Indian Football Team AKA The Bhangra Boyz qualify for 2011 Asian Cup

[Salamuddin]

http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14740114


Qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup......hopefully this can increase interest levels in football in India.

I hope to see India qualify for the FIFA World Cup one day in my lifetime maybe 2018 if Bob Houghton gets his way.

[Matteh]

They did qualify for the World Cup once, just refused to wear shoes and so didn't get to play.

[Magrat Garlick]

They did qualify for the World Cup once, just refused to wear shoes and so didn't get to play.

Qualified is an interesting interpretation. There were four teams from Asia originally slated to be in the qualifying, but all withdrew and India were asked last.

Anyway, good on them. Doubt this qualifying series is a good indication of what comes later (it was a tournament for "emerging nations" which they were only in as they were hosting, and thus really expected to win), so let's hope they don't disgrace themselves.

[BoyBrumby]

Is Michael Chopra still eligible or has he played age-level for us?

Could be an absolute goldmine for him if he threw his lot in with his dad's country.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Is Michael Chopra still eligible or has he played age-level for us?

Could be an absolute goldmine for him if he threw his lot in with his dad's country.

From his wiki

"He has represented England at the Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels."

I think it's safe to say he has

[duffer]

http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14740114


Qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup......hopefully this can increase interest levels in football in India.

I hope to see India qualify for the FIFA World Cup one day in my lifetime maybe 2018 if Bob Houghton gets his way.

I was reading that football was on the steady increase as far as interest with young people was concerned and was getting a lot of mainstream interest over the past couple of years especially with the debacle of the World Cup campaign. Then came the world T20, the IPL and Indian cricket was the greatest thing ever again.

What's needed is one player to make it at a good level in a European league. That should be the catalyst needed for football euphoria. I mean look at Sania Mirza and what she's done for girls in India, just needs that one player to make the breakthrough.

[Matteh]

Baichung Bhutia?....

[Xuhaib]

Baichung Bhutia?....

Not mainstream enough, hell even Zesh Rehman is a bigger star then him.

[Craig]

Is Michael Chopra still eligible or has he played age-level for us?

Could be an absolute goldmine for him if he threw his lot in with his dad's country.

From his wiki

"He has represented England at the Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels."

I think it's safe to say he has

What are the rules now? AFAIK it was that if a player had played at u-21 level for another country and was eligible for another he could still play for said second country if he was capped by said 1st countries senior, but after that I'm now sure.

[Matteh]

All gibberish.

Cahill couldn't play for Aus because he'd played for Western Samoan u-13s iirc. Then they changed it so that all levels up to u-21 don't count towards the 'one nation only' thing.

[chaminda_00]

It was actually the Western Samoan U21 when he was 14.

[BoyBrumby]

What are the rules now? AFAIK it was that if a player had played at u-21 level for another country and was eligible for another he could still play for said second country if he was capped by said 1st countries senior, but after that I'm now sure.

I think you have to change allegience by a certain age. IIRC JLloyd Samuel wanted to play for T&T in the 2006 WC, but was debarred because he'd played U21 for us and was deemed too old at 24 or 25 to switch.

Chopra must be about that age now so might've already missed the boat. & he might not fancy it anyway, obv.