Licensing test failure highlights the clubs’ shortcomings to protect the I-League brand

NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM

On the other hand, a club like Pune FC, who were only formed in 2007, only narrowly missed out on getting the license and could even get it this year itself following an appeal.

In truth, the Pune club is the ideal model for all I-League teams to follow and, as per HT, had the deadline for club licensing inspection been August 3 2013, the Red Lizards would have passed.

FIFA Regional Developmental Officer for South and Central Asia Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran, a member of the independent committee that took the final decision on the test based on the inspection reports, was quoted saying by the HT, “If they put their minds to it, at least six to seven clubs can get licenses next year.”

Despite being only formed in 2007, Pune FC have become a role model for all I-League clubsPhoto Credit: AIFF Media

It was learnt that Salgaocar, Mumbai FC and Dempo were the best performers in the test after Pune FC but that means only a small minority of clubs are taking the licensing criteria seriously and that is bad news for the I-League overall. Because, under current circumstances, no Indian team would be allowed in the Asian Champions League.

With the Kolkata teams being the most at fault, it’s probably not a surprise that the only clubs who are reportedly willing to negotiate with IMG-R are the clubs from the City of Joy.

Sportskeeda learnt that the AIFF aim to be even stricter next year as they want to start the inspection even earlier and announce the results by March so that the players are aware of the clubs that won’t be eligible for the 2014-15 I-League.

While protesting against the IPL-style tournament, the I-League clubs had highlighted the failures of AIFF but in one press release that announced the failure of 14 clubs in the licensing test, the Indian federation has totally exposed the shortcomings of the clubs.

Whether the timing of the announcement has any link to the clubs’ protest against the proposed IPL-style tournament is debatable but clearly AIFF wanted to make a statement.

Patel was further quoted by Times of India: “No club has the right to lecture the All India Football Federation…. The AIFF is not answerable to the clubs.”

Although the exemption will be for one year most people in the Indian football fraternity believe that such a short time period is not enough for the majority of clubs to become professional and meet all the requirements.

It remains to be seen whether next year AIFF takes stronger action against failed applicants like exemption from the I-League. The I-League teams can still rightly question the federation about the fact that there is still hardly any financial return from Indian football but for their credibility’s sake, the clubs cannot afford such disastrous results again if they eventually want to run the I-League themselves and make it a more marketable brand.