How can the AIFF work to avoid Goa’s #ILeagueExit?

The All India Football Federation was surprised and shocked by the sudden joint exit from the I-League by the Goan clubs Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa with the national bodies response not being the best with a potential pullout by third Goan side Dempo SC also possible.

And the AIFF have been heavily criticised from all possible quarters, even myself, for not having the vision that such a situation could arise after the first draft of the roadmap for Indian club football was released on May 17, 2016 which makes the I-League clubs non-starters as second tier entities.

But since Friday afternoon/evening the AIFF has been on edge and Saturday morning there were numerous phone calls between the AIFF and Goa with AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das set to travel to Goa in the coming days to speak to Shrinivas Dempo (Dempo SC), Shivanand Salgaocar (Salgaocar FC) and Peter Vaz (Sporting Clube de Goa) to try and salvage the situation besides getting the clubs to return and/or stay in the I-League.

But the task isn’t easy then where is the vision, the future of these clubs, the income for the clubs? What can the AIFF share with them on all the above?

Goa’s complete #ILeagueExit looks a sad possibility at the moment and avoiding it would be a big task and ask.

We will have to wait and see what happens in the coming days…