#TFGtake: Home grown player rule is Step 1 towards shaping the future at top division
ONLY LAST WEEK, AIFF introduced the rule that starting April 2017, for all Clubs/Academies going to apply for the Academy Accreditation process, thr Club/ Academy is needed to register a minimum of 30% of the players for the U-13 and U-15 team and a minimum of 20% for the U-18 team as home grown.
This step was a much needed move to lay a pathway to see grassroots progress and reach highest level in domestic circuit. The mandatory rule will now force the clubs to look to develop local talent and even lead scouts to find budding youngsters from their registered base state/state/locality.
What are the positive impacts?
It actually generates a chain reaction where impetus will be to create awareness about the sport and the impact it can have on the current younger generation. The awareness that must be started at lowest level which is that grassroots will give the parents / school / college and more importantly the child itself a tangible target to aim for. When the parents and education institutions see the benefits of having kids turn into competitive and moving semi - professional to eventual professional, they begin to extend their support. This is precisely needed in a country where parental support lacks for the sole reason of being unable to see a roadmap if their child were to choose sport is pursued as a career.
Club / Academy benefits
The academies and clubs will equally benefit in the long run. Local talent will serve as a feeder for their higher age group teams. The process becomes more organic than the "buy talent" scenario with most clubs currently. It gives the club and players the assurance of a slow but sure result. This potentially will reduce the cost of the clubs/ academies incurred in scouting and getting in non - domicile talent in highly competitive leagues.
The home grown rule has only been applied to the youth leagues namely the Under 13, 15 and 18 I-Ieague. Although the I-League clus are kept aloof from this rule, it is a ground breaking move in itself. The mandate of having home grown players creates makes the clubs realise that the competitiveness of the sport must not sideline the development of raw talent into potential job-creation opportunities. Once the ground-level systems are in place, it wont be long before the I-League clubs draw the attention inwards of their city or state to recruit naturally groomed talent that comes with loyalty of the home club bundled along with.
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