Indian Football needs to be assessed says Mumbai FC's Henry Picardo

Mumbai FC's assistant coach Henry Picardo

Mumbai FC’s assistant coach Henry Picardo says that Indian Football needs to find its shortcomings before football runs into trouble it cannot come out of. I-League clubs, Pune FC and Bharat FC are reportedly considering shutting down their respective clubs.

It’s very sad if it happens [closure of the Pune clubs] for football in India. We need to find out exactly where it is going wrong and why teams like Bharat FC, Pune FC, JCT and Mahindra United are shutting down. There is something seriously wrong with Indian Football,” Picardo told Sportskeeda.

“The people in the AIFF like Mr. Praful Patel need to really understand what is going wrong and why investors are backing out.”

The AIFF held a meeting in Dwarka, New Delhi, but Pune FC were not invited for the event.

Mumbai, who finished seventh in last season’s I-League have not made any signing as of now but having offered most players two-year contracts, they have retained a majority of their squad. Picardo said that the club had zeroed in on their targets, but no announcements were made to not distract fans from the upcoming ISL season.

Mumbai FC don’t want to step in the ISL’s limelight

Picardo said, “The signings are still happening slowly and gradually and we will be announcing the signings. But right now the focus is on the Indian Super League so we wouldn't want to take anything away from the ISL.”

Finding themselves in the relegation dogfight towards the end of the season, Mumbai FC fought hard till the end going on a seven-match unbeaten streak to confirm their top-flight status for another season.

But this season, Mumbai have not started their pre-season training yet due to the lack of first team players available. Picardo informed Sportskeeda due to players being contracted to their respective ISL clubs as well, it was difficult for the Mumbai to start their training.

“It’s the case of the I-League starting in the month of January and moreover the boys are already playing in the ISL so it would not be wise to play only a few players and not have the entire team. But the boys are training on their own and probably in the month of September we will start on team building,” Picardo concluded.

Picardo did, however, confirm that the team would take part in the Mumbai Football League and expects the team to be available for the event.