Bhaichung Bhutia couldn't have been happier with the All India Football Federation's announcement that the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League will run simultaneously at least for the next couple of seasons. Obviously he wasn't happy with the me yhe ?With several players struggling to find clubs and demand for footballers on the wane, the former India captain and now advisor to All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel, feels this is the way forward.
PTI
Here are questions India's prime football star answered on the matter...
The AIFF has announced that there won't be a merger between ISL and I-League. Instead, the leagues will run simultaneously, possibly for seven months. Is this the way forward?
I think both leagues being played for seven months is the way forward. Right now, the biggest challenge to Indian football is unemployment (of players). Three years ago, you had some of India's top players in peak form struggling to find clubs. The number of unemployment issues we hear at the FPAI (Football Players' Association of India) has been rising. With both leagues playing for seven months each, the number of Indian players (participating) will triple. That's what we want. Right now, 80odd players who sign for ISL clubs then go on loan to I-League clubs. Once the two leagues are played simultaneously, demand for (Indian) players will increase.
The AIFF insists that the I-League remains India's premier football competition but if both leagues are played simultaneously, the best players will opt to play in the ISL simply because they offer better salaries...
In the shorter run, that may be the case. But in the long run, I-League clubs can start producing their own players. They can (also) have top-quality players and have longer contracts.