This Saturday Mohun Bagan and Aizawl FC kick off the ninth edition of the I-League in Kolkata. The league is often bedevilled, but has all the ingredients to deliver an intriguing season.
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Nine clubs will strive to triumph and win the I-League come May. Defending champions Mohun Bagan seek to duplicate a blissful 2015 when they were crowned champions on the last day, drawing 1-1 with Bengaluru FC. The Mariners boast an experienced and deep squad. They made a reinforcement with the signing of attacking midfielder Brandon Fernandes on loan from Mumbai.
Last year’s runners up Bengaluru FC can count on the experience of talismanic striker Sunil Chetri and English coach Ashley Westwood, who is a sound tactician and believes in quick box-to-box action. The Blues made a big singing in Pune’s goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, further strengthening a solid outfit. They should challenge for the title.
Challengers
East Bengal and Mumbai FC are rank outsiders. The Mumbaikars muddled along in the past few seasons, but have added considerable quality to their squad. Creative hub Taisuke Matsugae will be instrumental with his versatility and vision. East Bengal’s main incentive is to dethrone their arch-rivals from the City of Joy as champions.
Relegation Battle
At the other end of the table newbies DSK Shivajians and Aizawl FC will want to avoid an all-mighty relegation scrap: Sporting Club de Goa, Shillong Lajong and Salgaocar are also expected to struggle. Both DSK Shivajians and Aizawl FC face a steep learning curve with little room to err.
The Shivajians were founded in 1987 and have an academy partnership with English giants Liverpool to develop talented players up to the age of 18. The AIFF gave the club direct-entry into the I-League. The 53-year-old coach Derrick Pereira will need his sizable expertise to keep the debutants afloat.
Aizawl FC finished seven points ahead of lonestar Kashmir in the 2015 I-League Second Division with an impressive goal difference of +25. Spanish coach Manuel Retamero, who gained credentials with Bahrain’s FA, will bank on Nigerian Emmanuel Chigozie, Japanese duo Yuta Kinowaki and Atsushi Yonezawa and Liberian striker Alfred Jayran excelling in their first-ever I-League season. They will need to do so from the onset; they face a baptism of fire against the reigning champions in their first game.
Existential Crisis
The two debutants are part of the I-League’s new outlook: Pune FC and Bharat FC pulled out after closing down their first-team operations. Dempo SC, record champions in the I-League, were relegated last season after underwhelming performances.
Shillong’s Royal Wahingdoh won’t feature either. Wahingdoh are a model football club: a talented squad, an AIFF license, a decent youth academy, an accessible stadium, a healthy average gate and good merchandise sales. They finished third behind last year. Their curious case of non-participation highlights the I-League’s existential crisis.
I-League v Indian Super League
The I-League simply can’t match the Indian Super League, a band of international yesteryear football stars and Bollywood A-listers, for luster. The ISL’s second season was a compelling watch, captured by a five-goal thriller of competitive and topsy-turvy football in the final between FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC.
Amid talks of a possible merger between the two leagues, 2016 will prove to be rocky for the I-League: a lack of money and exposure may smother hope for a brighter future. The clubs blame the AIFF for allowing the ISL to stain the game; the AIFF accuses the clubs of feeble marketing. Will the league further fade from the conscious of Indian football aficionados or reassert itself as a worthy counterpart of the ISL?
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