It's another nail in the coffin : East Bengal, Bagan slam AIFF & Praful Patel
Following both the Goan I-league clubs withdrawing from next season after the AIFF's partisan three-tier system, East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar called it “another nail in the coffin”. Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan has called for an urgent meeting of all state associations to “sort out the mess”.
The AIFF came up with the plan in mid-May declaring ISL as the top league in the country, followed by League 1(the I-League),and League 2,starting from November next year. AIFF President Praful Patel believed that this will reduce the friction between the I-League and the ISL clubs. But the AIFF's decision to not allow advancement of top teams from the I-league to the ISL and relegation from the ISL downwards has meant that the ISL exists in a hallowed space above while the rest get on with the drudgery.
The decision has spelled the death knell for the already-depleted league as, one by one, teams have decided to leave the sinking ship.
A furious East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar said, "It's another nail in the coffin. Now, what's left to play for in the I-League. The president and his entourage should play the I-League now," reported PTI.
Also read -Does the AIFF's 3-tier plan actually signal a turn for the better in Indian football?
Slamming the AIFF further, Majumdar added, "The AIFF is not clear what they want to do. They are supposed to inform us. You cannot equate the likes of Delhi Dynamos to East Bengal. You compare the history”.
Mohun Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra struck a more forward-looking approach and suggested that all the state associations get together and explore means to end this debacle and did not rule out legal recourse if needed.
Mitra said, "We have to sort out the mess. All the state units must sit together and take steps amicably, if not we should follow a legal route," he said.
"We (the federation) should not only think of making money. We are keeping a close watch"
PTI
Meanwhile, AIFF's senior vice-president Subrata Datta requested both Goan clubs to reconsider their decisions.
"It is a sad decision. I am feeling really bad about it and I would request both the clubs to think about reconsidering their decision," he said.
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