ISL won’t sustain in the long run without full year calendar: Praful Patel
All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel stated on Saturday that the Indian Super League (ISL) won’t be able to sustain in the long run without a full year’s calendar.
“ISL also will not be able to sustain in the long run without a full year’s calendar for football in India. Whether the I-League or ISL is not the issue, the football calendar of India must be busy,” Patel said, after AIFF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Goa, reported Goal.com.
The AIFF President also confirmed that there is no set time frame in place for the proposed merger between the ISL and I-League.
“Merger is not a task before me tomorrow. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t. The I-League for the AIFF is important and the ISL is also important. The ISL is also a league of the AIFF but managed by IMG-R. All the leagues and tournaments in India are the properties of All India Football Federation. They (IMG-R) are managing the rights for Indian football, including that of the I-League,” said Patel.
Praful Patel also stated that if at all the merger takes place, then it would be ISL which would join the I-League and not the other way around.
“Merger…eventually if there is a situation if both the sides agree to come together, we will be okay. But we are not putting a time-frame that it will happen tomorrow, next year or day after as it cannot be. As far as the AFC and FIFA recognition is considered, it can only be to the I-League. So if at all anything happens, it can be the reverse way and not the other way around because the I-League has to be our official league. Our teams cannot play outside of India in other competitions,” he stated, reported Goal.com.
The AIFF is also planning to promote the I-League by buying advertising slots on national and regional television channels.
“We are working much more aggressively to make I-League a successful version. Last year has been a more successful season better than the previous one. There has been a rub-on effect of the ISL,” Patel added.
The Indian FA also decided to set-up a Center of Excellence for the Indian national team in association with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The three identified locations for the centre are in Mumbai (Andheri Sports Complex), Bhopal and Haryana (near Rohtak).