Kohima Football League 2017 was launched Saturday at Kohima with an aim to provide opportunity to the talented footballers of the state. The league is being organised by Kohima Town Club (KTC) and registered with Kohima District Football Association (KDFA).
Addressing media persons at the launching of the football league, KTC President Dr. Viketoulie Pienyü said Nagaland was respected and remembered for football during its glory days in the 1960s and 1970s. The state reigned supreme in north east those days, however, today, it has receded into the background having lost much of its former glory, he lamented.
Nagaland is languishing at the bottom but neighbouring states of Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram have made rapid strides in football, said Dr. Pienyü. Aizawl FC (Mizoram) won the Indian league (I-League) and Neroca FC (Manipur) have qualified to play in the next season of I-league and Indian Super league (ISL), he reminded. Some of the reasons that led to decline of football in Nagaland are lack of infrastructure (standard grounds) and comprehensive policy for football development, lack of financial resources and professional league, he observed. But against such imposing challenges, Kohima Town Club has decided to take the initiative by starting a professional league to promote the game as well as develop the standard of football, asserted Dr. Pienyü.
The president of the club also said that it would focus on promoting club culture and professionalism in the players besides having a fan base with all the members of the colony as stakeholders. He further informed that the league would provide a rare opportunity to all talented players to play competitive football at a professional level as well as provide platform for the players to springboard to higher clubs in India.
The league, Dr. Pienyü expects, would also provide an opportunity to talented footballers to find gainful employment and earn a source of livelihood. He expressed his hope that the league would restore Nagaland back to its glory days and find a respectable place in Indian football.
Kohima Football League is likely to start in the second week of July. 8 colonies have already registered and the organisers are expecting two more team to join the league. There would be attractive prizes for the champion team till the fourth place besides other individual prizes, said the organisers.
Meanwhile, technical head KTC and former assistant coach Aizawl FC, N. William Koso revealed that if Kohima Football League gets recognised, the champion would qualify to play in the 2nd division national league.
Kolkata Premier Division League clubs have made an appeal to the IFA to increase the number of foreigners from two to three...three foreigners to take the field and four to be registered. A final call is to be taken on this matter when IFA secretary Utpal Ganguly meets the clubs on 1st July
Comments
Are they using Sesa name or competing as Vedanta FC ??
https://www.nagalandpost.com/ChannelNews/Sports/SportsNews.aspx?news=TkVXUzEwMDExNjM5NA==
This league is for non-professionals and retired players only.
To be eligible for this league one has to be at least 28 years of age and must not registered or contracted to any professionals clubs in Nagaland.
From the link you posted above.