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TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014 SPORTS New league may not be answer to India’s soccer woes MUMBAI: A new franchise-based soccer yourself a league,” chief executive Brothers club, added. GOOD STARTER countries from Middle East would have league with celebrity owners will kick-off Valanka Alemao told Reuters. “And in any “I don’t think these celebrities have Many are not convinced that two done it many years ago. “They would in India later this year but not everyone country who play the World Cup, have even watched Indian football. If the leagues can co-exist but Dutta assured have won many World Cups by now. is convinced that it will help lift the you ever heard of something so stupid structure was good, I would have been that the ISL will not diminish the existing Nobody has the kind of money they country out of the lower echelons of the and ridiculous as this tournament? the first to support it.” AIFF officials are competition. “It will be like a curtain-rais- have.” world game. Spanish club Atletico “I’m someone who will call a spade a confident such concerns can be easily er for the I-League, like a good starter Soccer in India remains popular only Madrid, former cricketers Sachin spade. I’ll fight it tooth and nail. They addressed. The sport’s governing body and a good soup before the spectators in certain areas, while the appetite for Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly as well as want to kill the sleeping giants even said they have asked franchises to invest are served the main course in the form the televised game is restricted to the top Bollywood actors are among the before waking it up.” in infrastructure, grass-root and youth of the I-League,” Dutta said. The stake- English Premier League or Spain’s La owners of eight franchises in the Indian football development and believe the holders believe the tournament, if pre- Liga. Super League (ISL), which will run from CELEBRITY OWNERS money on offer will inspire youngsters to sented, packaged and promoted proper- FIFA has signed a 10-year agreement mid-September to the end of November. The ISL is promoted by India’s take up soccer as a profession. ly, will add sorely needed entertainment to develop the game in the world’s sec- Cricket-obsessed India languishes at Reliance Industries, controlled by the “Indian football had somewhat stag- value and glamour to the game. ond most populous nation and the IMG 145th in the world rankings, a state of country’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, nated. Nothing great was happening Soccer writer Jaydeep Basu, whose Reliance joint venture are four years into affairs that has prompted FIFA president Rupert Murdoch’s Star India TV and and we were not progressing at the “Stories From Indian football” is an anec- a 15-year deal as the commercial partner Sepp Blatter to dub the country of 1.2 sports management group IMG, which is desirable rate,” AIFF vice-president dotal history of the game in the country, of the AIFF, which is worth 7 billion billion the “sleeping giant” of world soc- also the marketing partner of the All Subrata Dutta told Reuters. does not doubt the league’s success but rupees ($116.26 million). cer. While the promoters are confident India Football Federation (AIFF). “We have been hovering between is sceptical of how much it will benefit “That India needed it (ISL) is a hoax. the ISL will revolutionise soccer in India According to tournament organisers, 140 and 160 in rankings for many years Indian football. “Anyone who’s trying to Who needed it? The marketing and in much the same way as the similarly franchises paid about $25 million for a now and we needed something big to say that it will help Indian football in broadcasting partners of the AIFF named cricket league has done in the team for 10 years in the ISL, which will push us forward. improving the standards is wrong,” Basu maybe,” Basu added. “The I-League has nation’s favorite game, not everybody is have a fair presence of the country’s film “We at the AIFF felt that an explosion said. not been returning any money for the on board. The owners of current national industry in the form of actors Salman is needed in Indian football. We felt the “It might bring back spectators to the partners. champions, Goa-based I-League club Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham ISL would give the necessary push to ground and encourage more young- “The ISL is a business opportunity, Churchill Brothers, are among the as co-owners. Indian football, it would make a differ- sters. It should be a commercial success they want to make their money back fiercest critics of the new tournament, “Celebrity owners and all is great but ence.” The standard of competition and in a few years. through this. So I am ready to agree believing it will do more harm than football in our country requires a lot of the quality of the foreign players playing “But Indian football will remain where if you tell me it’s a good chocolate, good. “How do you even call it a league? dedication and a lot of hard work,” in the tournament will be crucial, he it is. If you could revolutionise the game but don’t tell me chocolate is You need at least six months to term Alemao, whose family own the Churchill added. with a two-month tournament then healthy.” —Reuters Atletico, Barca and Real locked in tight title race MADRID: Perhaps the Champions League suc- cess for Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was the best thing that could happen to Barcelona - at least as far as the domestic title race is con- cerned. The Madrid clubs both stumbled in the Spanish league on Sunday as they looked sapped of energy following their wins in the Champions League semifinals to set up a city derby in the final. That has provided Barcelona with renewed hope after the defending champi- on had written itself off. Leader Atletico lost 2-0 at Levante, while Madrid needed a stoppage-time goal from Cristiano Ronaldo to draw 2-2 against Valencia at home. That came after Atletico beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge and Madrid routed Bayern 4- LONDON: In this March 16, 2014 file photo, Liverpoolí’s Luis Suarez celebrates his 0 in Munich in midweek. Chelsea went on to goal against Manchester United at an English Premier League soccer match in draw 0-0 Sunday against Norwich to virtually fall Manchester. —AP out of contention in the Premier League title race. “Specifically on the physical front. Atletico and Chelsea had the same problem (as us),” Liverpool striker Suarez Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the team’s draw. “You can’t give your maximum Footballer of the Year intensity like that and not pay the price for it.” Atletico is still the front-runner as it only LONDON: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez ued: “While nobody would say Suarez is needs four points from its final two games - completed his redemption from outcast to whiter than white you have to say his against Malaga at home this Sunday before the hero when he was named England’s behaviour throughout the season has been trip to Barcelona on May 18. Atletico leads with Footballer of the Year by the Football very good. 88 points and Barcelona is second with 85. SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal (right) duels for the ball with Valencia’s Writers’ Association (FWA) yesterday. “I think the football writers have taken Madrid has 83 points but with three games Joao Pereira from Portugal during a Spanish League soccer match.—AP The prestigious honor completes an that into account. “There is an element of remaining, starting with Wednesday’s match at award double after he was named the redemption - allied with those 30 goals and Real Valladolid that will see the standings set for to win our games. We can’t worry about other Getafe in a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) the sensational talent he has displayed all the last two rounds. teams, we need to worry about ourselves, win, Now, suddenly, Barcelona remains in the player of the year last month. season -and it has made him a very popular “We can’t forget that we depend on our- and then see.” Ronaldo’s turn-of-his-boot volley hunt, but needs Madrid to drop points in of its The 27-year-old Uruguayan finished choice.” selves,” Atletico captain Gabi Fernandez said. to stab in a 92nd-minute cross allowed Madrid games to have a chance to avoid a first season ahead of team mate Steven Gerrard and “We’re 15 days from tasting glory, so we’ve got to remain in the race. without a major trophy since 2007. Yaya Toure of Manchester City in the poll of DIFFICULT PERIOD to keep fighting.” “Cristiano’s goal was very, very important If Atletico and Barcelona end up tied on England’s football writers and the honour Suarez becomes the 10th Liverpool to Atletico holds the head-to-head tiebreaker because if we had lost it would have meant we points, Barcelona will hold the head-to-head follows an astonishing turnaround for win the award and one of their previous over Madrid, so even wins for Real at Valladolid, lost any chance of winning the league,” Ancelotti advantage as that scenario will only arrive with Suarez who began this season serving the winners, Ian Rush, praised Liverpool man- at Celta Vigo and home to Espanyol wouldn’t be said.