Kolkata: Football in West Bengal may not be the same again in the aftermath of the Saradha chit fund scam which has left thousands of investors in disrray and could mean a drying up of funds for clubs.
Given the current scenario, the biggest loser would be I-League team Prayag United SC.
Having spent heavily on I-League leading scorer Ranty Martins and Costa Rican World Cupper Carlos Hernandez with a Rs 13 crore budget last season, United SC are unsure about their existence with the fate of their title sponsors, Prayag, hanging in the balance.
“Let us first see whether we’re able to survive or not. As of now, Prayag has stuck to its commitment, but we don’t know what will happen in the transfer season,” United director Nabab Bhattacharya said.
Big-spending United SC did live up to expectations winning their maiden IFA Shield this season. The purple brigade, who were placed fourth, also have a realistic chance of finishing in top three of the I-League.
Bhattacharya said their top players Ranty and Hernandez are already getting big offers and a bigger budget is required to retain them.
“We had a budget of about Rs 13 crore last season but it will have to go up now. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal with UB Group behind them will have no problem but it’s small teams like us who will have to bear the brunt,” he said. (PTI)