In a recent meeting with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the heads of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) along with representatives of major I-League clubs resolved the deadlock surrounding the I-League and Indian Super League merger.
In a solution which ostensibly appeased the representatives of the I-League clubs and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the parent body behind the ISL, the two tournaments were decided to be held simultaneously.
However, to allay the concerns of the I-League losing its sheen, AIFF President Praful Patel promised equal coverage and marketing activities for the country's national football league. But would that be enough to prevent the tournament from fading away as the ISL takes over eventually?
Dearth of quality players means teams will flex their financial muscle
The ISL clubs are backed by financially sound sponsors and shareholders. On the other hand, I-League clubs like Aizawl FC are managed by small-time owners and supporters. It goes without saying that in the transfer market, the minnows from Mizoram will not be able to lure big-name players with their money.
Within a few months of winning the I-League, Aizawl are already in disarray. East Bengal have raided their squad and signed a number of crucial players including their centre back Eze Kingsley and Syrian midfielder Mahmoud Al-Amnah. If reports are to be believed, Aizawl’s head coach Khalid Jamil is also heading to the Calcutta club in order to strengthen their side for the next season.
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Thus, when faced with the insurmountable financial strength of the ISL clubs, it will only be a matter of time before a club like Aizawl FC gets wiped out from the higher echelons of Indian football. It will be tough to imagine a club who won the league last season languishing in the lower divisions of the League. But, with the roadmap thought out by the AIFF, this fear is not unfounded.
Lack of Indian players will force the I-League teams to deploy reserves as they fight for the league
In a very interesting study by Novy Kapadia, football expert and analyst, it was concluded that there would be a clear divide when the teams ultimately get down to business. With 10 I-League clubs and 10 ISL teams, it would be difficult to maintain the stipulated quota of Indian players whilst challenging for the respective titles.
If each franchise hires, let us say, 12 senior Indian players, then with 10 teams it would make it 120 players. Similarly, if each of the 10 I-League clubs buys about 16 Indian players, about 160-170 players will be recruited. So, about 280 Indian players will get employed and play competitive football for over four months. But the critical question at this juncture would be – where are these 250-280 good Indian players who have had prior experience of playing football at the top level in India?
Due to the nascent football grassroots programmes, there are very few academies which regularly churn out talent, ready to compete at the top level. With the frequent shutting down of clubs, this situation has worsened further.
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Clubs like JCT and Dempo used to be major players with respect to producing future stars. But with these clubs bowing out, there is a dearth of top quality youngsters ready to make it big. As a result, clubs have to make use of their existing resources or try and dish out extravagant salaries to lure players from rival clubs.
Consequently, with respect to the ISL clubs, they will make use of their better infrastructure and produce players who will rise through the ranks and become a part of the senior team. Coupled with their financial mettle, ISL franchises will have all the power to control player transfer activities. This will ultimately spell doom for the I-League clubs.
Meanwhile, the AIFF has been pondering a tournament comprising the top 4 teams each from the ISL and the I-League to decide the AFC representatives from India. So, the two top teams of this resultant competition can be from either the I-League or the ISL which might seem in essence a fair playing field. But, when the above factors are taken into consideration, it does not look too bright for the I-League sides.
Without adequate means to do battle with their ISL counterparts, it will not be surprising if teams from the I-League fail to make the cut in the AFC competitions. The format of such a competition to decide the two AFC representatives has not been finalised yet, but with the roadmap that has been drawn, it surely is a death knell for the national clubs of the country.
