Indian football: AIFF’s silence over I-League clubs’ Super Cup boycott is hurting all stakeholders
During the All India Football Federation’s executive committee meeting in Mumbai two years ago, vice president Larsing Ming Sawyan, who is also the owner of I-League club Shilong Lajong, had an argument with president Praful Patel over the future of Indian football.
Patel was clearly miffed following the exchange and later as most of them were walking out said, “What is his (Ming) contribution to Indian football. I have been doing so much and he is trying to teach me.”
The meeting had a heated debate on the future of the Indian Super League and I-League and the president was ultimately authorised to find a short term and long term solution to the problem. With the u-17 world cup approaching, the AIFF decided to brush aside most of those concerns by holding the two leagues simultaneously. Since then the issue has been kept hanging despite the Asian Football Confederation and Fifa making it clear that the unified league structure should be in place by the 2019-20.
Two years later, AIFF and Patel are no closer to finalising a possible road map and just like many other issues facing Indian football, have chosen to bury their heads in sand and hope that the problem will sort itself out.
Bizarre silence
There can probably be no other explanation to the immediate informal communication from the AIFF office to the I-League clubs which threatened to pull out of the Super Cup, that started with the qualifying rounds on Friday. The clubs were informed that Patel was travelling and hence they couldn’t be given any concrete response about the possible solutions to the issues they were raising.
And this has brought things to a standstill with Churchill Brothers joining seven others in boycotting the Super Cup. Though AIFF was hoping against hope that just like last year the I-League teams would come around, Minerva Punjab FC did not turn up for their qualifier against FC Pune City on Friday and it remains to be seen how the federation reacts.
There is no doubt that the AIFF president is a busy man but in the age of communication, it is difficult to understand why Patel or anyone in the federation hasn’t been able to even set up a date for a meeting as asked by the clubs in a letter dated February 18, 2019.
The letter had sought a meeting with Patel to know whether there was any substance in media reports suggesting that this could be the last season of the I-League and address issues like the possible options for merger of ISL and I-league, the AFC report on the topic and the interference of Football Sports Development Limited in the federation’s affair.
In the letter, the clubs also proposed that they were open to the idea of ISL clubs not facing relegation in the new unified league “as long as required per contracts already signed between relevant parties” but were against being relegated to second division due to restructuring of leagues.
The letter also stated that they had written to Patel requesting for a meeting in the past as well but did not get a response.
It was the lack of communication after the latest letter that miffed the clubs, who then decided to boycott the Super Cup as a pressure tactic since the tournament has very little significance for any participating teams as it does not offer any Asian competition berth.
All stakeholders are hurt
Though there have been a few back channel negotiations with the teams, there still hasn’t been any official response from AIFF on the meeting request or the possible road-map for the I-League and the clubs participating in it.
The bigger worrying factor for Indian football is that AIFF, the guardians of the sport in the country, have been silent on most issues hurting Indian football.
Earlier this month, seven women football players had alleged favouritism and withdrawn from the national camp prior to the Gold Cup and Turkish Women’s Cup. Despite all seven players being India internationals, the AIFF is yet to clear its stand on the issue or respond to the players’ concerns.
Even if the federation felt that the players were in the wrong, it had to send a clear message to them by officially backing the coaching staff. But even that hasn’t been done.
The problems within the AIFF were further highlighted when their technical committee chairman Shyam Thapa insisted that they were in the dark on the possible appointment of the new Indian coach and they have this time asked the federation to provide them with the credentials of the shortlisted candidates once the process starts. The post has been vacant since Stephen Constantine announced his exit after the AFC Asian Cup at the start of this year.
Thapa hinted that the AIFF normally shortlisted two-three candidates before the technical committee deliberates on the appointment of a new coach and have not even been given the CVs of those candidates in the past.
“In the last meeting, I asked them to send the CVs of all the short-listed coaches, to all members. The AIFF has agreed to this. And you see, that should be the procedure. Unless, we the technical committee members get to know the credentials of the coaches how can we discuss,” he was quoted as saying.
Thapa’s revelations gives strength to the I-League clubs allegations that the AIFF has outsourced the job of running the sport in India to its marketing partners. And it is time, Patel and company come out of their hibernation and address the concerns head on, for their own sake and for the greater good of Indian football.
As the Scroll article says, he might be a busy man (he is "travelling" as the AIFF has reportedly told the clubs) but it is impossible to understand why in the age of communication the AIFF has not been able to set up a date for a meeting as requested by the clubs in a letter almost one month back (18.02.2019).
'Everyone in Indian football is losing money hand over fist' - BFC chief
Bengaluru FC CEO Parth Jindal has called for a unified league, with promotion and relegation, while stressing on the need for "financial sacrifices" by all stakeholders in Indian football -- the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) marketing and commercial partners IMG-Reliance (IMG-R), the franchise-based Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, and the clubs playing in the I-League.
"The ground reality of Indian football today is that every single member of Indian football is losing money. And everybody is losing money hand over fist," he said. "ISL teams are losing far more money than I-League teams. We were in the I-League two years ago. We know the numbers in I-League, and we now know the numbers in ISL."
"The ISL organisers' view is that if you want to come into ISL, there's a cost involved, because they are trying to do things in a much bigger and more professional way. The I-League teams are saying we are already burning money, we don't have the ability to burn more money. It's very easy for me to say there should be a unified league, but everyone has to sacrifice. I am ready to sacrifice."
Jindal, who believes fairytale wins like those of Aizawl FC or Chennai City FC would be good for the ISL, has also called for AIFF to be "transparent" about their roadmap for unification of the ISL with the I-League, especially to give clarity to the clubs playing the latter.
"My dream is [for] a unified league, for sure. I think there needs to be a top division, a second division, and there needs to be promotion and relegation," he told ESPN. "We want Aizawl stories in the ISL. We want a Real Kashmir story in the ISL. We want Chennai City story in the ISL."
"We were the Chennai City four (sic) years ago when BFC won I-League in our inaugural season," said Jindal, reflecting on BFC's I-League triumph in 2013-14. "Nobody thought we had a shot in hell to win the I-League and we won it. What needs to happen is there needs to be a unified league. For that to happen, financial sacrifices will need to be made."
The ISL came into being in 2014, and was originally an eight-team tournament that preceded the I-League, which continues to be the recognised top division of Indian football. BFC switched over from the I-League to the ISL ahead of the 2017-18 season, when ISL was expanded to 10 teams, with BFC and Jamshedpur FC being added to the existing sides. It also opened up an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) slot for the ISL champions, one that had been previously reserved for the Federation Cup winners. "It was one of the toughest decisions in my life to move from the I-League to the ISL, because our philosophy has always been that we need to play in the premier tournament or league in the country," said Jindal. "We want to represent India in Asia and that's always been our dream."
The ISL was also in talks with Kolkata clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal to include them in the league in 2017 itself, but discussions fell through owing to issues such as a franchise fee reported to be INR 15 crore (approx. $ 2.2 million), proposed change of base to cities outside Kolkata, and discussions over changing the jersey colours of the teams. Both clubs might join the ISL in 2019 yet, but there are reports of major disagreements over a proposed merger of Kolkata-based ISL club ATK with Bagan, especially as it might impact the latter's name, logo and relationship with its fanbase, cultivated over 130 years now.
"No I-League team today is in a position to make more loss, and an ISL team will think if they are making so much loss, why would they allow an I-League team in without paying the franchise fee?" he said. "They [AIFF and their marketing and commercial partners IMG-Reliance] could say, 'Hey, listen. It's not going to happen today. It will happen in 2022, or 2023.'
Since 2017-18, AIFF has brought together the ISL and I-League teams under the Super Cup, though the original plan of rewarding the champion with an AFC slot hasn't materialised yet. Ironically, BFC went from reigning Federation Cups to losing the ISL final to winning the inaugural Super Cup in 2018, thus missing out on AFC action for the first time since 2015 this year. The latest edition got underway on Friday with former I-League champions Minerva Punjab not turning up for their opening match in the qualifiers stage against FC Pune City, and Jindal believes "all stakeholders need to come together" to work out a viable road map.
"I think what's irritating a lot of people is the unpredictability of what's going to happen. There's a cloud over our head -- not the ISL teams' heads, but on the I-League guys. They don't know what's happening to them next year."
Jindal believes the AIFF must sit with the I-League teams and explain their roadmap for the future, and take in suggestions and comments from them in the process. "I think what everyone is asking for is transparency," he said. "If we get a transparent roadmap, I think everyone will be happier."
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Indian football: AIFF’s silence over I-League clubs’ Super Cup boycott is hurting all stakeholders
During the All India Football Federation’s executive committee meeting in Mumbai two years ago, vice president Larsing Ming Sawyan, who is also the owner of I-League club Shilong Lajong, had an argument with president Praful Patel over the future of Indian football.
Patel was clearly miffed following the exchange and later as most of them were walking out said, “What is his (Ming) contribution to Indian football. I have been doing so much and he is trying to teach me.”
Two years later, AIFF and Patel are no closer to finalising a possible road map and just like many other issues facing Indian football, have chosen to bury their heads in sand and hope that the problem will sort itself out.
Bizarre silence
There can probably be no other explanation to the immediate informal communication from the AIFF office to the I-League clubs which threatened to pull out of the Super Cup, that started with the qualifying rounds on Friday. The clubs were informed that Patel was travelling and hence they couldn’t be given any concrete response about the possible solutions to the issues they were raising.
There is no doubt that the AIFF president is a busy man but in the age of communication, it is difficult to understand why Patel or anyone in the federation hasn’t been able to even set up a date for a meeting as asked by the clubs in a letter dated February 18, 2019.
In the letter, the clubs also proposed that they were open to the idea of ISL clubs not facing relegation in the new unified league “as long as required per contracts already signed between relevant parties” but were against being relegated to second division due to restructuring of leagues.
The letter also stated that they had written to Patel requesting for a meeting in the past as well but did not get a response.
It was the lack of communication after the latest letter that miffed the clubs, who then decided to boycott the Super Cup as a pressure tactic since the tournament has very little significance for any participating teams as it does not offer any Asian competition berth.
All stakeholders are hurt
Though there have been a few back channel negotiations with the teams, there still hasn’t been any official response from AIFF on the meeting request or the possible road-map for the I-League and the clubs participating in it.
The bigger worrying factor for Indian football is that AIFF, the guardians of the sport in the country, have been silent on most issues hurting Indian football.
Earlier this month, seven women football players had alleged favouritism and withdrawn from the national camp prior to the Gold Cup and Turkish Women’s Cup. Despite all seven players being India internationals, the AIFF is yet to clear its stand on the issue or respond to the players’ concerns.
Even if the federation felt that the players were in the wrong, it had to send a clear message to them by officially backing the coaching staff. But even that hasn’t been done.
The problems within the AIFF were further highlighted when their technical committee chairman Shyam Thapa insisted that they were in the dark on the possible appointment of the new Indian coach and they have this time asked the federation to provide them with the credentials of the shortlisted candidates once the process starts. The post has been vacant since Stephen Constantine announced his exit after the AFC Asian Cup at the start of this year.
Thapa hinted that the AIFF normally shortlisted two-three candidates before the technical committee deliberates on the appointment of a new coach and have not even been given the CVs of those candidates in the past.
“In the last meeting, I asked them to send the CVs of all the short-listed coaches, to all members. The AIFF has agreed to this. And you see, that should be the procedure. Unless, we the technical committee members get to know the credentials of the coaches how can we discuss,” he was quoted as saying.
Thapa’s revelations gives strength to the I-League clubs allegations that the AIFF has outsourced the job of running the sport in India to its marketing partners. And it is time, Patel and company come out of their hibernation and address the concerns head on, for their own sake and for the greater good of Indian football.
People in IFN who have followed women's football are aware of double digit score lines through which India loses against Korea, Thailand etc in past
India presently doesn't have a proper youth for women to have a mega FIFA event.
Expect them to take similar men's U-17 age fraud route when results don't show up.
'Everyone in Indian football is losing money hand over fist' - BFC chief
Bengaluru FC CEO Parth Jindal has called for a unified league, with promotion and relegation, while stressing on the need for "financial sacrifices" by all stakeholders in Indian football -- the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) marketing and commercial partners IMG-Reliance (IMG-R), the franchise-based Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, and the clubs playing in the I-League.
"The ground reality of Indian football today is that every single member of Indian football is losing money. And everybody is losing money hand over fist," he said. "ISL teams are losing far more money than I-League teams. We were in the I-League two years ago. We know the numbers in I-League, and we now know the numbers in ISL."
"The ISL organisers' view is that if you want to come into ISL, there's a cost involved, because they are trying to do things in a much bigger and more professional way. The I-League teams are saying we are already burning money, we don't have the ability to burn more money. It's very easy for me to say there should be a unified league, but everyone has to sacrifice. I am ready to sacrifice."
Jindal, who believes fairytale wins like those of Aizawl FC or Chennai City FC would be good for the ISL, has also called for AIFF to be "transparent" about their roadmap for unification of the ISL with the I-League, especially to give clarity to the clubs playing the latter.
"My dream is [for] a unified league, for sure. I think there needs to be a top division, a second division, and there needs to be promotion and relegation," he told ESPN. "We want Aizawl stories in the ISL. We want a Real Kashmir story in the ISL. We want Chennai City story in the ISL."
The ISL came into being in 2014, and was originally an eight-team tournament that preceded the I-League, which continues to be the recognised top division of Indian football. BFC switched over from the I-League to the ISL ahead of the 2017-18 season, when ISL was expanded to 10 teams, with BFC and Jamshedpur FC being added to the existing sides. It also opened up an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) slot for the ISL champions, one that had been previously reserved for the Federation Cup winners. "It was one of the toughest decisions in my life to move from the I-League to the ISL, because our philosophy has always been that we need to play in the premier tournament or league in the country," said Jindal. "We want to represent India in Asia and that's always been our dream."
The ISL was also in talks with Kolkata clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal to include them in the league in 2017 itself, but discussions fell through owing to issues such as a franchise fee reported to be INR 15 crore (approx. $ 2.2 million), proposed change of base to cities outside Kolkata, and discussions over changing the jersey colours of the teams. Both clubs might join the ISL in 2019 yet, but there are reports of major disagreements over a proposed merger of Kolkata-based ISL club ATK with Bagan, especially as it might impact the latter's name, logo and relationship with its fanbase, cultivated over 130 years now.
Since 2017-18, AIFF has brought together the ISL and I-League teams under the Super Cup, though the original plan of rewarding the champion with an AFC slot hasn't materialised yet. Ironically, BFC went from reigning Federation Cups to losing the ISL final to winning the inaugural Super Cup in 2018, thus missing out on AFC action for the first time since 2015 this year. The latest edition got underway on Friday with former I-League champions Minerva Punjab not turning up for their opening match in the qualifiers stage against FC Pune City, and Jindal believes "all stakeholders need to come together" to work out a viable road map.
"I think what's irritating a lot of people is the unpredictability of what's going to happen. There's a cloud over our head -- not the ISL teams' heads, but on the I-League guys. They don't know what's happening to them next year."
Jindal believes the AIFF must sit with the I-League teams and explain their roadmap for the future, and take in suggestions and comments from them in the process. "I think what everyone is asking for is transparency," he said. "If we get a transparent roadmap, I think everyone will be happier."