One is history/ continuity which I-league clubs offer. Secondly, these clubs are responsible for whatever grassroot-connect Indian football has (India is shit in football, so are it's clubs; take it or leave it. Sort of garbage-in-garbage-out syndrome: you start to improve upon it). Then the passion: nothing matches a Kolkata derby, or a NE match. Then there is AFC criteria, which I-league clubs meet (so am I to believe); and therefore, FIFA control.
ISL clubs, on the other hand, never commit anything on ground, be it physical entity of the clubs, grassroot training (at least serious intentions), off-season presence. One cannot rely on them. Secondly, they are over-reliant on foreign talents, thereby neglecting local talent. Only thing is their presentation are professional, but nothing else. In short, they are not representative of the cities they represent.
No one seems to suggest that since ISL is a short tournament you will have infr and work setup equavalent to that, Running from hotels, reliance on foriegn platers blag blah... Fact that if ISL teams are expected to adhere to AFC norms and a longer window you will exactly get the same thing i-league clubs do but better. Sweat equity is all around the world mate, why target our own franchises for that? When books have to be disclosed genuine owners will be known to all.
I do not support i-league for the primary reason that they do not connect to the regions beyond Goa, Bengal and NE. Thats just a small fraction of India. The primary reason of popularization of this sport in non footballing hubs is the prinary reasons why it should be given priority of a longer league with less i-league teams involved
Name one team from south which was DENIED entry in natnl league. Unlike Nita's pvt circus, this is based on merit. Your football clubs are simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH currently. That is NOT ileague fault.
I league hasnt connected with majority of states for more than a decade..It has been limited. All the diversification and spreading the I league started much later with talks of ISL in place . As AIFF's pants were on fire to prove I league is the "main" league and not ISL (atleast to convince the I league team owners).... Even 3 years back you would have still seen I league limited with majority Goa Kolkata and northeast clubs with 4 clubs from Goa, 4 from Kolkata 2 from Shillong itself....And you call it connection to every state... IMO ISL acted as a catalyst for AIFF spreading the I league, else I league would have stayed a regional affair ... AIFF honchos were very much happy with how football was limited in the traditional Goa Kolkata and northeast regions.
I-League has a definite criteria for a team to get promoted or relegated (for all Non Corporate teams). None can do anything if certain non corporate teams irrespective of where they come from get relegated. AIFF don't mind this as it serves them 2 purposes : (1) Reduce the no. of teams in I-League thereby reducing time (2) they can fill up the no. (may be 3 goes 1 comes theory) by luring some corporate house (especially Pune based). These corporate house teams make a guest appearence with great fanfare only to disappear afterwards. The problem lies with AIFF......they did not want to handle issues for the reason known to all of us. Otherwise ways could have been found to keep Mohammedan SC, Royal Wahingdoh, Churchill Brothers, United SC & PSU teams like Air India, ONGC etc. etc. in the zone. We are hearing a lot about merger of I-League & ISL but what about AFC Licensing Criteria for the ISL teams ? If so many i-League teams could be barred by AIFF citing AFC criteria then that benchmark should be followed for the merged league as well. Also with the bidding process...I'm not sure if Mohun Bagan or EB can get in to the top tier league. It seems that unless something is altered dramatically...Mohun Bagan & EB are destined to play in the 2nd. tier (BFC may get through by money power). If it does happen, then we may see a 2nd. tier non Derby match at YBK involving Mohun Bagan or EB drawing 20-25k crowd & a top tier match involving ATK drawing Security personnel & Corporate people. Expect AIFF or more importantly IMG-R keep this in mind.
I-league overall is open-to-all, and equitable to the whole nation. It is not a closed club of eight franchisees, determined only by only money power. Anybody from any region can come in provided they have good organisation. And stay on as well, if they are good. The only criteria is quality of football.
As far as clustering is concerned, I can see only three: Bengal, Goa and the NE (if we may club them under one 'cluster'). So So 5-6 teams in a league of say, 12 teams. Now what do we have internationally. EPL have 6 teams from London area and another 4 teams from Manchester-Liverpool area, MLS have 5 from the New England states area (both out of 20 team leagues), A league have 4 from one area (out of 10 teams), J League have a whopping 11 teams from Tokyo Area and another region in a 18-team league. Point is, there will always be areas which concentrate football teams. The reasons may be economic, passion, or population concentration. I-league is way, way equitable as far as distribution of teams are concerned.
Of course, it is AIFF's fault for not making the league even more distributed, in the form of having some rule to limit a maximum of 2/3 teams from a member association. But then, AIFF is guilty on account of many other aspects of the game. For that we need not bury I-league, and start a league which does not address the loopholes. More important is, if it is an open system or not.
MLS has teams in the Eastern region and they are all hours and hours apart, not close. DC United to New England Revolution is practically Southampton to Newcastle. Sydney has two teams but Western Sydney and Sydney FC occupy totally different areas of a massive city. Same with London and Manchester and even the Newcastle sides.
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ISL clubs, on the other hand, never commit anything on ground, be it physical entity of the clubs, grassroot training (at least serious intentions), off-season presence. One cannot rely on them. Secondly, they are over-reliant on foreign talents, thereby neglecting local talent. Only thing is their presentation are professional, but nothing else. In short, they are not representative of the cities they represent.
Sweat equity is all around the world mate, why target our own franchises for that? When books have to be disclosed genuine owners will be known to all.
I do not support i-league for the primary reason that they do not connect to the regions beyond Goa, Bengal and NE. Thats just a small fraction of India. The primary reason of popularization of this sport in non footballing hubs is the prinary reasons why it should be given priority of a longer league with less i-league teams involved
The original plan was for Bangalore not Chennai
I-League connects to every state... no trim i-league fault that Kerala teams get relegated or Punjab teams closed down.
If Fateh Hyderabad, Minerva, NEROCA and Lonestar qualify over the next few years. Then is I-League fill your criteria and you will switch over. ?
#plasticfans
Also with the bidding process...I'm not sure if Mohun Bagan or EB can get in to the top tier league. It seems that unless something is altered dramatically...Mohun Bagan & EB are destined to play in the 2nd. tier (BFC may get through by money power). If it does happen, then we may see a 2nd. tier non Derby match at YBK involving Mohun Bagan or EB drawing 20-25k crowd & a top tier match involving ATK drawing Security personnel & Corporate people.
Expect AIFF or more importantly IMG-R keep this in mind.
As far as clustering is concerned, I can see only three: Bengal, Goa and the NE (if we may club them under one 'cluster'). So So 5-6 teams in a league of say, 12 teams. Now what do we have internationally. EPL have 6 teams from London area and another 4 teams from Manchester-Liverpool area, MLS have 5 from the New England states area (both out of 20 team leagues), A league have 4 from one area (out of 10 teams), J League have a whopping 11 teams from Tokyo Area and another region in a 18-team league. Point is, there will always be areas which concentrate football teams. The reasons may be economic, passion, or population concentration. I-league is way, way equitable as far as distribution of teams are concerned.
Of course, it is AIFF's fault for not making the league even more distributed, in the form of having some rule to limit a maximum of 2/3 teams from a member association. But then, AIFF is guilty on account of many other aspects of the game. For that we need not bury I-league, and start a league which does not address the loopholes. More important is, if it is an open system or not.