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The Honorary Secretary of the Indian Football Association (West Bengal) Utpal Kumar Ganguli has upped the ante in regards to the merger of the Indian Super League and I-League by offering a solution to disgruntled I-League clubs by offering to organise a new tournament with teams, who have not been accommodated in the new merged league or their interests are not taken care off.
At a press conference, Mr. Ganguli first spoke about taking care of Bengal football’s interest as the Football Association of the state with East Bengal Club and Mohun Bagan AC both in talks with the AIFF and their commercial partners IMG-Reliance about their entrance into the new merged ISL.
But from talks between the IFA and the Kolkata giants it seems to have become evident that not all are happy what IMG-Reliance has put on the negotiation table.
Utpal Ganguli said, “I am still hopeful that a solution will be found but you can’t have a situation where the I-League champions (Aizawl FC) won’t play in the new competition. If required, we will do a new tournament; we will do what it takes to disrupt this arrangement. And that includes seeking the help of our state government. We can’t let the AIFF’s commercial partners (IMG-Reliance) almost dictate things.”
The IFA Secretary went on to say, “If requires we can run the organization as an autonomous body. We will speak with the teams of NorthEast and Goa. We will also speak with Atletico de Kolkata if they are interested,” and went on to say, “The AIFF and IMG-R should remember the fact that the IFA was founded way before the AIFF and Bengal football has its own charm in Indian football over the years.”
It seems that the discussions between the IFA and the Kolkata giants have brought this understanding to the IFA that not all is well in the merger talks.
