India favourites in SAFF Championship

NEW DELHI: A clear lack of vision and absence of a professional base has done more harm to football's development in the subcontinent than the rising popularity of cricket in countries like India and Bangladesh - south Asia's two most popular teams.
While the nine-day biennial SAFF Championship kicks-off on Friday, it is not sure whether the effort of the organisers will really help the game develop in the region.After all, since the event came into being in 1993, none of the eight participating nations has won anything big in Asia.
It is well known that south Asian nations, including India, are not among the best footballing nations in the continent, but the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA continue to throw their vocal and monetary support behind them. Funds come in huge chunks into each of these countries in the name of 'development' but the results have not being encouraging so far.
Five-time champions India have remained content at being a 'regional power' but in recent years India's stronghold has weakened with teams like Maldives and Nepal making steady progress in the region. India (162) have slumped in the FIFA rankings and are now behind Bangladesh (142) and Nepal (143). This fact alone will embarrass the hosts, who remain the only team from the subcontinent to have qualified twice in the Asian Cup.
If India's progress has been slow, others remain the favourite whipping teams of strong Asian sides in World Cup qualifiers. It is likely that there will be few takers for these teams which don't boast of a great footballing past anyway.
SAFF CUP: QUICK FACTS
It is South Asia's premier football tournament and was started in 1993. The biennial event was earlier called SAFF Cup & later SAARC Gold Cup Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the participating teams India, the defending champions, have won the maximum titles (5), have been runners-up twice in 1995, 2008 and finished third in 2003.
Winners' list: India 5 (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009); Maldives1 (2008)3 (1997, 2003, 2009); Bangladesh 1 (2003); Sri Lanka 1 (1995).
CURRENT EDITION
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host the event from December 2-11 Two matches will be held twice daily - at 3 pm and 6 pm Group A: India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka , Bhutan. Group B: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal
FOREIGN FLAVOUR
(Team coaches) Nepal: Graham Roberts (former England and Spurs player) Pakistan: Zavisa Milosavljevic (Serbia) Maldives: István Urbányi (Hungary) Bangladesh: Nikola Ilievski (Macedonia) Sri Lanka: Jang Jung (South Korea) Bhutan: Hiroaki Matsuyama (Japan).