Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has said that the future of the Indian Super League has a big question mark over it if the I-League clubs are not included in the formation of a new top-tier league.
The ‘Sikkimese Sniper’ also called for the introduction of promotion-relegation in the proposed top league, stating that the Indian Super League needed the excitement in order to fetch more eyeballs.
“For ISL also, it’s very important that clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are there. It’s not just the future of the I-League. The future of ISL is also in big doubt. There is a big question mark,” said Bhutia in an interview to IANS.
India’s second-highest goal scorer of all time, Bhutia played for both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, both of whom were part of eight I-League clubs who had written to the president of the All India Football Federation, Praful Patel about the interference of Football Sports Development Limited in the running of the federation.
Bhutia said both Kolkata giants and the other I-League clubs will benefit the ISL, “I think until and unless you have teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and some other teams as well who are very passionate, and have the kind of fan following you don’t have in the top league... then the excitement does not really come in. So the ISL also benefits bringing clubs from I-League up. Because I-League clubs have history, passion and fan following.”
“So it’s also important to bring relegation and promotion. If you go on promotion and relegation, you don’t have to pay franchise fee,” Bhutia explained that introducing pro-rel will involve the off-set of a franchise fee.
The run of table toppers Chennai City has also caught the eye of Bhutia, who said it was great for Tamil Nadu, “not known for being a football state”.
“I think in a way it’s wonderful that a team from South (India) is going to win, especially from Tamil Nadu, which is not known for being a football state. I think this inspiration is going to motivate lot of footballers there,” said Bhutia.