``Of course,'' he booms. ``A country of one billion cannot produce a dozen quality players ? What rubbish.''

Akramov, the technical director of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), is in town to conduct sessions for under-19 state coaches and players. Along the way, he hopes to promote the need for having a youth football academy in every state.

Akramov shot into prominence as coach after helping his country Uzbekistan to the 1994 Asian Games gold. A stint with the Indian National team followed in 1996. When he suddenly left for home, there was talk of problems between him and the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

He now evades that topic. ``I had health problems,'' he says. ``But yes, any political interference hurts.''

His new mantra ? ``Develop youth football. All we need is 10-12 good players.''

But how do you cover the costs towards this ? ``Well, the European clubs willpay.''

He talks of how foreigners in various European clubs are raking in the big bucks, of how a percentage of the contract sum will go to the native club, and how the economy of the nation will improve.

``The footballers will start investing, which means employment. We should export our footballers, like we do the engineers and doctors.'' To Akramov, football isn't sport, it is life.

Most East European footballers earn their bread at clubs in Italy, France, Spain and England. Which is how their native clubs sustain the contract money, running into millions of dollars, is sufficient to keep the youth programmes going.

But why would any European club choose to hire an Indian, if it has enough players from its own youth programme ?

Akramov tosses the question aside as negligible. ``Any European club deals in billions of dollars. Provided you have the quality, what's a few thousand ?''

But, he cautions, the programme should be run immaculately. ``An ideal academy should have a school, accommodationnearby, gym. And yes, players should be given non-vegetarian food regularly. Training hours will be split into three sessions, which will be sandwiched with study and recreation time.''

``Look at what happened to Carlton Chapman. He was brilliant, but now he isn't half as good. That's because nobody is pushing for his slot in the team. He is pretty clueless right now.''

Akramov was in Nepal before he came down to India, and he raves about the response there. ``In three years, they will overhaul India,'' he warns. ``Even countries like Maldives have started an intensive youth programme. India will be left far behind if it doesn't start a solid programme now.''