'You need to have a strong academy' - Lille manager Galtier to India

Galtier reiterated that the system needs to be right from top to bottom for a country looking to climb up the ranks.

Christophe Galtier, who joined Lille in 2017, has sparked a remarkable turnaround this season.

Lille avoided relegation in Ligue 1 last season by a point. Christophe Galtier, who was appointed the club's manager in 2017 — replacing the current Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa — has sparked a remarkable turnaround this season, keeping the club in second place and on course to qualify for the Champions League.

Lille has scored the third-most goals and is the second best defence in the French top flight.

In an interaction with the Indian media here, Galtier discussed how India can make giant strides in world football.

"India has good potential to develop as a [football] country with its population. When I was a player in China in 1998 (playing for club Liaoning), they tried to build a good league with good facilities, good managers and players. It's important to have some experienced players for the development, but it's also important to have a good manager and to have a good academy."

Galtier reiterated that the system needs to be right from top to bottom for a country looking to climb up the ranks.

"You must have right men for the job to develop the sport in the country," he said.

"You need to also have a strong academy structure to grow as a football nation."

(The writer is in France at the invitation of LFP)