Football will get a big boost if India succeeds in its bid to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup: Scott O'Donnell

Football will get a big boost in the country if India succeeds in its bid to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, a top functionary of AIFF said on Friday, says a report in The Times Of India.

"It (hosting of FIFA U-17 World Cup) will be a big boost for Indian football and give players and all the coaches a lot of motivation to work even harder to ensure that we have a competitive team," said Scott O'Donnell, who is the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Technical Director of Academies and Director of Coach Education.

In case India hosts the event, the national Under-17 squad would get a direct entry into the tournament.

Meanwhile a DNA report says that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) technical director (academies), Scott O’Donnell, is in the city to conduct the 15th batch of the AIFF ‘D’ Licence course along with the federation’s Technical Director Rob Baan and AIFF instructors from Maharashtra’s state association WIFA. It began on August 13 and ends on August 19 at the Cooperage Football Ground.

The main aim for O’Donnell, who is also the director of coach education of AIFF, and AIFF technical director Rob Baan is to reach out to youngsters at the grassroots level. The regional academies are the key word stressed by the duo. O’Donnell is aware that there is a lot of work to do at grassroots and academies.

He believed that one must not go by the FIFA ranking. “FIFA rankings are self explanatory. Too much importance is given to rankings. And, if you win a couple of games against higher ranked teams, there will be a drastic change in your standing,” he said.