That 15% is claimed and also that's in exchange for using their facilities, branding, player pool etc. As we have seen, just using top class facilities is no help when your support staff is crap! ATK's squad has full of injuries after just 8 matches whilee DD managed to injure 5 goalkeepers
And how do you know there was no etihad deal? Just copy pasting from other people's post are we now?
Many years ago, BCCI wanted to close down ICL as it was competing with their IPL. So their first offer was a lollypop to Subhash Chandra that close down ICL and take one Franchise in IPL.
This offer of merger is also on that lines. Offer three slots to 3 powerful entities MB, EB, BFC and then close down I-league. Rest all clubs they will fail in so called AFC Criteria.
Many unanswered questions are there.
1)What will happen to all the other clubs?
2) What is the purpose of 2nd division then if only IMG-R will decide which club will play?
3) Fake owners club will not pass AFC guidelines either. Will they continue hiring Film Stars, Cricket players?
4) How many Foreign players? How will they afford their salaries for a longer version of league?
1.Theyll go back to play in their respective state leagues, hopefully made bigger and better with more teams. A cup competition can be started involving 10 ISL teams and top state league teams. Honestly, apart from sporting Goa, Salgaocar, Mumbai FC, nobody else left out have the financial resources to entertain a national league. Mumbai FC may fold as they wouldn't care but Sporting Goa and Salgaocar may make some kind of a deal with FC Goa like in Pune and Kolkatta.
2. Maybe, there won't be a second division if there won't be a promotion to top tier. More clarity is needed on that.
3.All AFC guidelines will be passed. Stadium criteria - sure, Foreign player restriction only on AFC competitions, Multiple owner issue can solved by forming a company which in turn owns the club. Ownership of the league is an issue. I think AIFF can technically own and schedule the league while IMG-R and star can manage the financial aspects and marketing which is the source of revenue, thereby getting back their investment. Film stars do contribute a bit with building the brand. They'll probably be there for around 5 years. Even cricket used the likes of SRK, priety zinta, Hrithik, Vijay. Later on, they took a back seat as the teams established their own identity.
4.Why can't they afford foreigners? ISL owners are definitely a lot richer than their I league counterparts.
1) Well, lets see. East Bengal and Mohun Bagan will join the ISL, as will Bengaluru FC. Dempo is pretty much FC Goa. Salgaocar and Sporting Goa will be worked on within the next three years. Pune FC is as good as gone while DSK will merge with FC Pune City. Aizawl and Shillong Lajong will not be given the chance to join the ISL for obvious reasons, would love to see these two start a NorthEast Super League type thing though as was proposed a few years ago. Royal Wahingdoh could also join in. And Mumbai FC I have no idea. @Shankar suggested a few months ago that Mumbai FC and Mumbai City could "merge" and Mumbai FC could work with the youth development part but I am not sure Essel Group would be all for that.
So ya, really just three question marks on clubs: Sporting Goa, Salgaocar, and Mumbai FC. Of course you also have whoever is promoted from the 2nd Division but lets look at it. Guwahati is no better than Aizawl or Shillong Lajong. Lonestar Kashmir I doubt would even pass the AFC Licensing criteria that much. Kenkre and PIFA speak for themselves. NEROKA and Minerva also speak for themselves. Same with Gangtok. Fatah Hyderabad I don't think will do much nor will they have the funds for ISL.
2) I am not sure. At this point, to make things smooth, the AIFF should just cancel the I-League 2nd Division and instead just host a All-India tournament for I-League teams (organized one) and maybe involve I-League sides in it. Something along those lines.
3) Celebrities owning sports teams is nothing new in the world and it will continue. Hell, it is not as if any of the teams are owned ONLY by film/cricket stars. Yes, Reliance has a lot of owners but for gods sake, the Football Federation of Australia owns one of the teams in the A-League (Newcastle Jets) and that is a competition the FFA are running. Talk about conflict of interests eh!!!! The AFC-licensing criteria are also not that hard to complete in all honesty. Are you telling me that ISL teams, after all the glitz and glamour, can not reach the same standard of professionalism as fucking Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, and Hong Kong? Have you guys seen these leagues? The ISL teams will be able to do it and the AFC would be stupid not to include a league from India in Asia, specially if it has managed to get media coverage from around the world, something the I-League failed to do.
4) Revenues will increase? More chances to sell tickets, sell merchandise, memberships etc. More chances to connect with the community etc. There are many ways more money can be gotten. Hell, sponsorships should also see a steady increase due to more exposure. Yes, foreign players will take a hit and the AFC Champions League rules will need to be taken into account.
In Japan the rule is 3+1 plus a 2 non-visa players. Basically 6 players. A-League is the same, 5 foreigners (no Asian rule) plus 1 non-Visa. China does 4 foreign players + an Asian player. Thailand is the same. South Korea is 3+1, so just 4 foreigners.
Currently the ISL is 10+1, with that +1 being a marquee. Six foreigners are allowed on the pitch. I think the six foreigners on the pitch can stay but the amount overall needs to change. We need to add an Asian slot as well and make it strict that there can be no foreign goalkeepers (unless in an emergency situation in which your goalkeeper coach needs to step in). Lower the rule then to 8+1 (Mandatory Asian player and Marquee player). That would mean 6 foreigners for the starting line-ups and 3 on the bench.
This is not ideal for Asian competition, where 5 players will not even be allowed on the game day roster but we are not even going to compete in Asia anyway straight away. As the level of the Indian players get better the league can start to be more strict with the foreign rules. It will never be perfect and I already believe anyway that eventually the AFC Champions League will allow more foreigners in the future.
Finally, there needs to be a change in the marquee player rule. Of the eight teams, only Elano and Sabrosa have proven to not be total busts. Lucio is okay, Postiga was injured but started well, Marchena has pissed off, Anelka and Carlos are not marquee material anymore, and Mutu is complete and utter garbage. Kerala Blasters for example don't need a big name marquee, they already get the big numbers in the stadium regardless, just sign a young guy from South America as your marquee. No reason a star should be the marquee there, we have seen the results.
I dont think Mumbai FC owners will give up a club based on mumbai with decent fan base without a fight..
In any day it is an asset to have a club from here... I see themselves putting a fight if there is only one place and Mumbai city is not in mood for merge..
Comments
And how do you know there was no etihad deal? Just copy pasting from other people's post are we now?
This offer of merger is also on that lines. Offer three slots to 3 powerful entities MB, EB, BFC and then close down I-league. Rest all clubs they will fail in so called AFC Criteria.
Many unanswered questions are there.
1)What will happen to all the other clubs?
2) What is the purpose of 2nd division then if only IMG-R will decide which club will play?
3) Fake owners club will not pass AFC guidelines either. Will they continue hiring Film Stars, Cricket players?
4) How many Foreign players? How will they afford their salaries for a longer version of league?
Honestly, apart from sporting Goa, Salgaocar, Mumbai FC, nobody else left out have the financial resources to entertain a national league. Mumbai FC may fold as they wouldn't care but Sporting Goa and Salgaocar may make some kind of a deal with FC Goa like in Pune and Kolkatta.
2. Maybe, there won't be a second division if there won't be a promotion to top tier. More clarity is needed on that.
3.All AFC guidelines will be passed. Stadium criteria - sure, Foreign player restriction only on AFC competitions, Multiple owner issue can solved by forming a company which in turn owns the club.
Ownership of the league is an issue. I think AIFF can technically own and schedule the league while IMG-R and star can manage the financial aspects and marketing which is the source of revenue, thereby getting back their investment.
Film stars do contribute a bit with building the brand. They'll probably be there for around 5 years. Even cricket used the likes of SRK, priety zinta, Hrithik, Vijay. Later on, they took a back seat as the teams established their own identity.
4.Why can't they afford foreigners? ISL owners are definitely a lot richer than their I league counterparts.
If OZONE start to build the stadium....they will not just spend crores to do so & then allow BFC as tenants !!
Surely they will be contenders for the Bangalore ISL slot :-w