Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
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When the Indian Super League was launched in 2014 it was clear that it would not remain a 10 to 12 week competition with a league-cum-knockout format.
The Indian Super League is set for fundamental changes in ISL-4 and the question needs to be asked, if those steps which are being taken, are they the right one’s to further develop the property for years to come?
The discussions and negotiations surrounding the merger of ISL/I-League or rather the entry of the I-league top sides Bengaluru FC, East Bengal Club and Mohun Bagan AC into the ISL has taken months with a final solution still on in sight.
The Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), who organise and manage the ISL, are set to announce the new franchise(s) for ISL-4 in which it is expected to grow to 10 teams.
With this growth in participating teams the ISL is set to miss the foreign marquees players, see an increase of Indian players in the starting line-up from five to six and more Indians in the overall squad up from 14 to 17 with reservations for young talent as well.
Though the above has not been confirmed by the FSDL/ISL, it is likely to come into effect as corrections or further development of the property and if one is honest, the marquee players often did not deliver what was expected off them due to age and other factors. Some at least had a marketing value, but their exorbitant financial demands made the franchises bleed.
For the Indian players it is good to have three more of them in each squad plus likely a whole set for two more franchises, but the question needs to be asked if there is the necessary talent current available in India to justify such regulations.
One thing is clear, the reduction of foreigners is a welcome step for the franchises as this reduces their wage bill and also the question needs to be asked, who of the foreigners will want to come to India for a longer duration ISL. Some top- to mid-level talent might actually skip India for other countries and contracts, while others might not but higher financial packages would be needed.
Knowing all of the above interesting times await the ISL and Indian football…
