| India’s professional league to improve modest clubs |
NEW DELHI India's new professional league will improve the country's modest clubs and pave the way for the national team to return to former glories, according to a senior federation official.
India's I-League, named along the lines of Japan's J-League, kicks off on Saturday after 11 years of a semi-professional version.
"This was needed because wherever there is a strong league there is a strong national team," All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary Alberto Colaco said in an interview.
"The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has given us the criteria we have to follow in three years," he said. "We're trying to get our clubs and the federation in tune with them.
"If we don't the AFC will keep us away from the AFC Champions League which in future will be modelled on the Uefa tournament."
India's national team are ranked 145th in the world, a far cry from the 1950s when they twice won the Asian Games and held their own in their home continent until the amateur era ended.
The semi-professional league initially attracted many backers but soon ran out of steam with critics blaming the federation and the clubs, many of whom were reluctant to switch to playing tournaments in more lucrative formats.
The Asian and world soccer bodies have persuaded the Indian federation to revamp the system and tapping playing talent.
Head national coach Bob Houghton has emphasised to clubs the need to keep players fresh and injury-free and the Aiff has a special section to oversee the league, introducing youth schemes and proper player contracts.
"We're looking at something like Japan," Colaco said. "
Everyone tries to follow the J-league because it is the most successful."
The other challenge is the need to widen the fan base for domestic soccer in the cricket-crazy country, although Indians follow football in other parts of the world.
The clubs are based mainly in the eastern Kolkata city and along the west coast, particularly in Goa.
"We're trying to broaden the base, but you can't expect things to happen overnight," Colaco said. "But a lot of people are showing interest in getting into the national league."
Reuters
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