@AKB its not about money. If only they refuse to compete, AIFF would have no option but to concede to the demands of the clubs. And Bengaluru FC, Pune FC, Mumbai FC do have rich owners.
@IndianFootballFan Look..all the 3 clubs have rich owners but do they have the guts to break away ? Also to break away you have to have an adequate number of teams (not just 3) to form a worthwhile union, otherwise it would become a laughing stock. To form any powerful union you must have money. Individually BFC, MFC and PFC do have money but since they are owned by business groups they would look at the mileage first. Mohun Bagan & EB are not corporate clubs, they are supporters based club run by dhandabaz officials. So where we go ??? Not finding any ray at the end of the tunnel. In AIFF run Indian Football scenario, night is followed by night....day is never seen.
@AKB MB & EB still have CFL to play for. So these five teams refuse to play, that would make I League unviable, even bringing sanctions from FIFA on AIFF. A banned Indian Football is not good for ISL too.
I personally think thee is no option left but for BFC/EB/MB to declare they won't compete till certain basic criteria are met. No matter how much #IMGR will try, it will be impossible to convince AFC or FIFA that without these clubs India still has a functioning national league. With the threat of juicy WC grants being withdrawn, these guys WILL talk, not before. Personally as a fan I am ready to sacrifice 1 national league for the greater good.
Why we need merger of ISL and I-League? ISL can be a preseason tournament (July, August, September) or a post season tournament (April, May, June) with 8 foreign players in the first XI which help “business” purpose of promoting football. The real Indian football season with I-League/Fed cup will start from Oct (in case of preseason) or Sep(postseason) and run till Apr or March respectively. The high class tournament according to Bhutia will remain high class without disturbing the original football calendar of the country.
Clubs can form a Union and also refuse to release or sign those players who decide to play for ISL. Let players take sides. Anyways ISL teams are not that good with giving salaries also.
Since AIFF has cleverly stopped Federation Cup & made I-League a mid Jan to May tournament, I-League clubs don't play many matches. CFL has also been converted in to a farce (just like IFA Shield) where a League has only 10 games & finished in a month thanks to the pulling of strings by SD1 (whose own tail is pulled by IMG-R). Under the circumstances I-League non-corporate clubs are forced give away players to ISL to save money. The only solution can be if all I-League clubs withdraw so that no I-League could be held and AFC / FIFA imposes sanctions to AIFF. Then hopefully some ray of hope can be seen at the end of the tunnel.
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Look..all the 3 clubs have rich owners but do they have the guts to break away ? Also to break away you have to have an adequate number of teams (not just 3) to form a worthwhile union, otherwise it would become a laughing stock. To form any powerful union you must have money. Individually BFC, MFC and PFC do have money but since they are owned by business groups they would look at the mileage first. Mohun Bagan & EB are not corporate clubs, they are supporters based club run by dhandabaz officials. So where we go ??? Not finding any ray at the end of the tunnel. In AIFF run Indian Football scenario, night is followed by night....day is never seen.
Why we need merger of ISL and I-League? ISL can be a preseason
tournament (July, August, September) or a post season tournament (April, May,
June) with 8 foreign players in the first XI which help “business” purpose of
promoting football. The real Indian football season with I-League/Fed cup will start
from Oct (in case of preseason) or Sep(postseason) and run till Apr or March
respectively. The high class tournament according to Bhutia will remain high
class without disturbing the original football calendar of the country.