New Delhi: Five clubs, including AIFF vice- president Larsing Ming Sawyan’s Shillong Lajong FC, today told the All India Football Federation that they were against registering eight foreign players per side in the 2017-18 I- League season.
It has been learnt that the I-League clubs wrote to the AIFF, expressing their disapproval over introducing more foreigners.
As per the recommendation, two out of the eight players registered should be of Asian origin.
If those in the know of developments related to the issue are to be believed, only Kolkata heavyweights Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are pushing for an eight-player quota in the I- League.
Among the nine teams, Churchill Brothers remained undecided.
Last week, the AIFF said the I-League clubs have agreed to the concurrent running of two leagues this season.
The development came a day after Asian Football Confederation gave official recognition to the Indian Super League by granting the next ISL champion an AFC Cup play-off slot.
Among the recommendations was that clubs be allowed to field five foreign players in a game, including one Asian footballer.
The I-League currently allows teams to register and play a maximum of four foreigners, one of whom must be from an Asian country, in keeping with the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) continental competition rules.
The suggestion of introducing more foreigners was supported by Mohun Bagan and East Bengal as they could lose their best players to the ISL as a result of concurrent leagues being run this year.
Meanwhile, the I-League Committee meeting here on Wednesday will resolve whether to implement the eight foreigners per team rule from this season after five of the nine clubs wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) against it.
After all I-League clubs met here last month, it was decided that the league will have eight foreigners in each team and five foreigners will be part of the starting XI as opposed to four in the existing rule.
But over the last two days, barring East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers who have agreed to the new proposal, all clubs have objected to it.
The likes of DSK Shivajians, Minerva Punjab FC, Chennai City FC, Shillong Lajong, reigning champions Aizawl FC and promoted Neroca FC have said that they have always wanted to help the national team and that is the reason they do not want an increase in the foreign players’ quota, a source close to the development said.
“The issue is on the agenda of the meeting. There will be deliberation on this topic,” an AIFF official told IANS.
The I-League currently allows teams to register and play a maximum of four foreigners, one of whom must be from an Asian country, in keeping with the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) continental competition rules.
The new rule, if enforced, will see two Asian quota players among the eight foreigners.
If sources with the AIFF are to be believed, chances are that the proposal might get overturned as majority of clubs are opposed to it. The only problem is Kolkata bigwigs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan want to match to Indian Super League’s might and thus are supporting the rule.
ISL will have eight foreigners from this season and five in the starting XI, a departure from thei previous six.
The Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI), which is not recognised by the AIFF, also opposed the new I-League proposal, saying it will rob more number of Indian players a chance to play. (Agencies)
