Joydeep Mukherjee becomes new secretary of Indian Football Association
With no one to contest against him for the position, Joydeep Mukherjee succeeded Utpal Ganguli, who held the position for 12 years, as the new secretary of the Indian Football Association. Mukherjee has vowed to end the financial crisis that the old institution is in and called for teamwork.
The 126-year-old body had seen Ganguli staying in his post for three consecutive tenures and he could have continued doing so but he decided to withdraw his nomination just before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the IFA on June 29.
Hence, Mukherjee, who was previously the assistant secretary at IFA and also an executive committee member of East Bengal club, was elected unopposed on Friday. Mukherjee has vowed to try and diminish the tremendous financial burden of the governing body for football in West Bengal.
"For the position the IFA is in today, it has dug its own hole through the years. I have been given this responsibility now and I hope to have the support of everyone to be successful. If I cannot be successful, I will move away from this post myself," Mukherjee stated, reported Goal.
"There are outstanding debts of the IFA and we will try to bring in sponsors and pay those off. But, at the same time, we have improve the quality and quantity of football under our wing, bring in new sponsors. We have four tournaments to organize and I believe we will wrap up it before September this season. It will be the teamwork of all in the IFA, not just me. There are plans in place. I believe nothing is impossible," Mukherjee added.
Apart from financial stability, the new secretary has also called all the 256 clubs under IFA to work together towards the betterment of the sport in the state and regain IFA’s lost aura. His first assignment would start this month itself in Calcutta Football League.
"Why only the big two, be it the big clubs or the small clubs, we need the cooperation of all the 256 clubs registered with the IFA," Mukherjee exclaimed.
