Spent half an hour reading the ten pages of some serious discussion. I would say both the sides have some valid points.
Personally I am agaisnt the idea of ISL in its current form (ignoring all the conjectures about how its gonna expand etc).
The few hard questions, which have already been put up by many members above, against the ISL really have very frightening answers.
1. Was ISL conceptualized keeping decelopment of Indian football in mind?
The honest answer would be a big NO. The only central theme behind this 2 month dram is to recover the investment made by IMG-R asap. If development were in mind they would have relaunched I-League. Period.
2. Will ISL give young Indian players chance to rub shoulders with quality foreigners?
Again a big NO. There will be only four Indians in the squad, that too the oldies, no scope for ISL to throw up new faces. Even the mandatory u23 player rule would not help the same old overage players will fill those slots.
3. Will ISL indirectly benefit the I-League?
NO. It would rather harm the league by squeezing it into 4.5 months' affair. Player exhaustion is a very serious issue but no one seems to be talking about it. As it is we have very small pool to choose from.
The guys who are favouring ISL are basically either those who are bored and frustrated with the slow pace of development of I-League and want to see change or those who are somehow set to benefit from it, e.g. some journos who get intangible gains by sweet talking.
The same guys would not be able to put forth one convincing argument explaining how ISL will benefit Indian football, because there is none.
Some foreign players, random or otherwise, will come and make money and go back, there would not be any residual gain for the football here.
The youth point is so true. If you are a coach and you only have 14 games in 2 months to get into the finals then you are not going to give a young kid a chance of an "experienced vet".
Wow... some serious discussion on IFN after a long time. @ash... totally love your points bro. @coolgagan... your points are also valid.
I am pro-ileague, so didnt want ISL in first place and looking at current scenario dont think ISL is going change the indian football scenario drastically or be successful even in long run. ISL is a short term plan by IMG to recover the invested money and then terminate the contract (my assumption and also based on many points as discussed). I want it to vanish as quickly as possible. But being an optimistic indian football fan, I see positive in this mud. One think we Ileague lovers are forgetting that ISL is going to open new gates to clubs in terms of following:
a) Foreign Players Knowledge: We have been fed with same set of foreign players again and again. But, with short term tournament clubs can have a look at level 2 brazilian, french, etc. youngsters. One thing we are forgetting about the scouting knowledge is lacking drastically among the clubs, this a chance they need to extend it.
b) Learning the trade about publicity: Do I need to explain this?? IMG has been a perfect example to learn the trick of how to publicise a 'crap' as 'gold'. Ileague clubs have a long way to go in that respect.
c) Ride on the renewed interest in Indian football: JSW has done a good job in connecting to the fans by riding on this renewed interest in indian football. The amount of people started following JSW has increased drastically with ISL. Other clubs have been sleeping in that respect.
I believe becoz all the points @ashindia (Sorry @coolgagan) and all the laundering news reports, ISL is not what India needs and cannot become the ultimate indian league which many pro-ISL are hopping for. But for me ISL with its shitty and dubious principles and hoped to be short life, is doing I-league a favour by providing a competition and renewed market, which I-league just need to feed on it intelligently.
1) Chennai city FC unable to enter I league due to ground issue as it was booked by IMG
2)National team calender suffering , No ground available for international friendlies 3) if every company will earn good money from 2 month T Cup ,then why will some one come and invest in I league 4)what if tmrw I league teams shuts shop .... what will be happen to Indian football then ?
@reddevil87: Thanks for the acknowledge bro. I totally respect your views. You can speak whatever you want cause we live in a free country. But , some people here are just pushing the same point again and again is what disgusts me. Why not bring in fresh points. Some even accuse me of being brainwashed. Seriously?? I have my points and I think they are valid. Everything has its own pros and cons. So, its just a matter of priorities.
For me, ISL is all about indian football and its respect. Indians very few knew about I-League and you are right I league must build on it. IMG itself accepts that I-League has to build on what ISL has made otherwise no development can be seen further.
As for the foreigners this season, I think it is all effect of ISL. Indian football making global headlines in top newspapers in Europe, Australia. Del piero linked. Everyone knows pires, trezeguet, coming to india. Capdevila leaving Espanyol. Isn't this amazing. India is finally being represented on global football map. I was going thorugh Leo Bertos facebook account and he really had no idea about level of I-League. He just banked on the history and the money and he got and also knew another big league was taking place in India. So, ISL has its role too. ISL can never take place of a national league if these to leagues go hand in hand. ISL can only overcome I-League when these too merge obviously. But , for now. For a professional footballer who wants to play full season. Obviously, he will come to I-League and trends for foreign players this season has been encouraging.;
@namewtheld Some suggestions based solutions of problems you mentioned. Q no 1. There might be no immediate impact but as the league will grow and expand ( if it's not disbanded midway it will expand for sure ) time formats would be changed. Isl with prominent I league clubs could be merged . ( the process may be like that : a company which will win the bidding have to adopt a existing I league club) . This may be a way out. Other clubs which has no fan base or isn't good enough for Isl along with top clubs of division 2 will form a permanent league ( call it I league div 1). Rest 2nd division will be like what's now present. Isl teams youth/ reserve players will play in div 1. Under 19 I league as usual. So Isl ( with current teams + selected adopted I league clubs ) then div 1 and then div 2 in current format.
Q no 2. As the league is at embryonic developmental stage, we have to give it time to realise the shortcomings. They should restrict foreigners in starting line up 4 + one u20 + 1 u23 + 5 normal indian in line up.also a team like arrows in division1. And u 19 league for clubs in Isl and div 1 in conference format.
NFL - I-League - Indian Super league... How long you will serve same quality in different names. Only way forward to bring Indian football to glory is pyramid structures. State leagues compulsory... I know it would been discussed earlier. Quick fix is not going work.. This is football. Long term plan required.
ISL cannot restrict the foreigners to 4. It will be too less to provide quality football. Indians can simply not provide that football which attracts people. And even if they decent first thing that comes to mind is that, indians hain. Bakwass khelte honge. LOL
In current format name like odafa goes home with 2 cr mate. Players like chiddi moga gets team makes money without benefiting indian football. Yes isl marquees are old , retired coming to make quick bucks. But they can act as poster boys of indian league. A Haitian international , a Cameroonian , a kiwi world cupper can't do what a capdevilla can do. Attracting eyeballs. Instigate the revive of indian football viewership
Comments
Personally I am agaisnt the idea of ISL in its current form (ignoring all the conjectures about how its gonna expand etc).
The few hard questions, which have already been put up by many members above, against the ISL really have very frightening answers.
1. Was ISL conceptualized keeping decelopment of Indian football in mind?
The honest answer would be a big NO. The only central theme behind this 2 month dram is to recover the investment made by IMG-R asap. If development were in mind they would have relaunched I-League. Period.
2. Will ISL give young Indian players chance to rub shoulders with quality foreigners?
Again a big NO. There will be only four Indians in the squad, that too the oldies, no scope for ISL to throw up new faces. Even the mandatory u23 player rule would not help the same old overage players will fill those slots.
3. Will ISL indirectly benefit the I-League?
NO. It would rather harm the league by squeezing it into 4.5 months' affair. Player exhaustion is a very serious issue but no one seems to be talking about it. As it is we have very small pool to choose from.
The guys who are favouring ISL are basically either those who are bored and frustrated with the slow pace of development of I-League and want to see change or those who are somehow set to benefit from it, e.g. some journos who get intangible gains by sweet talking.
The same guys would not be able to put forth one convincing argument explaining how ISL will benefit Indian football, because there is none.
Some foreign players, random or otherwise, will come and make money and go back, there would not be any residual gain for the football here.
Me also anti ISL :P
1) Chennai city FC unable to enter I league due to ground issue as it was booked by IMG
3) if every company will earn good money from 2 month T Cup ,then why will some one come and invest in I league
4)what if tmrw I league teams shuts shop .... what will be happen to Indian football then ?
As for the foreigners this season, I think it is all effect of ISL. Indian football making global headlines in top newspapers in Europe, Australia. Del piero linked. Everyone knows pires, trezeguet, coming to india. Capdevila leaving Espanyol. Isn't this amazing. India is finally being represented on global football map. I was going thorugh Leo Bertos facebook account and he really had no idea about level of I-League. He just banked on the history and the money and he got and also knew another big league was taking place in India. So, ISL has its role too. ISL can never take place of a national league if these to leagues go hand in hand. ISL can only overcome I-League when these too merge obviously. But , for now. For a professional footballer who wants to play full season. Obviously, he will come to I-League and trends for foreign players this season has been encouraging.;
Some suggestions based solutions of problems you mentioned.
Q no 1.
There might be no immediate impact but as the league will grow and expand ( if it's not disbanded midway it will expand for sure ) time formats would be changed. Isl with prominent I league clubs could be merged . ( the process may be like that : a company which will win the bidding have to adopt a existing I league club) . This may be a way out. Other clubs which has no fan base or isn't good enough for Isl along with top clubs of division 2 will form a permanent league ( call it I league div 1). Rest 2nd division will be like what's now present. Isl teams youth/ reserve players will play in div 1. Under 19 I league as usual. So Isl ( with current teams + selected adopted I league clubs ) then div 1 and then div 2 in current format.
Q no 2.
As the league is at embryonic developmental stage, we have to give it time to realise the shortcomings. They should restrict foreigners in starting line up 4 + one u20 + 1 u23 + 5 normal indian in line up.also a team like arrows in division1. And u 19 league for clubs in Isl and div 1 in conference format.
Q no 3 .
puzzle already solved.