FOOTBALL INDIA: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE...
The first-ever "Indian Football Supporters Club" Convention at University College Northampton (England)

To correspond with the first tour of the UK by the Indian national football team.
Contacts:
Arunava Chaudhuri - arunava.chaudhuri@indianfootball.com
Dr Paul Dimeo - paul.dimeo@northampton.ac.uk
Dr Jim Mills - jim.mills@northampton.ac.uk

Convention Sessions:

In the presence of FIFA's Director of Communications Keith Cooper

Morning Session 10:00 - 12:00
Chair: Dr James Mills

The Future of the Indian Football Supporters' Club

The aim of this session is to consider the possibilities of the IFSC and to discuss realistic futures and realistic ways of achieving these.
The session should focus on short-term projects while defining long term visions.

1. Objectives.
Possible discussion points...
(a) internal organisation: how should the IFSC be organised internally?
(b) external relations (with the AIFF, with Indian footballers and football clubs, with NRIs and NRI organisations etc.): who should the IFSC seek partnerships with and endorsements from?
(c) future plans: should the IFSC set short term and long term objectives, should it become an autonomous and active body in arranging tours, soccer schools, fundraising etc or simply remain as an information and education source etc?

2. Methods.
Possible discussion points...
(a) internal organisation: should there be a written constitution, should there be separate offices with separate functions, should these be democratically elected?
(b) external relations: is the website enough or should a newsletter be produced, should this be sent to current members or should a potential mail list be assembled, should the IFSC wait for people to contact it or should it market itself etc?
(c) future plans: sponsorship, organising to achieve short term goals, where to organise future meetings and projects, how to include low-income groups etc?

3. Conclusion.
Short term projects and structures for realising these.
Long term visions and where to be in 5 years.

Afternoon Session 13:00 - 15:00
Chair: Mr Arunava Chaudhuri

The Future of Indian Football
The aim of this session is to consider the possibilities and problems of Indian football.
The session should focus on the exchange of information and opinion among IFSC members.
The session might focus on the three levels of Indian football and identify issues at each level and look at problems and possibilities common to each level.

1. Local Football.
Schools football, the role of soccer academies, issues arising from existing structures, rural and urban issues etc.

2. Regional and National Football.
Are the regional leagues more important than the national league, what should happen to competitions like the Rovers Cup, should the season calendar be altered, where are the coaches coming from, are foreign players good or bad, is the AIFF effective etc?

3. International Football.
Is it more important to have a successful international team than a thriving domestic scene, should resources be channeled towards the international squad, should NRIs be allowed to play for India etc.

Convention Aims:

The "Indian Football Supporters Club" started off as a mailing list on the Internet in October 1998. Then the IFSC was willing to do more for Indian football than just talking and discussing about it. The convention is a first but major step in that direction.

(1) Work on a Charter for the "Indian Football Supporters Club", to give it a professional set-up.

(2) Create a Logo for the "Indian Football Supporters Club", which members can identify themselves with.

(3) Give the "Paper of Ideas" a final touch, as the IFSC wants to present the paper to the public at the conference.

(4) Discuss and talk about matters related to Indian football.

(5) Divide future work on Indian football of the IFSC among it's members.

(6) Try to find further means to support Indian football in India but also in Europe and America.