By Samindra Kunti
May 10 – Ruling out the merger of the I-League with the Indian Super League (ISL) in the immediate future, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has drawn up a roadmap for the domestic game, but much confusion remains.
“(Praful) Patel informed the representatives that the revised roadmap of India football has not yet been finalised and before a final decision is taken, stakeholders including the Asian Football Confederation would be consulted,” read a statement from the AIFF.
“Indian football has made rapid progress over the last few years and it’s important for AIFF to take a long term view. The AIFF has been in discussion with the AFC and will do what’s in the interest of Indian football,” continued the statement.
The question of the merger of the I-League and the ISL has acquired new urgency as the unheralded north-eastern outfit Aizawl FC won the I-League upsetting the established order and possible merger plans, dictated by IMG-Reliance, the AIFF’s sponsor and marketing partner
Both leagues won’t merge for the next three seasons and will continue to run parallel, eliciting more questions about the sustainability and viability of the dual structure. Sponsor and commercial partners have been far and few, with even the ISL clubs beginning to feel the financial pressure.
Patel, president of the AIFF, its general secretary Kushal Das and a number of officials from IMG-Reliance are in Bahrain where at meetings with AFC General Secretary Dato Windsor John they will make the case for India to receive an extra birth in the AFC Cup. For the next two seasons the AFC Cup slots have however already been fixed.
I-League clubs were told that in the interest of football in India something needs to be shared with the ISL franchises, who have invested financially in the game. The idea of a Super Cup, with the winners of the I-League and the winners of the ISL playing for the Asian Champions League qualifying ticket, is being mooted. Hitherto, that privilege was accorded to the I-League champions.
For now, with little prospect of a unified league and a new Super Cup, Indian football remains in limbo and dysfunctional with two anaemic leagues. Patel may be playing for time, but he has been criticised within India for a somewhat disorganised and arbitrary approach which has further highlighted the AIFF’s many deficiencies and will only hurt India’s game.
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