"Chrchill Brothers are moving up the ladder in Asian football" - Churchill Alemao Interview

Churchill Alemao (left of I-League trophy in white)

Churchill Alemao is the club patron of I-League champions Churchill Brothers SC. The passion of his and the whole Alemao family for football is well known and most probably unparalleled in professional club football around the world.

I spoke to him about the I-League title, his children taking over the running of the club and the future of Indian football and got some open and candid answers:

Congratulations on winning the I-League title for a second time. What does it mean to you?

I am very happy to have won the I-League a second time! All our hard work has paid off, and the players have played like one big extended family.

Does winning this title make it any different than the I-League title in 2009?

The standard of the I-League has improved from [the time] when we won the title in 2009, the [quality of] foreign players coming in have also improved. We are moving up the ladder when it comes to the Asian football scenario. My dream is to watch the Indian football team play in a World Cup.

At your club, the younger generation is taking over with your daughter Valanka and son Savio now actively involved. How important is it for the future of the club?

For 40 years, me and my brothers have been running the club and have been involved in the game. My daughter, Valanka and son Savio are ambitious and wanted to take up the challenge in helping the club move to the next level.

The entire family is very happy that the young generation has got involved in the club functioning. They will inject new ideas and help the club turn more professional.

Churchill Brothers celebrate after winning the I-League

You are very passionate about football. Where do you see Indian football at the moment?

Indian football has progressed well, but it is important to improve it further. It is the passion of the owners that keeps club football going in the country. The government must support the clubs and corporates must partner with the existing clubs to help improve [the level of] Indian football.

What do you see as Indian football’s biggest problems?

The AIFF must rope in a title sponsor for the I-League. Today’s prize money of Rs. 70 Lakhs (INR 7 Million) is not even sufficient to pay a top Indian player’s salary. The AIFF must increase the prize money to Rs. 5 Crores (INR 50 Million).

IMG-Reliance is working on starting their own tournament as they call it in early-2014. What are your thoughts about it?

India does not require another football league or tournament. Instead of having the IMG-R tournament, IMG-R must approach corporates to partner with the existing I-League teams and help in making the I-League a better product.

The IMG-R tournament will bring a slow death to the I-League clubs, and we will have to wind up our operations in three years’ time.