AIFF plans to hold 20-team NFL

AIFF plans to hold 20-team NFL
RAVI MENON

JULY 18: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is exploring the possibility of holding a 20-team National Football League (NFL), spanning six months. The idea, however, is likely to take a concrete shape only after the federation's Annual General Meeting and elections scheduled for October.

``The soccer activity in the country has virtually come to a standstill, due to the rift among the top brass of the AIFF. Though it was suggested that a special technical committee should be constituted to examine the proposal for an expanded league, no steps have been taken yet,'' lamented a top AIFF executive, who had played a major role in launching the semi-professional National League.

The proposal for an expanded league, put forward by Asian Football Confederation secretary Peter Velappan, during his visit to this country last year, has evoked mixed response from the AIFF officials. Many fear that the induction of more clubs into the league would seriously hamper the spectator appeal of almost all the other all-India tournaments. There are More practical difficulties involved in holding a six-month league, due to the geographical diversities and climatic conditions.

``It is quite unfortunate that neither the AIFF president nor the secretary has looked into these practical problems. It seems they are waiting for the elections to be over, before taking any significant steps. By the time, it will be too late,'' said the official.

The AFC secretary had made it clear that there was no use in continuing with the NFL, in its present format. He said it would not benefit the clubs and the players.

The introduction of a new-look expanded NFL, depends largely on the outcome of the elections. Indications are that there would be significant changes at the helm.

SPONSORS UNHAPPY: Meanwhile, Coca-cola, the main sponsors of the last edition of NFL has expressed their unhappiness over the conduct of the league. The sponsors have also reportedly threatened to pull out, unless the federation stuck to the conditions specified in the deal.

Their major complaint is regarding the live coverage of matches. Though the organisers of the NFL had announced earlier that almost all the important fixtures would be telecast live, it was not to be so. Only a few matches were covered live, and the quality of the telecast too was far from satisfactory.

Doordarshan, who had bagged the exclusive telecast rights of NFL, has reportedly made it clear that it would be impossible to stick to the conditions, unless the AIFF made the match schedule available well in advance. The federation had made it a habit of revising the schedule of matches every now and then, upsetting the entire telecast programme, according to the DD officials.