Subhash Bhowmick not for new I-League format

Panaji: The veteran East Bengal trainer expressed his views on the new structure of the I-League and on the proposed IPL style league to be held next year.

The I-League is certainly undergoing a transition of sorts as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) look to make the premier football tournament in the country a lot more appealing to the masses and in the process build a platform for youngsters to pursue a career in the Beautiful Game. With the league format set to be changed with the teams being divided into East and West conferences and with the Federation Cup to be played on a home and away basis, it will interesting to see just how successful these changes are. Veteran coach Subhash Bhowmick was skeptical of the change made to the I-League. “I don’t support the changes in the Federation Cup format. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has brought in changes since it is struggling to generate money,” said Bhowmick at a felicitation ceremony organized by the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club on Tuesday. “I-League is the best thing to happen to Indian football in recent times. It’s competitive to the core and has many challenges like travelling. But breaking it up into two two conferences means it will reduce the beauty of the tournament. The all-play-all format in the homeaway leg is the best way to savour the challenge. It’s the format which is generally followed all over the world,” added the former East Bengal coach. He however voiced his approval on the changes to the Federation Cup, especially the rule about having atleast five Under-23 players in a club squad of 30. “It’s a good decision. Young players will get a chance to play. But first you need to ensure that Under-23 players are genuinely under 23 years of age,” quipped Subhash. Bhowmick is currently not part of a club setup after having resigned from Churchill Brothers only a few days ago over alleged differences with owner Churchill Alemao. The veteran had led the Goans to the I-League title this year and is now looking towards conquering the continent via the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup. Goal.com