What Blackburn Rovers' visit to Pune meant for Rovers, Pune FC and Indian Football

A view from inside the Balewadi Sports Complex.

Blackburn Rovers:

After the original date (July) of the visit was postponed to October, it looked highly probable that the game would be postponed to sometime next summer. But Blackburn had to visit India this year, as a visit next year, could be a year too late for them. Currently 19th in the Premier League, the winners from the 1994-95 season seem to be major candidates for the drop, to the npower championship.  A visit after relegation, would not attract the same crowd (which were lesser than expected anyway) and so the trip to Venkys homeland had to be made this year.

On the football field, Blackburn did was what expected out of them. They won 3-0, courtesy a brace from Jason Roberts and a screamer from Ruben Rochina. Big names like Yakubu, Samba, Formica, Givet and NZonzi featured in the game, and in reality, Blackburn could have scored more than those three goals, had they played with the same intensity they play with in a Premier League game. 

Pune FC:

We've heard of the cliche, 'the scoreline didn't reflect the true story of the game' numerous times. I'll repeat that. 

So Pune FC lost 3-0. They lost Anas Edatodika through his own stupidity 15 minutes into the biggest game they've played so far. What Edatodika was thinking when he made those rash tackles, we'll never know. But what we do know is that Pune need not worry about goal keepers. Shahilal Meloly, in goal because first choice 'keeper Subrata Pal was out injured, made save after save to deny a cricket like scoreline in the game at the Balewadi Sports Complex. 

Star forward, Jeje was hardly involved in the game. But then many strikers coming up against Samba hardly look involved in the game. What Pune missed was creativity in midfield, and even though Arata Izumi tried his best to provide creativity, Pune's midfield had none. Anas Edatodika's stupidity and being a player down didn't help, but to be considered a major force in the Indian League, you would expect more creativity from midfield.

But the experience of playing a Premier League side should augur well for Pune FC and the players should come out with a whole list of positives, which they should implement in future games.

Indian football:

Having hosted an international friendly between Argentina and Venezuela and now the game between Blackburn and Pune FC, we should be hoping for a brighter future in the sport we're hoping becomes as half as big as cricket in the near future. A world cup appearance in the near future is more far fetched than Ajit Agarkar getting a recall to the Indian cricket team, but we are taking small steps towards putting ourselves on the world map in football.

Shahilal Meloly, Jeje and Arata Izumi (who recently gave up his Japanese passport) could join Sunil Chhetri at a club overseas. If Blackburn want serious PR and do really want to help football in India, they should sign or take Chettri on loan in January. If they do get relegated, they should sign Chhetri on a long term deal.