Uncertainty looms large over the staging of SAFF football championship next season as the title sponsor of this tournament Suzuki, being held in Thiruvananthapuram now, is unlikely to renew for the next season. The president of SAFF, former Bangladesh international footballer, Kaji Salauddin who has been in Thiruvananthapuram now to watch the semifinal and final of SAFF, gave hints while speaking on Thursday that there is an uncertainty over organizing the championship next year as the organizers have not yet found out any title sponsorship for the tournament.
Staging SAFF this year in Kerala has been able to get a huge public response as the galleries in most of the matches were almost packed in the tournament. Saluddin jokingly said, “It will not be possible to stage SAFF every year in Kerala. And all the places will not be able to draw public response which I have observed here this time.”
However, SAFF president also added at the same time saying, “It is not the end. There is ample time for the tournament again in the next year. So, we must have to find out some financial back-up as a replacement of this title sponsor.”
The participating teams in the SAFF have not been happy incidentally about the facilities, being offered to them in the tournament. The teams have complained about the practice ground as well as the standard of hotels and transport services from their respective hotels to the ground.