Hyderabad:
It's FIFA World Cup season and everyone is talking football. In Hyderabad too. But cricket is still king.
The city remembers fondly that nine players from Andhra Pradesh were part of the Indian team that ended fourth in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. That was the high point for the game in Hyderabad.
Ironically, as soccer fever spreads, the last symbol standing of that moment of glory will soon be gone, with the main football ground making way for the Hyderabad Cricket Association's (HCA) club house.
At the Hyderabad Gymkhana, football player Rock is scoring his last few goals here. He says all through his childhood, this ground was like a second home. ``For the last 15 years, I have been playing on this ground. But now small children cannot play here if this ground is taken away," Rock protests.
Indeed, Gen-Next footballers will have nowhere to play. The Gymkhana is the only football ground in Hyderabad. Half the land has been allotted to the cricket association to build the club house and a mini-stadium. The other half has a hockey ground.
Khalil Khan, a football coach, says, "We only have Gymkhana ground for football. We have produced
international players from here. If this ground also goes, Andhra Pradesh football players don't have any ground to play and practice for training purpose."
The cricket association offers a solution. "Half of the football ground will be coming to the HCA. And since the hockey ground is not being used, they can make a football ground there." says Shivlal Yadav, vice president, HCA.
The footballers have put up posters making a silent plea, but these have had no impact yet.
The city remembers fondly that nine players from Andhra Pradesh were part of the Indian team that ended fourth in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. That was the high point for the game in Hyderabad.
Ironically, as soccer fever spreads, the last symbol standing of that moment of glory will soon be gone, with the main football ground making way for the Hyderabad Cricket Association's (HCA) club house.
At the Hyderabad Gymkhana, football player Rock is scoring his last few goals here. He says all through his childhood, this ground was like a second home. ``For the last 15 years, I have been playing on this ground. But now small children cannot play here if this ground is taken away," Rock protests.
Indeed, Gen-Next footballers will have nowhere to play. The Gymkhana is the only football ground in Hyderabad. Half the land has been allotted to the cricket association to build the club house and a mini-stadium. The other half has a hockey ground.
Khalil Khan, a football coach, says, "We only have Gymkhana ground for football. We have produced
international players from here. If this ground also goes, Andhra Pradesh football players don't have any ground to play and practice for training purpose."
The cricket association offers a solution. "Half of the football ground will be coming to the HCA. And since the hockey ground is not being used, they can make a football ground there." says Shivlal Yadav, vice president, HCA.
The footballers have put up posters making a silent plea, but these have had no impact yet.
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