Panaji: The All India Football Federation’s gamble of holding on to the national team players for an extra day in Thailand has backfired with clubs now hardening their stance against release of players for the Asian Games later this month.
India completed their engagements in the King’s Cup with a solitary goal loss against Lebanon on Sunday. AIFF had told clubs that the players would return on Monday (Sept 11), but nine players, all of them part of Igor Stimac’s team for the Asian Games in China, were asked to stay back.
The players were stuck in Thailand for an extra day as AIFF officials were discussing with clubs whether the players could continue with the national team and start preparations for the Asian Games.
“We had booked only one-way tickets for the Asian Games bound players,” said AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran. “The plan was to get these players to continue (training) in Thailand and then head to China for the Asian Games. We had the FIFA window till September 12, so we were actively seeking release of players from the clubs.”
Clubs have still not agreed to release players for the Asian Games, prompting AIFF to “release” the players from Thailand. They are all returning home on Tuesday.
Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Rahul KP, Rahim Ali, Naorem Mahesh, Suresh Singh and Lalchungungha were among the players whose departure was delayed by a day.
With the Indian Super League (ISL) kicking off on September 21, two days after the Asian Games, clubs are reluctant to release their main players for the continental tournament, essentially an under-24 competition with teams allowed to field three seniors. The Asian Games is also being played outside the FIFA international window, so clubs are not mandated to release players.
Adding to AIFF’s woes, Mumbai City have their opening match of the AFC Champions League against Nassaji Mazandaran on September 18, while Odisha FC host Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their AFC Cup debut on September 19, ruling out several players at least for the opening match.
“The plan now is to take just two players from each team. We do not want to put any club at a disadvantage since the ISL will be in progress. We are hopeful of finding a solution,” said another AIFF official.
The Indian team is scheduled to leave for China on September 16, and given that clubs are in no mood to release, there will not be any preparatory camp.
India’s group games at the Asian Games are against China (Sept 19), Bangladesh (Sept 21) and Myanmar (Sept 24).
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India completed their engagements in the King’s Cup with a solitary goal loss against Lebanon on Sunday. AIFF had told clubs that the players would return on Monday (Sept 11), but nine players, all of them part of Igor Stimac’s team for the Asian Games in China, were asked to stay back.
The players were stuck in Thailand for an extra day as AIFF officials were discussing with clubs whether the players could continue with the national team and start preparations for the Asian Games.
“We had booked only one-way tickets for the Asian Games bound players,” said AIFF secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran. “The plan was to get these players to continue (training) in Thailand and then head to China for the Asian Games. We had the FIFA window till September 12, so we were actively seeking release of players from the clubs.”
Clubs have still not agreed to release players for the Asian Games, prompting AIFF to “release” the players from Thailand. They are all returning home on Tuesday.
Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Rahul KP, Rahim Ali, Naorem Mahesh, Suresh Singh and Lalchungungha were among the players whose departure was delayed by a day.
With the Indian Super League (ISL) kicking off on September 21, two days after the Asian Games, clubs are reluctant to release their main players for the continental tournament, essentially an under-24 competition with teams allowed to field three seniors. The Asian Games is also being played outside the FIFA international window, so clubs are not mandated to release players.
Adding to AIFF’s woes, Mumbai City have their opening match of the AFC Champions League against Nassaji Mazandaran on September 18, while Odisha FC host Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their AFC Cup debut on September 19, ruling out several players at least for the opening match.
“The plan now is to take just two players from each team. We do not want to put any club at a disadvantage since the ISL will be in progress. We are hopeful of finding a solution,” said another AIFF official.
The Indian team is scheduled to leave for China on September 16, and given that clubs are in no mood to release, there will not be any preparatory camp.
India’s group games at the Asian Games are against China (Sept 19), Bangladesh (Sept 21) and Myanmar (Sept 24).
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