Indian Football: India Likely to Tour Caribbean Without First Team Squad

Colaco: Needs to Set Clubs and National Prerogatives Right

India’s proposed tour of the Caribbean seems to be hitting low with most of the clubs refusing to release players for the tour citing that matches have no importance according to the FIFA statutes.

However, the Friendly matches are approved by FIFA if played against a national team. It will also add up to India’s FIFA Ranking if the Coach comply with the substitution rule where he can make a max of 6 substitutes.

With just over a month left for the hectic domestic schedule to begin and with India having no competitive international assignments in the coming months, most of the clubs refused to release their players citing FIFA Rules. FIFA Rules say clubs should release players for National duty on FIFA Match dates.

While East Bengal have made it known that they will release only Baljit Sahni, Raju Gaikwad and Robert Lalthlamuana, Mohun Bagan have left it to the coach Steve Darby to take the decision as to whether to release Sunil Chettri, Jewel Raja and Syed Rahim Nabi.

Steve Darby however has stated that he will stick to the FIFA Rules though Armando might be hoping to have the Bagan trio. “Rules state that players can only be released on FIFA match dates. I believe the West Indies tour is not falling in any of the FIFA dates. I would always stick to the rules. When the international matches are not on FIFA dates it is a problem for all the clubs to release players,” said the new Mohun Bagan Coach.

Pune FC has also expressed apprehension over releasing Jeje and Subrata who are an automatic starter in Team India, citing the same reason that the matches hold no importance for India’s FIFA Ranking. Chirag Tanna, Pune FC director of operations also stated that Jeje has been continuously playing for 18 months and he needs to be rested before the next season begins in little over a month while Subrata has to recover from a niggle he has been carrying for some time now.

Salgaocar SC, the latest club to join the bandwagon has refused to buzz to Colaco’s request to include Anthony Barbosa and Gilbert D’Mello though they have allowed Karanjit Singh and Rocus Lamare to join the team, who are expected to leave for the tour on 8 August.

“We all want Indian football to grow and the national team to become stronger, but in my opinion this tour has come in the middle of pre-season. Despite all of that, we collaborated but the latest development (of clubs refusing to release players) is unfair,” said Salgaocar coach Karim Bencherifa.

“The AIFF has to make sure that the same standards are applied to all clubs. If some clubs are allowed to keep players, for whatever reason, we must also be allowed to do the same and prepare in a similar manner for the fast-approaching Federation Cup,” added the Salgaocar coach.

Moreover, its note worthy that Colaco himself was against releasing players on none FIFA matchdates when he was the Coach of Dempo. However this time Dempo is the only club raising no objection to release their players for the tour.

With Colaco at the helm now, who understands the better picture of the club’s needs and interest, its time he fix the problem and bring out a long lasting solution to this long lasting feud between the clubs and the national federation.

Lastly AIFF also needs to grow up and stop planning exposure trips in such situations when the clubs are gearing up for an important season ahead.