Churchill still wary of ISL

Indian Super League has got endorsement from top footballers and leading lights from other sports, like cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, but some I-League clubs are still wary of the tournament scheduled to be held in September-October.
Eight franchises of the high-profile ISL were unveiled on Sunday with a host of celebrities from cricket and Bollywood emerging bid winners and top footballers, current and past, have hailed the league to be organised by IMG-Reliance as an event which has the potential to revolutionise the game in the country.
Some I-League clubs, under the umbrella of Indian Professional Football Clubs Association, however, have been opposing the ISL.

Goan club Churchill Brothers is among those still wary of the impact of the ISL on Indian football.
"This league will harm Indian football. There cannot be two leagues in the country which is struggling to qualify for the World Cup," Federation Cup winners Churchill Brothers' CEO Valanka Alemao told PTI.
"Majority of the clubs in the country have opposed this league, except for few like Dempo Sports Club. ISL has flouted all the rules of the FIFA," Alemao alleged, adding that the international football body follows the system of promotion and regulation for the clubs.

"India is hosting FIFA U-17 World Cup. We should have been talking about building a team rather than having such a league. India should have a 10-year vision to qualify for the World Cup," she said.

"A country like Japan has proved that one can qualify for the World Cup with proper vision," she added.
Organised by IMG-Reliance in association with Star India, the league has the backing of AIFF, and is set to see big names as icon players such as former France international Robert Pires and ex-Sweden and Arsenal player Fredrik Ljungberg.