‘AIFF has been sold out': Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen
Image Courtesy: © Facebook - Mohun Bagan
After becoming the first Indian club to register a win in the AFC Champions League by defeating Tampines Rovers 3-1 on Wednesday, Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen blasted the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) after the board refused to reschedule Bagan’s I-League tie against DSK Shivajians on January 30.
Mohun Bagan are scheduled to take on Shandong Luneng FC from China in the second preliminary round, at the Jinan Olympic Stadium in China on February 2 for a spot in the qualification playoffs of Asia’s premier club competition. However, with the 2014/15 I-League champions scheduled to take on DSK Shivajians in Pune on January 30, the club asked the governing board to reschedule the tie to a later date in an attempt to avoid fixture pile-up and fatigue to the players.
But with the governing body refusing to reschedule the tie under any circumstances, the Mohun Bagan coach vented his anger on the AIFF in the post-match press conference.
"I can't realize how this happens in India. It does not happen anywhere in the world. In the Champions League, Barcelona does not play domestic matches just after Champions League. This is terrible. I thought if we won, our match in Pune against DSK would be postponed," reported Goal.com.
"I just heard that AIFF did not hear our words. This is how football is run in India. It's horrible. God knows how this can happen. It's unfortunate for us. Any team which is ambitious, this is a big hit for us," he added.
The 55-year old coach also opined that the “federation has been sold out” and the governing body has “no standing in Indian football.”
"We have told the officials. (The) AIFF has to see for improvement of football. The Federation has been sold out. They have no standing now. We are going to Pune, then we go to China. If something happens wrong, only I get the blame. No one has the responsibility," he signed off.
