IPL-like league won't raise India's football standards: Bob Houghton

A national league similar to the Indian Premier League is the "last thing that Indian football needs" national coach Bob Houghton said yesterday after Australia beat his team 4-0 in the first Group 'C' match of the AFC Asian Cup finals at Al Sadd Stadium here.

"Such a league is the last thing Indian football needs," Houghton told MiD DAY when asked on finding solutions to raise standards of the national team.

Earlier, speaking at a post-match conference Houghton said: "We don't have the right infrastructure. Until we get this right and start a good league as well as development programme for junior lads, it will be difficult."

Regarding India's performance in the first match played without injured ace Baichung Bhutia, the Englishman said: "It was a learning experience against the top Asian team.

"They were the better team. No one likes to lose 4-0. I thought my team was good today. We were unlucky at the start since the first goal was clearly offside. But the boys worked hard against a top team. This the first time we played against a team of such high caliber."

Indeed, the Australian team, boasting three current EPL players ufffd Tim Cahill (Everton), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers) and Mark Schwarzer (Fulham) ufffd looked in a different league.

When pointed out the similarities between India and China like the huge population, but difference in football standards, Houghton said, "You cannot compare the two. China has top class infrastructure; their clubs have Premiership facilities that is why their national team has been successful."