Another mega sporting spectacle, another head scratching moment. Hmm! Mind boggling and intriguing. Interesting, nevertheless. Come January, the third edition of the South Asian Football Federation Championship gets underway in Dhaka, Bangladesh, host to a dime a dozen international events in the past. The success of international sports in this part of the world in terms of organization and spectators turnout is amazing and can be attributed to the local population who are supportive, passionate and enthusiastic about sports. 

SAFF Cup is a major regional tournament with a hefty bounty at stake for the national teams of South Asia. Thanks largely to Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a championship of this magnitude and stature has been possible. The tourney was started with the objectives to boost, promote and highlight football and local talents in the region. Live TV coverage of the entire action is another high point of the championship. To add, the print media coverage of the past two editions was solid and extensive.  Same is expected this time. 

The championship has become a very important platform for budding and aspiring footballers in the region, hoping to make it big in international football.  Indian super star Baichung Bhutia who plays for Bury United, a second division team in England is one example who benefited immensely from the competition. No doubt, there are many more Bhutias in the region camouflaged and in desperate need of a break. The fact is that we need more such tournaments on a regular basis to encourage South Asian countries to embrace football more seriously.

Unarguably the standard of the game in the region is at its lowest ebb. Leave alone other nations, India, once a powerhouse in Asia are now minnows.  The fact is that every nation in the region suffers from a similar malady, difficult to get rid of. Technically the countries play a similar brand of football and physically they are alike. In short they are badly wanting in both departments, two key elements to success. Despite completion of two editions of the championship nothing much has yielded or changed in South Asian football. Rather it has been a tale of uphill battle for every country, internationally. Their world rankings continue to dip and so do their performances. Sorry to say that in most of these countries football is in a state of shambles. A lot remains to be done to uplift the game that has virtually stagnated over the years.

Coming back to the main issue, for the first time the competition will feature all seven teams of the region. If Bhutan are the debutante, India, the two times winners will attempt to complete a grand hat-trick.  We can expect the proceedings to be rough and tough for the defending champions. Unless they display their true colors and play to their potential, they might fall short of their expectations. Having said so, the Indians go into the competition as the red hot favorites. They are a side with vast experiences and a decent success record at this level of the game.  Their entry to the final round shall depend on their performances against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Keep in mind Sri Lanka and Pakistan are dangerous and unpredictable opponents capable of upsetting the applecart.  If not technically and tactically, physically they are at par with India.

India needs to top the group to avoid a possible clash against Bangladesh in the semifinals, provided everything goes according to the form book.  It's a tricky call in regard to the runners-up spot in the group.  Bearing in mind the kind of stride the Lankans have taken in the game lately, they enjoy a slight edge over Pakistan. By and large, it is anyone's game. 

The spotlight, however, will be on host Bangladesh, a serious and hot contender, hoping to strike it rich. Should they successfully cash in on every home advantages, they stand a pretty good chance to inscribe their name on the cup. Like India they are highly competitive, experienced and have prepared well for the tournament.  There is no dearth of talents in Bangladesh where semiprofessional and club culture is rapidly gathering momentum. Grouped with Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan, they are in a relatively easy pool.  Nonetheless, they are likely to be taken to the brink by the vastly improved Maldives and a talented Nepal. To avoid a shock result they must exhibit their mettle and not allow complacency to eclipse their performances.   Should the host top the group, obviously, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan will battle out for the runners-up spot.

Not much is expected of first timer Bhutan who are on a comeback trail to international football. Do not be surprised if the underdogs churn out a fiery brand of football. That leaves Nepal and Maldives in the ring. If statistics and history are taken into consideration Nepal is favored against the islanders who have shown remarkable improvements over the last seven years.

My semifinals line up: India Vs Nepal, Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh. Final: India Vs Bangladesh.