CHENNAI: There may yet be hope for the long-suffering Super Cup. A day after representatives of various I-League clubs revealed that they were still ready to play in the tournament if AIFF president Praful Patel would meet and discuss their demands for a joint league, they have their reply.
According to multiple sources, the clubs have received a mail from the federation, saying that Patel will meet them in the middle of April. “He will meet them to discuss the roadmap for Indian football, as communicated to me by the clubs on March 20, between April 10 to 15 (tentatively 14) at a venue that is yet to be confirmed. He has also urged the clubs to ensure the sport doesn’t suffer because of differences in opinion which can always be sorted via discussions,” AIFF secretary Kushal Das said in the mail.
Speaking to this newspaper on Thursday, Das confirmed the development. “He (Patel) is busy with campaigning for Lok Sabha elections and securing a FIFA council seat. He has given me a window during which he will be able to meet the clubs, and I have communicated the same to them.”
The development was received positively by a number of clubs who stressed that they were willing to contest in Super Cup, albeit with conditions.
“We said yesterday that we will be happy to play,” said Minerva Punjab owner Ranjit Bajaj. “However the AIFF will have to hold the full tournament again, including the qualifiers that we and three other clubs boycotted.” Das said that this point will have to be discussed.
Chennai City FC co-owner Rohit Ramesh too said that a solution would have to be found for the clubs who forfeited. “I got the mail and in my reply, I’ve asked AIFF what will be done for those clubs. If we are playing in Super Cup, then they will have to hold the qualifiers again. I expect all I-League clubs to communicate this to AIFF individually.”
Clubs’ plan to be vetted
Das also said that he had a look at the blueprint for a 20-team league that representatives of various clubs had given to him on Wednesday. “They have put some numbers in it,” he said, referring to the projected sponsorship revenue of nearly `325 crore. “We will have to see how realistic those are.”
However, Bajaj claimed that the numbers were conservative at best. He said they had estimated a little over the two-fold rise in revenue as compared to ISL’s, even though the plan has a four-time increase in the number of matches. “We have an answer for everything they could come up with. If they say we cannot relegate ISL franchises due to contractual obligations, then we are willing to give them immunity from relegation till that contracted period is over.”