Start planning for 2014 WC, Pereira tells India

Mohun Bagan's Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva says India should aim at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup

Mohun Bagan’s Brazilian coach Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva says India would do well to aim at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup instead of focus 2010 edition of the quadrennial mega event.

“The Federation and everybody else connected with football should look at the bigger picture and have a macro vision, not a micro one,” Pereira, who coached the famous Vasco da Gama club to national title in the 1970s, said.

“It is very important to spot talented youngsters now so that they will be prepared when the next cycle of World Cup qualification comes around,” he said.

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India take on Lebanon on October 8 and 28 in the first round of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa, but Pereira said it was imperative that India planned ahead for the 2014.

“Players such as Bhaichung Bhutia and S Venkatesh won’t be around by that time, so there is need to look for their replacements,” Pereira, who has had coaching stints as far as Europe, Middle East and South-east Asia, said.

Talent has to be spotted at a young age and groomed properly for the desired end, he said.

“There should be a pool of Under-19 players who should undergo intensive training for five to eight years under qualified coaches,” the 61-year-old said.

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For that to happen, there needs to be academies and regular tournaments in the U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-20 tournaments and the coach was disappointed that such a structure was absent in India.