Some I-League Clubs Unimpressed With New Indian Super League

The Indian Super League "may have attracted some Bollywood biggies, cricket stars and industrialists, but some I-League clubs are yet to be convinced," according to Marcus Mergulhao of the TIMES OF INDIA. Sporting Clube de Goa President Peter Vaz said, "How is this product any better? There will be (better) foreign players, right, but at least the foreign players that we have are match-fit. Those who will come here to play in the ISL will be retired." The Indian Professional Football Clubs Association, a body of all top football clubs in the country, "had refused to support the tournament last year." A year later, the IPFCA -- still an unregistered body -- "remains undecided." Despite the uncertainty from IPFCA, at least one club said that it "would not play ball." Churchill Brothers CEO Valanka Alemao: "Believe me, this is one of the most detrimental tournament India could ever have. It's going to kill a sleeping giant without allowing it a chance to wake up and get out of bed" (TIMES OF INDIA, 4/14).