Being captain of a soccer team is synonymous with loads of responsibility. The honour of a captain is given to one who is most respected, admired and who can be trusted to lead the team in the right direction. It is an honour to be a captain, as you represent all your teammates, fans, and all people inside and outside the field. It’s serious business and not at-all a joke, Opines Hirav Shah, Celebrated Sports Adviser and Strategist.

Early Background

During the 1950s and early 1960s, the Indian football team , which was once considered one of the best teams in Asia, had its golden era. During this time, we had won gold during the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games, while finishing fourth at the 1956 Summer Olympics. The Indian football team has never participated in the FIFA World Cup, although we did qualify by default for the 1950 World Cup after all other countries in their qualification group withdrew. The Indian National Football team which represents the country in Internationally is regulated by All India Football Federation(AIFF).

Notable Captains(Contemporary)

In 1995, Bhaichung Bhutia made his debut for India and under his captaincy India qualified for the AFC Asian Cup after a drought of 27 long years. He captained India for over 10 years. He is the second-most-capped player of India with 82 caps and is often considered as one of the greatest Indian footballers of all times. Under Bhaichung’s leadership Sunil Chhetri made his debut for the Indian football team and Chhetri is now the only footballer in India’s History to have played 100 international matches and adding to this, Chhetri is also the all-time highest goal scorer of India.

Chhetri with his leadership skills has led the Indian football team to many victories notably qualifying for the ‘AFC Asian Cup’ and under him the team also achieved its highest FIFA ranking of 96 in the world, that to after twenty one years. His ability to score goals and his playing skills made him the only striker of the country to score three hat-tricks for India.

Notable Captains(Past)

Gostha Pal – Nicknamed ‘Chiner Prachir’ (The Wall of China) for his looks, Pal gained the reputation of being a rock-steady defender. He was born in Faridpore (in current Bangladesh) and was club captain of Mohun Bagan between 1921-1924. In 1924, he was named the captain of the national side.

Sailen Manna – Considered one of the best defenders to pull on the India blue, Manna played 14 times for India between 1948-1956. He captained the side to gold at the Asian Games in 1951. The English FA back in 1953 rated him amongst the 10 best captains in the world in it’s annual yearbook.

PK Banerjee – Made 84 appearances for India and is one of the most distinguished Indian footballers of all time. He scored 65 times for the side after making his debut in 1955. He captained the side at the 1960 Olympics.

Chuni Goswami – He was one of those multi-sport figures having played international football for India as a striker as well as first-class cricket for the Bengal Ranji Trophy team. He earned 50 caps for India between 1956-1964. He was captain when India won gold at the Asian Games in 1962 and silver at the Asia Cup two years later.

Why Captains Of The Football Team Feel More Pressurized !

1.Taking Onus

If the team loses, the onus is on the captain. If it under-performs, the onus is also on the captain first. Taking ownership essentially means being responsible for the game’s fate, answering the coach, federation, audience and media during an under-performance. This is a highly stressed-out job since it invites loads of pressure from so many corners.

2.Articulating and Paying Attention

This is a lot taxing because you never know what is happening in their minds. You never know what are they going through in their personal lives. A good leader/captain needs to take care of his team members by articulating effectively with them; by showing empathy towards them and building a strong relationship with them, thereby earning their respect at the end.

3.Boosting the team

A captain needs to motivate everybody when nobody does. A captain is the face and spirit of the team. And when the same team faces a tough time on a field struggling, it’s the captain’s job to uplift the members to keep the spirit high. When there is no hope, a captain only instills hope. Isn’t this evident now that how taxing and challenging, is a captain’s job !

Final Thoughts: Seek Assistance

Since there is so much added pressure to be a football team captain, its wide and at the same time, it’s smart to seek support from an expert for his valuable opinion.

From simple questions to complex professional problems ; From fundamental affairs to decision-making issues, reaching out to an Astro-Strategist has become unavoidable, for attaining Victory !

On that note, Celebrated Sports Astrologer Cum Strategist, Hirav Shah Concludes,
If you are a Sports Person Wanting to Perform to Your ‘Potential’ & Ace, You Need ASTRO-STRATEGY & When ‘Potential’ is powered by ASTRO-STRATEGY Victory becomes Certain !!