Model-turned-actor Marc Robinson wants to change the way football is run in Mumbai and help the league get recognition. It was for this reason that he decided to contest the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) elections. His star status mattered as he was elected into the executive body along with 26 others on Saturday.
“I’ve been representing Sellebrity FC, a first division team, in the league for a few years and have been fed up with the administration blunders,” Robinson said. “The league doesn’t get much recognition. We have a lot of talented youngsters but they don’t get the exposure. I want to change that as I feel that’s the reason why football is suffering in Mumbai.”
Robinson’s tryst with football started at a young age. He captained his school team and also represented Delhi University. He has played with Bhaichung Bhutia at Cooperage and with current head coach of Rangdajied United FC, Santosh Kashyap.
Robinson believed that the interest in football was always there, thanks to the live telecast of the European leagues. He also wanted to cash in on his status and attract people to the sport as a lot of the celebrities loved to play football. “We have a celebrity team that plays mostly for charitable causes. I intend on getting this team to play at various grounds because it will ensure visibility in the media. This, in turn, will encourage people to take up the sport,” he said.
Robinson said he could use his experience of running a league in Bandra at the MDFA. “I was the chairman of Bandra West Football League, so I know quite a bit about the running of a sports body. I may not have that much time, but I intend to contribute in whatever way possible in generating interest,” he said.
On the problems Indian football faced, Robinson did not think long to say, “Top-level management was the problem. We need politicians who love the game. You can’t have a flirtatious affair with the sports body. There are millions of people who give their life to this sport. You can’t cheat them by doing things that only benefit you.”
Mumbai football has been suffering because of lack of grounds. Robinson promised to change that. “Not just grounds. We need to have good grounds so that corporates will come forward and sponsor events,” he said.
“Even the most miniscule of things play a big role. MDFA neither has a qualified physio on the ground during matches nor an ambulance. It may not seem important to them, but that is the difference between a poorly-run league and a well-conducted one.”
