Former captain and ace striker of Indian football team, currently the chairman of All India Football Federation’s technical committee Bhaichung Bhutia has proposed the AIFF bosses to change the character of Santosh Trophy, the senior national football championship from the coming season. Bhaichung, while talking in the AIFF annual general meeting on Sunday in Goa, has said, “The AII should think of including teams from
Bhaichung, while talking in the AIFF annual general meeting on Sunday in Goa, has said, “The AII should think of including teams from private sector and the government undertaking companies like HAL, ITI, and ONGC in the senior national championship. This will help the teams to recruit more footballers and finally inspire them to think of participating in the I-League also in future.”
Bhutia also clarified his statement adding, “The scenario in the I-League seems very gloomy as top teams are pulling out of the country’s premier league gradually. In this situation, I-League can be saved by bringing in more teams who will show the desire to continue.”
Incidentally, Eugeneson Lyngdoh was given the AIFF best footballer’s award of the last season while Bala Devi bagged the AIFF best woman footballer of the year on Monday. Mohun Bagan’s right back Pritam Kotal was also chosen the best emerging footballer of the last year.
However, the AIFF top bosses are reportedly peeved at the organizer of ISL for not being invited to the ISL final on Sunday at Margao in Goa. The AIFF president, the vice-president and secretary Kushal Das was not invited to the final match in spite of staying at Margao on Sunday.