Improve infrastructure for a successful PFL: Houghton

New Delhi, June 4 (UNI) National football coach Bob Houghton today gave a wake up call to clubs and the AIFF to improve infrastructure if they want to succeed in the soon-to-be-launched Professional Football League (PFL).

Interacting with the media here, Houghton said a successful professional league was an esssential platform for top national players to hone their skills and for this the clubs needed to improve facilities.

The first PFL is slated to commence on September 30 and it will have 10 teams -- eight top teams of the last NFL and top two finishers from second division NFL.

''Good national league is necessary for national senior players. They need a top qulaity platform to play on a weekly basis,'' he added.

But, he frowned upon senior players turning up for local leagues prior to national assignments and for tournaments like Durand Cup and Santosh Trophy. He also suggested to convert local leagues to under 21 affairs.

Recalling his coaching years in China and Saudi Arabia before taking the reigns here, he said the professional leagues in these two countries were successful as they have top class facilities and hired the best coaches from around the world.

''Saudi Arabia had the best facilities and best coaches for the last 25 years and that showed in their quality of football. They climbed to top of the ladder in Asia, qualifying for the World Cup finals several times,'' he said.

''China had excellent infrastructure when I coached them. They had brand new stadia, synthetic surface besides medical and residential facilities. The quality of the field was fantastic and seven-team League was played under floodlites,'' said 58-year-old Houghton who took China to their maiden World Cup finals in 2002.

UNI