FC Bayern II coming to India
by Sujay Sharma

An Opportunity
FC Bayern have accepted a fantastic opportunity in sending their second team to Calcutta to take part in the 111th IFA Shield. In all likelihood, this will also turn out to be a golden chance for all concerned football lovers and followers in our vast country.

The Indian football fan
The Indian football fan, like me, is delighted in this, because such does not happen every so often. Indeed, it came as a pleasant shock when the news of FC Bayern II's participation was actually confirmed.
For ages we Indian football fans have been dearth to see our teams compete regularly against high-class opposition, to witness top-quality players in flesh. We've had to make do with scraps dealt our way in with the four-yearly process that is the World Cup qualifiers, where one big team will come and beat, if not thrash us, and that too with progression all but an uncertainty.
With International Friendlies against quality opposition involving India proving difficult as always to organize, it is encouraging to note that the officials are trying to incorporate the other lucrative alternative, namely to involve reputed clubs in competitive tournaments. This will definitely add lustre to our domestic competitions concerned, as international football is remarkably popular among the local public, and gaining popularity with every passing moment. One will notice it in the media coverage given to international football vis-a-vis domestic football. So integrating the two, as is being done this time around, surely seems a value-adding measure.

Media interest
Not only will the domestic fan be rewarded. The media too will naturally get heavily involved. The media will see this as a great event to highlight. There will be features, telecasts, interviews, among many other things. This will hopefully fan the flame of interest among the general public, and make heavier the intended impact of the tour for all parties concerned. As a representative of IndianFootball.Com, I am aware of this first hand.

Bayern the Club
It would indeed be naïve to think that FC Bayern II would be coming all this way just to popularize the IFA Shield, and create awareness of it. FC Bayern are one of the most thoughtfully operated and successful clubs in the world, both on the business and footballing levels. So they quite naturally see a value for themselves too in sending their second team. This tour will be a fantastic opportunity to give unique character-builidng exposure to their young players who will hopefully make it big in their careers as pro footballers.
his tour will also raise the profile of the brand that is FC Bayern Munich, here in India. It is encouraging to see some European giant keeping an eye on India too. And it's to Bayern's credit that they have been the first to be proactive.

The Indian Bayern fan
There is a healthy number of people who support German football in India. Obviously this base has been built due to the exploits of the German national team in the World Cups and European Championships. Most of these people do have a liking for FC Bayern when they compete in the Champions League. Now with the Bundesliga on television of late, hopefully this undercurrent of support will surge over, like it has been seen to work, during this last cable-television decade, for Manchester United. With the club itself taking steps to address their Indian market, their support should only rise exponentially. Hopefully this way we Bayern Munich fans will get to see our beloved club week-in week-out on our televisions.
In fact, just as an illustration, FC Bayern has an official Fan Club here in India - FC Bayern Mumbai Fan Club ( www.fcbayernmumbai.com). I happen to be the Manager of the Fan Club, and am very proud of its existence. As far as I know it, it's the only official fan club in India of a major football club. That just shows you the kind of commitment FC Bayern can instill in you, with their club-fan relationship. Hopefully, following FC Bayern's official initiatives in Indian in the upcoming future, will inspire more fan clubs, with even more members. Needless to say, Bayern fans in India will be thrilled with any initiative whatsoever the club takes in this country.

FC Bayern development
Not only the Bayern fans benefit. The club as a whole will surely develop too. Their youth will get better experience on such a trip. The better the Bayern youth, the better the future for the Bayern first team. Also, maybe a future Bayern initiative in the development of Indian football will lead to the next Indian super-talent getting the opportunity to play for Bayern the moment he turns 16, and makes it big, like Owen Hargreaves did when he left Canada.
All of these possibilities leave me spellbound in anticipation as to what all future positives could come out from an association of Bayern with the Indian football scenario.

Come on IFA Shield
It will all be starting with the 111th IFA Shield on December 2, 2005. FC Bayern II will participate in the semifinals directly against one of the three Calcutta giants of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, or Mohammedan Sporting. That will be an opportunity for FC Bayern to delight the crowd. It will also be an opportunity for our Indian pro players to show their standing to a team of repute in Europe, which itself is not at all a bad spur for them to give their all. Whatever the outcome of the semifinal, hopefully the foundations to a productive partnership would have been set.

(besides being an Editor of IndianFootball.Com, who are media partner to the Bayern II trip to India, and India's premier football website; Sujay is also the Manager of FC Bayern Mumbai Fan Club - the first and only official Fan Club of Bayern Munich in the country.)