CHENNAI : When it first began, the most refreshing thing about Indian Super League (ISL) was the sense of certainty around it, especially against the chaotic backdrop of Indian football where the people in charge usually make things up as they go.An ISL club knew where they would be on a particular day, and players could safely book return tickets without running the risk of changing plans. Barring injuries, managers had complete control over their squads, given that India rarely played on international-friendly dates.
This year, managers will have to factor in a bit of uncertainty, the kind that their counterparts in Europe deal with on a monthly basis. ISL is no longer an uninterrupted three-month tournament with a calendar announced well in advance. Its fifth season starts on Saturday with ATK taking on Kerala Blasters in Kolkata, but only fixtures for 58 of its 95 matches are out. The calendar that has been revealed ends on December 16.
The reason for this is the national team’s improved fortunes, especially their qualification for Asian Cup. That has necessitated a long break from mid-December to the end of January. Even before the December recess, the league breaks on two occasions. Bengaluru FC’s clash against Jamshedpur FC on October 7 is followed by a nine-day gap to allow the national team to travel to China on October 13 for an international friendly. There is another nine-day gap after the Kerala Blasters-FC Goa clash on November 11.
The stop-start nature of the calendar is worrying managers. Take the case of Delhi Dynamos. After their first game against FC Pune City on October 3, they have to wait 14 days to play again. Then they play five times over the next 14 days. But after their game against FC Goa on November 8, they have to wait for 18 days before they take on Bengaluru. Then in December, they play three times in 13 days.
It’s the same story for Pune City, who have a 16-day gap between their first and second games, then play thrice over the next nine days. In November, they play thrice over an eight-day period before going without games for the next 11 days.“Three breaks are too many,” said FC Pune City coach Miguel Angel Portugal. “One break is fine. Even international leagues have one break. More than that, it is difficult because teams can lose form and momentum.”
Not everyone, though, sees it as an obstacle. For players, these breaks offer a chance to recharge their batteries. “It is a good opportunity to rest a bit after having almost played half of the league,” India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had said recently. “Injured players have time to recover. If the league keeps getting longer every year, we can use it to our advantage.”
vishnu.prasad@newindianexpress.com
ISL V
Inaugural match: ATK v Kerala Blasters
Venue: Kolkata
ATK: Champions 2014. Semifinalists 2015. Champions 2016. Ninth in 2017-18
Blasters: Runners-up 2014. Last (8th) in 2015. Runners-up 2016. Sixth in 2017-18
Kick-off: 7:30pm
CFC player Dhanpal undergoes surgery
Chennaiyin FC midfielder Dhanpal Ganesh underwent surgery for a knee injury that he sustained while training. “Chennaiyin FC midfielder Dhanpal Ganesh successfully underwent surgery on his left knee here at the Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research’s Centre for Sports Science (CSS),” the club said in a statement on Friday.