India Sports Tribune

HYDERABAD, INDIA: India’s decision to call Australia-born Ryan Williams up to their national team camp after awarding citizenship to him is distressing in many ways. While it reeks of the colonial hangover from our storied past that several pundits have already referred to, it also serves as a stark reminder to our youngsters that no matter how talented and skilful they may be, the presence of overseas players will always overshadow their hard work.

Head coach Khalid Jamil had the perfect occasion to give chances to the performers from India’s U-23 side in their upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifier game against Bangladesh on November 18, since it is a dead rubber. The Blue Tigers harbour no hopes of making it through to the main tournament, and can use these quality games to groom their youngsters and create a transition. Instead, they have made a regressive move that is bound to take football in the country behind, not forward.

It was with this motive that Jamil dropped many seniors from the squad, including Subhasish Bose, Chinglensana Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Deepak Tangri and Liston Colaco, to name but a few. He also called up several exciting youngsters such as Mohammed Sanan, Pramveer, Bikash Yumnam and Lalremtluanga Fanai, among others.

AIFF added their own tinge of drama

However, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) added their own tinge of drama to the events by naming Williams and Abneet Bharti in the probables. While the latter is Indian, the former qualified for citizenship via his mother, who was born in an Anglo-Indian family in Bombay. At 32, Williams offers practically no hope for the future, and hence, AIFF’s decision to bring him on board remains suspect.

India, with virtually nothing to play for till the next couple of years at the very least, had found themselves with the perfect opportunity to prepare a core for the next cycle of World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers. Williams’ presence will do nothing to boost their morale, and instead, go a long way in harming the self-confidence of those who have made it solely on merit.

For those interested in the numbers, the former Fulham and Portsmouth man scored just seven times in 22 appearances in the 2024-25 Indian Super League for Bengaluru FC, to go with three goals in the 2023-24 season. It is clear that the Australian has not made it to the probables on the basis of his performances, but via external forces that have bound coach Jamil’s hands. Sources in the know have made it clear to the Tribune that adding Williams to the camp was not in the ex-Jamshedpur FC coach’s plans initially.

To deprive hard-working youth such as Sanan, Irfan Yadwad and Vikram Partap Singh of opportunities in the final third to cushion Williams, who is clearly on the wane, is devoid of any human sensibility, and the AIFF must be answerable to the national team’s supporters. It also shows that the federation has no scruples in promoting and selecting a player who is not home-grown, overlooking those who promise more. It sends the wrong message, both to players and fans, by highlighting that we still scrape and bow down to foreign presence, 79 years after independence.

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