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With a couple of days to go for the start of the I-League Qualifiers 2021, nine teams from as many states from across the country are gearing up for the tournament that could potentially grant them promotion to the I-League.
The I-League Qualifiers are set to get underway on Monday, October 4 with Rajasthan United taking on Ryntih SC at the Bangalore Football Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The match kicks off at 3.45pm IST.
The I-League Qualifiers 2021 marks a return to football for one of India’s most celebrated midfielders in the past decade, Mehtab Hossain, who will be returning to the football pitch after retiring two years ago. The veteran midfielder, who has 33 International caps for India, will join Madan Maharaj FC of Madhya Pradesh as a player-mentor.
“I am very excited to join the team as a player-mentor. It should be a good experience. It’s a new team with young blood, but the expectations are high. Our club is from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and it is very important for football in the state that we perform well in the I-League Qualifiers and gain promotion, if we can,” said Mehtab.
Delhi FC have been preparing for the I-League Qualifiers for a few months now and one of their key players, Anwar Ali, is positive about their chances in the competition. “We have been prepared for the I-League Qualifiers for the last three months. That has been our target, to go step by step. First we played the state league, now the I-League Qualifiers, and then the I-League. We got to play the Durand Cup in between, which was great for us, as we got to play a lot of good matches. It’s a very positive atmosphere that we have in the camp. I think we are fully prepared for the tournament.”
Coming to FC Bengaluru United, captain Dharmaraj Ravanan is also positive going into the I-League Qualifiers. “We have been preparing for the I-League Qualifiers for the past two months, including competitive games like we played in the Durand Cup. It is always good to play some competitive matches, and we feel like we are ready for the I-League Qualifiers now,” Ravanan said.
The club hailing from Mumbai, Kenkre FC have set their sights firmly on promotion to the I-League. Lester Fernandes, one of the most experienced heads in the dressing room, said, “It is very important for a city like Mumbai to have a football team in the I-League. Mumbai has a huge fan-base and a vast pool of talent, and promotion to the I-League will help us develop our younger players further.”
Kerala United FC are on a mission to give their fans something more to cheer about. Muhammed Noufal stated, “With Gokulam Kerala already playing in the I-League, we want to join them as well. It is an attempt to increase our state’s representation in the higher echelons of football in India.”
For a club like Corbett FC who are going to play in the tournament for the first time, they are approaching the tournament in a positive manner. In the pre-tournament press conference, midfielder Subodh Kumar said, “The boys are looking forward to the I-League Qualifiers with a positive mood. We have adapted to the coach’s methods in a very short time, and everyone’s shown great dedication.”
As for ARA FC defender Shiv Kumar, he just wants to put all the hard work they have been doing in training on the pitch. “We have been training hard during the pre-season, and our coaches have been motivating us throughout. It’s a huge motivation for us to do well in the I-League Qualifiers, and move forward.” he said.
Rajasthan United FC are expected to be one of the surprise packages in the I-League Qualifiers. This is the first time that a team from Rajasthan is going to compete at this level and Rajasthan United FC defender Floyd John was quick to establish that. John said, “The aim right now at a club like Rajasthan United is to constantly motivate and guide them in the best possible manner. Also, this is the first time that a club from Rajasthan is competing in a league as elite as the I-League Qualifiers. If we manage to qualify for the I-League, it will be a huge achievement for the state, club and the players hailing from the state of Rajasthan.”
Ryntih FC defender Banpynkhrawnam Nongkhlaw expressed their desire to gain promotion as well. Nongkhlaw said, “The players and the fans of Meghalaya have been missing the I-League. We as players like to be in the league, and the fans like to come and support us in the stadiums. I feel we have the potential as a team, and as individuals, to give a tough fight to all the teams in the tournament.”
