Despite the growing apprehension over the Indian Super League and the domestic I-League merger proposal, Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri embraced the idea. The Bengaluru FC skipper pitched for a 20-team league, akin to the top European leagues for more accessibility to players from the untapped corners of the country.
The merger has thrown many clubs off guard and also saw the withdrawal of Sporting Club de Goa and the iconic Salgaocar from the I-League. Chhetri, who recently captained Bengaluru FC to the finals to the finals of the AFC Cup remained defiant about life after the merger, “The more the teams, the better it is for the league. If you ask me what the ideal situation is, it would be 20 teams. Maybe a team from places like Madhya Pradesh and Lakshadweep. If a kid in Gujarat wants to make it big right now, he has to go beyond his state. It’s not difficult,” Chhetri was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Chhetri is currently playing a part in Mumbai City FC’s bid for a maiden ISL title. The 32-year-old called for a change from the supply line of Indian talent, which has traditionally emerged from traditional football pockets such as Kerala, Goa, and North-East India, “Imagine how good it will be if there are 20 teams in the main league and 20 more wanting to come in. It’ll be a pan-India league then.
“Why do we only get players from North-East or Goa or Kerala? Why don’t we have superstars from, say, Madhya Pradesh. There must be talent there. Ideally I would want much more teams and a bigger league,” Chhetri added.
There are rumours of more unrest from the I-League clubs, with Dempo also looking to back out of the tournament. The All India Football Federation is evaluating bids from FC Bardez from Goa, Minerva FC from Chandigarh, and Chennai City , and is also seeking a fresh round of tenders, “As captain of the Indian team, it will be good if the merger happens. Players do think about the two leagues merging into one. Sadly it’s not in their hands,” Chettri stated.
