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The recently concluded I-League has been the most intriguing in quite a few years. Be it the last few minutes deciding where the title landed or the relegation of a 3-time I-League winner, the league had everything one could ask for. Here are the top five reasons for the league being as successful as it was:
Increased Brand equity
Unlike previous years, the 2015 edition of the I-league saw a lot of efforts being put into for an image makeover of India’s national league. HeroMotoCorp jumped in as the title sponsor. A brand new website, I- league app for android phones, twitter friendly prompts during matches, pre and post match analysis, presentation ceremonies etc. were introduced. The quality of telecast improved with multiple mobile cameras. Coverage in the print media was by far the best this year.
However, the English proficiency of most of the commentators was shameful. Though it left a lot to be desired, I-League 2015 can easily be marked as the year when I-League’s brand equity started to move upwards.
Quality of football
The standard of football played in this year’s I-League was arguably the best ever. Be it passing, speed, stamina, strategy or finishing, every aspect showed marked improvement. It was undoubtedly THE most competitive I-league till date. Five teams were fighting to get out of the relegation zone even on the penultimate day. The champion was decided after a grueling 96 minutes of the last match on the last day of the marathon league.
The last round matches between Mohun Bagan and Royal Wahingdoh FC or MB and Sporting Clube de Goa was of sublime quality and passion. Performance of Bengaluru FC and East Bengal in the AFC cup matches was noticeably better too. Not often one gets to see Indian teams toying with South-East Asian clubs. With a second string team, EB decimated Balestier Khalsa 3-0.BFC made it to the pre-quarter finals with commendable performances all along.
Infrastructure
It was a pleasant surprise for all to see the lush green fields and much improved stadia. A renovated Cooperage(Mumabi), Sree Kanteerava(Bengaluru) , JN Stadium (Shillong), Fatorda Stadium(Goa) or even the makeshift Barasat stadium(Kolkata) had pitches far better than the patchy barren undulating surfaces one is used to see in Indian football .A natural surface is also being laid in the majestic salt Lake stadium.
Practice facilities of the teams are now almost at par with the best. BFC introduced GPS transmitters on their players to monitor various parameters like speed, distance covered etc. The introduction of quality support staff also saw lesser injuries and much fitter players. Transport and boarding facilities, ground and event management also improved greatly with the infusion of professionals.
Desi Power
It was probably for the first time in the history of I-league that foreigners did not rule the roost at Indian football. The emergence of fast and technically sound players like Thoi Singh, Jackichand Singh, Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes or Eugeneson Lyngdoh greatly reduced the dependence on foreign recruits. Though the top five goal scorers were still foreigners, almost all the assists were done by the desi brigade. Indian coaches/managers like Sanjoy Sen or Santosh Kashyap also outshone their foreign counterparts. There were many instances where foreign players were substituted by desi boys which is a rarity in India.
Regional Power shift
It was probably the worst I-league for the Goan teams. Churchill Brothers got banned due to licensing issues. Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa or Dempo were consistently in the bottom five and finally the five times champions Dempo was relegated. On the other hand, Royal Wahingdoh FC(RWFC) changed the hitherto prevailing “also ran” image of north-eastern clubs. Consistent top class performances and giant killing acts saw RWFC finishing a comfortable and respectable third in its maiden I -league.
