcutta and Goa you feel you are in the most football loving country in the world. If Indian government, Ministry of Sports, Football Federation and clubs improve general condition for football I am sure India will be a new football power in the world. For example, it is not possible in 21st century to play professional football senior game at 3:30 or 4 pm because this is the killing temperature for the beautiful game for players as well as spectators.


You have indicated you intend to look forward to guiding clubs to the top level in the AFC Champions League.

For every coach it is a challenge to be in such a great and important competition. But, it is also very important to be successful in this competition. And to be successful you must have very serious preparations.


What are your future plans?

My future plan and my future goal is to continue my coaching job in the same spirit, passion, motivation, dedication and enthusiasm and to be a coach of world champions. This is my only unrealized aim.


You have worked in different countries, which is the place where you like the working environment best for football and why?

Saudi Arabia because in the Kingdom, there are fantastic dream facility. Management is proper and there exist rules and regulations. This is why they are present in the last four World Cups.


In the Indian leagues African footballers have been dominating winning the golden boot award, do you think India is sacrificing on its local talented strikers in the pursuit for success by recruiting African footballers.

In my opinion, Indian football is not in that level to recruit foreign players. Why? Because foreign players take places from prosperous, young, talented Indian players in key positions in the team; strikers, defenders, playmakers. What is the benefit from foreign players? They (foreign players) help clubs with their quality but the national team suffers from their presence. In these days, every simple young boy everywhere around the world and also in India can follow the best players in the world through satellite TV and this is of great benefit. The money clubs pay for foreigner players simply will be more beneficial if they invest in youth development.


Do you think Indian league should ban foreign players or limit their numbers?

My opinion strongly is to concentrate on your own young prosperous talented future players, it means to ban, because this is artificial help for Indian football, not realistic because it puts poorer clubs in unequal position. In that way, clubs which do not produce the players must understand football fundamentals to invest in youth development and academies because in this moment foreigner players are not real benefit for Indian football.


What you feel of the Indian talent and the Goan football talent, recently Goa Football Association secretary Savio Messais criticized your club for breaking the bank to hold on to the services of Odafe, while he said your club is neglecting the youth development – what efforts  you took as head coach to get the youth program at the club level functioning and on road in tunes with the demands of international football. Is the club management not interested in the youth development programme.

Generally, I always mention that future of India is youth categories, football schools and football academies. If Zoran Djordjevic is in power in Football Federation of India, in power in Indian government or Ministry of Sports, I will establish necessary conditions for every club to participate in senior competition:

1.) football school and academy
2.) youth categories
3.) employ professional coaching staff in all the sections
4.) professional medical staff
5.) professional management.

All clubs in India and also Churchill Brothers Sports club must understand that without youth structure everything is artificial. Because clubs must provide facility for developing young Indians and provide places in youth and senior competition.


You have been quoted that your former football manager from the Goan club is a lazy person and not fit for his duties. Do you feel that managers and coaches of I-League clubs should get professional training to adapt to the demanding professional league needs.

If Zoran Djordjevic criticizes somebody it doesn't mean he has personal like or dislike. Also myself, I like when somebody criticize me, as generally, you can only improve if you listen to what is negative about you. Without critics with good intentions, there is no progress or development. In India there must be more educated professional coaches and also in administration and medical staff. There must be more foreigner top professional coaches in India.


Anything more you would like to say?

Generally my recommendation for everybody in football in India is to do every day much more and much better then yesterday, and only in that way football will develop and reach world level. I am proud about this achievement because in seasons 1996/97, 1999/2000, 2001/02, 2006/07, Churchill Brothers was four times second best. In the fifth attempt with me as the coach, Churchill Brothers became champion of India for the first time in the clubs history. Especially, as the first foreign coach champion in the history of Indian football, I have more responsibility and obligation to repeat this result with Churchill Brothers or other clubs. For true champions it is difficult to come to the top but more difficult to stay on the top.