Former India coach Armando Colaco has said, "it's a problem that lot of experienced players who played recently in the Indian Super League are without a club."
The Goan Network
MARGAO
Former India coach Armando Colaco has expressed his concern over the absence of regular football for some India players.
Colaco told The Goan that "it's a problem that lot of experienced players who played recently in the Indian Super League are without a club."
"I feel sorry for the boys because these are experienced players without a club at the moment but hopefully the clubs will react and pick up the talents of India," the former India and Dempo coach stated.
"Couple of months back, I made a fervent plea to AIFF secretary Kushal Das and I-League CEO Sunando Dhar and jumped to the rescue of large number of pool of players who were left out without a team after not being picked at the domestic draft held in Mumbai last year. I also made an urgent appeal to the AIFF top brass to take care of these players," bemoaned Colaco, adding: "Although I was happy to see the ISL auction draft, I was also pained to see around 72 players being unsold and wonder what's in store for them."
Colaco highlighted that there was another crises that came to the fore and now it is a cause for worry that so many players are without a job and termed this is not a healthy sign for Indian football. Also it is not confirmed that all 72 unsold players will reamain without a club, while the clubs who came into the domestic drafts on loan from I-League clubs are contractucally bound to return to their parent body.
The national coach Stephen Constantine is on record saying he favours a league of 14 teams. "During my short tenure as National coach, I had also recomemded a league of 16 teams," said Colaco. "As we do want more and more teams coming to the game of football, I sincerly requested the AIFF boss to give a serious thought of bringing back Churchill Brothers, Mohemmadan Sporting and Dempo Sports Club back into the elite league but it yielded no result," he added.
