Indian football stands at a crucial juncture, brimming with potential yet facing persistent challenges in nurturing talent from the ground up. Gumpe Rime, a former Indian goalkeeper and current Head Goalkeeping Coach at the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC), emphasizes the critical need for strengthening the roots of Indian football to build a sustainable future for the sport. Rime's experience as a player and coach gives him a unique perspective on what is needed to elevate the level of Indian football.
Rime underscores the importance of structured pathways for aspiring footballers. He highlighted Reliance Foundation's transformative initiatives in the Northeast, stating, "Reliance Foundation has a lot of programmes running in the Northeast. We started a Children's (Naupang) League that is currently running in four districts: Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, and Lunglei, in Mizoram, where a lot of the footballers come from. More than 3,000 kids have benefitted from this initiative and we also hold some clinics every year to help in the development of coaches".
According to Rime, a strong foundation is crucial. This includes comprehensive grassroots programs like the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) and the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL), which provide young talents with a platform to showcase their skills. "Since 2016-17, we run a programme called RFYS, where we hold football competitions for school and college students. We give a platform to school students in various places in the Northeast like Mizoram and Guwahati, where everyone is invited to participate. A lot of players from this tournament have been identified and picked up by clubs. It is a great platform for young budding talent to showcase their talent," Rime said.
Furthermore, the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL), which features U-23 teams, offers a regional competition structure with a path to national and international exposure. "For the first time this year, a team from my state (Arunachal Pradesh) is also taking part in the competition, which is happening in Shillong. The top teams from each region will play the national round, while the winners and runners-up from the national championship will play in the NextGen Cup, the last edition of which was held in the UK. The NextGen Cup features age group sides of the top EPL clubs, so that our boys get exposure of playing against the best,” Rime added. Such initiatives give young players the opportunity to compete against top-tier international teams, fostering their growth and development.
Rime also stressed the importance of investing in coaches and embracing technology for scouting. "We need to think about how much we invest in the development of coaches and not just players. We have technology that helps assess players' physical maturity and how far they can go physically. We also have a sports science team that helps us in finding out the best possible talent. When we do scouting, it is position-specific".
Gumpe Rime's career highlights his dedication to Indian football. He has served as the Head Goalkeeping Coach at the Reliance Foundation Young Champs and has also been the goalkeeping coach for the India U-23 National Football Team. In addition to his coaching duties, he is a coach educator for the AIFF and AFC, conducting coaching courses and certified goalkeeping courses.
In conclusion, Gumpe Rime's insights highlight the importance of focusing on grassroots development, structured pathways, coach education, and embracing technology to propel Indian football forward. By strengthening these fundamental aspects, India can cultivate a new generation of talented footballers and achieve sustainable success on the international stage.
