Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is convinced that the newly started Indian super league will be a huge success and it will help promoting the beautiful game in India.
He also sees Indian Super League as a platform for older European players to prolong their playing career.
Wenger said,
“Being completely at the top finishes when you are 34 at the latest,” the manager told the Arsenal Magazine. “After that, you have different leagues like the MLS and the Indian Super League.
“I encourage players to play as long as possible if they really love it. Pires is 40 but he still plays and when he comes to training here, he’s still very good.
“The only thing I always say is that once you’re on the pitch, you give your best. Your age doesn’t matter – people can understand that you’re not as quick at 40 as you were at 30. Play with passion, with your heart and technical quality – that will be enough.
“They give a good image of the game. They can make football popular on different continents and in different countries, where it’s taking off. I think it’s fantastic.”
“If you look at the history of football, it has always become quicker and it looks like it grows everywhere. It’s like a virus that multiplies, so I don’t imagine that it won’t take off,” he said.
“It took a while in the United States but it’s now very popular. It faces cricket in India but there’s always room for a second sport. There’s only really badminton and cricket in India at the moment but there’s room for another sport.
“I know that the people there watch the Premier League and I’m convinced that with such a huge population, it will take off.”
Indian Super league is an ongoing franchise based football league (similar to IPL cricket league) in India featuring footballing legends like Del Piero, Robert Pires, David James, Anelka and many other foreign players too.