Later obtaining a important stake in Indian Super League (ISL) side Mumbai City FC, Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Club (CFC) said that the Indian football fans act like fans from Europe and there is no doubt that the nation will turn into a significant football country in the coming years. CFC, the proprietors of the English Premier League side, Manchester City on Thursday decided that they have obtained 65% stake in the club. The remaining 35% will keep on being claimed by Bimal Parekh and Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor.
Mumbai City has now become the 8th club on the world and 3rd in Asia to be gained by the CFC. Soriano said that “The first thing is the size of the country and 1.3 billion people. The second thing is that we have visited India in past. There is a passion, there is talent. The fans that watch the game understand the game. They behave like fans from Europe. There is no doubt that India is going to be a football nation. The only question is if it is going to take 10 or five years”.
CFC additionally has a stake in an American club. Soriano said that Mumbai feels like New York and he is assured that football will really be successful in the Indian city.
Soriano said “Mumbai is a fantastic city. It feels like New York. In New York, we have been very successful. We started six years ago from nothing and we did very well. I think Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city and I am hundred per cent sure football will be successful in Mumbai”.
Pep Guardiola, who is the present coach of Manchester City can likewise come down to help Mumbai City as Soriano didn’t permit the possibility. He said that an ultimate objective will be to cause Indian football to develop.
He added “As I said we are not here to import anything. We are here to help unleash the power of Indian football. Maybe you don’t realise how much power is already there. There are good players and coaches and we will help them”.
He included “Help means sharing experiences, sharing technology, inspiring them. That is what we aim to do. Maybe we will bring some people, for sure but ultimately we will unleash the power of Indian football”.
