Second round I-League matches were played till October 11 and the national team left for Singapore two days later for the October 16 match.
I-League Chief Executive Officer, Sunando Dhar admitted that it was not ideal for the players to play in an international match just a few days after featuring in the league.
"The players in Singapore match were lacking in fitness. Travelling in I-League matches had affected them. It's ideal to have 7-10 days gap for preparation before an international match. But they may have to be used to this things," he said during a panel discussion on 'Mission Rank 100: Myth or Reality?' organised by FICCI here.
Dhar said that the scheduling of the I-League has been a tough job in view of the fact that the national team will also have to give slot for international matches.
"For the last 2-3 seasons, preparing the I-League fixture has been a tough job because we have to ensure that the national team gets international matches on FIFA dates to garner ranking points.
"In such a big country, the players lose a lot of time while travelling. For example, if a club has to play in Gangtok or Shillong, the players will have to take a bus for four-five hours after landing at an airport," he said.
Meanwhile, addressing another panel discussion on 'Successful Initiatives and Way Forward in Soccer', AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said that it would be a game changer for India if it hosts Under-17 World Cup in 2017. MORE