"Person of Indian Origin" Anthony Jai, who is based in London, created his own Sports Company, AJX International, in 1998 after he was tired of working within a large corporate set-up. The life-long Arsenal London FC fan wanted to make his passion as a football supporter into a full-time job and has had considerable success internationally over the years. As someone with Indian roots Anthony has looked at helping Indian football to develop, but until today a number of efforts have gone wasted.
Since 1998, Anthony has worked on football projects in the UK, China, USA, and India both independently and with established organisations.
Have a look at: www.ajx.co.uk
IndianFootball.Com Editor-in-Chief Chris Punnakkattu Daniel talked to Anthony Jai about the Indian football market and its chances. He also discussed the potential entry of AJX International with its expertise and global contacts.

Please tell us a little more about AJX International?

I founded AJX International in 1998.
We act as match agents for elite clubs, event managers with tournament organizers and sponsors. Also we evaluate club alliances between European clubs and developing club markets in the USA and China and in select cases invest with our clients into clubs and undervalued football brands.

How do you see the Indian market?

The Indian market has been of great interest to AJX International for the past six years. We had our first contact with the Indian game before the first Tour of the Indian national team to England in 2000 at the Northampton Conference on Indian football and through communication with IndianFootball.Com.
Since then we have followed most on and off field activities and developments, as a fan and football professional.
However we are still trying to work out if Indian football offers any interest or significant potential for our services. As such Indian football is at a crucial stage.
There has been a great deal of hype and pessimism in equal measures surrounding Indian football. So is the glass half full or half empty?

The entry of Zee Sports, Nike and others plus the involvement of FIFA and the AFC in the development of the game in India are encouraging signs. But increased finance is all needed to reach the next level.
But football is still based on homegrown youth excellence, established stars and fans, whether local or national, want to be associated with success. In that India is no difference. And there lies the problem. The national teams have just not performed, be it Olympic, AFC Youth and Senior besides the World Cup qualifiers. The current Asian Cup qualifiers campaign is a disaster.
Though improved India's FIFA ranking speaks volume.

Where do you see the problems?

There are loads of them and a lot of questions to be asked.
There is no unified coherent plan at grassroots or otherwise antiquated methods.
There is not enough quality management to deliver. The AIFF has done some good things but there is the lack of vision. One step forward, two steps side wards.
How many Asian standard footballers is India producing? Talented 16-22 year olds seem to stagnate when they join so-called professional clubs.
The Tata Football Academy is where the true excellence lies, but what talent have they really produced in the past five years of international standard?
Why is the game not making rapid strides in non-footballing strongholds outside Bengal, Goa, Kerala and possibly Punjab? Delhi and Mumbai in particular.
Surely Baichung Bhutia cannot be the only relatively decent player produced by the "system" in the last ten years.
Football facilities i.e. Stadiums are abysmal. The Cooperage Ground in Mumbai as the best example, how can football grow if the financial capital of India has this as its main "venue".
Why would spectators stop going shopping or to the cinema or stay at home watching TV to go to watch the entertainment at such a poor facility.
Professional football can not grow in such an environment. Ask the MLS (Major League Soccer) in the USA.
Football provides so many international models of success to follow, adapt, and learn not what to do.
Japan, did not even have any significant interest in the game ten years ago. Now look at their J-League and national team success.
In the US soccer is the fourth most popular sport and participation levels are huge. Finally their elite league is primed for take off. True that it has taken them 12 years.
China has shown huge growth but no real success, one World Cup participation isn't enough and their leagues have been a disaster recently. So money is not the total solution to football's developmental problems. It is how you use it.

True India as a nation has other far more important priorities than the development of football. But India Inc is growing rapidly, if India focused, put talented people at the helm of the game had some balls, rapid, rather than mundane progress could be made in football at all levels.
Development of football can be a good cultural and business indicator of a countries development. India knows how to sell world class entertainment, just see Bollywood and Cricket. So why not football?
India's huge growing youth want to be associated with regional and global success. Can football tap into and match such aspirations? I hope so…

Since when have you shown interest in the Indian market?

It has been our own interest, research and professional football knowledge. We work in the USA and China, so India could profit from that knowledge of development.
Through visits to the Indian market and importantly through IndianFootball.Com, our good friends and long-term partner, we have always looked to provide our professional services.

How have you actually accessed the Indian market?

Actually AJX was contracted 18 months ago and evaluated the Indian football market for the then English Premier League club Southampton FC and came up with a report, suggestions and targets for market entry/partnerships at NFL club level.
The detailed report covered club partnerships, youth excellence, commercial growth, mass spread of the game in a specific region. It was a very detailed vision for the English clubs entry into India.
But the outcome was not suitable then, as there wasn't any suitable partners in India to partner and deliver for the English club, though talks and negotiations where held with different entities within and outside Indian football.

Did anything come out of Southampton's interest in Indian football?

I hope that a proper partnership can be created as Southampton FC has a lot to offer to Indian football, be it expertise in youth development and infrastructure. What I can say about them is that the club in genuinely interested in India and football in the country.
And actually the Tata Football Academy is set to visit Southampton FC in July 2006 for an exposure trip. So at least something has come out of their interest in the Indian football market.
So the work that Arunava and myself have done did at least achieve something for young, talented Indian footballers...

How could this be changed?

Wealthy Indians, NRI/PIO individuals and Indian corporate blue-chips where the management has a passion for football (e.g. Mahindra&Mahindra) seem one foundation to grow football. Mahindra United winning the NFL title shows the way forward.
It is needed that the broadcasters and sponsors assist in building professional clubs, competent managements, to maximize their product.
It looks to me that the AIFF seem to think FIFA and the AFC will make it all happen. These quasi government administrators can help but are not the font of all the answers. They could "fast track" India into their global and continental competitions. There is a need for new people at the AIFF and within regional associations. A cull is needed. Bottom up growth not top down.
Young people watching the foreign and local leagues combined with the current players moving into technical and management positions would surely help. It probably is a generational thing.
India's success in the 1950s is not much use for the present.
Frankly radical improvement is needed.

It might be an idea that people who run cricket taking over football.
Foreign clubs could make an impact but on a private basis and what would they buy into NFL clubs that are such a rag-tag, communal entity.
The MLS single entity league probably has no chance in India due to the history of club football in India.

Having worked with IndianFootball.Com how do you see the work of the site for football in India? How do you see working with Arunava? What would say about the involvement in India for IFC? Should people use the expertise of IFC more? And how?

IndianFootball.Com is doing an incredible job with no own vested interested, except Indian football to develop and grow.
I am always amazed that the AIFF have not given Arunava Chaudhuri a management position and budget to drive through a long-term plan.
Arunava has driven interest in all aspects of Indian football and has been a somewhat idealist champion of Indian football for years, not only through IndianFootball.Com.
I have worked with Arunava on a number of projects and he is a thorough professional with vast knowledge and understanding of the game. I do not need to mention that he just loves the game.
Arunava Chaudhuri is employed and driving the development of Caribbean and German football why the hell not Indian, where his talent and international knowledge is most needed?
Indian football's unique exposure through IndianFootball.Com has not been matched by the people running the games development.

I guess Arunava will be really happy to hear the compliments from you.
Thanks a lot for talking to us!