PANJIM: FIFA has asked the AIFF to implement a widely-supported, robust medium to long-term strategy for the sustainable development of top-level Indian club football, said Valanka Alemao, CEO of Churchill Bros FC while disclosing the contents of the letter made by FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Joyce Cook.
“The letter addressed to the AIFF’s general secretary, Kushal Das, on Thursday, virtually spelt out the road map for the sustainable development of top-level Indian Club football”, Valanka stated.
Pointing out that the FIFA as well as AFC had earlier in 2018 in a joint report made suggestions for establishing and implementing a structure for development of top-level Indian club football, Valanka stressed that there was no need to reinvent the wheel, as the joint report provides ample suggestions based on a comprehensive review and proposals which also contain a series of clear and concrete recommendations to be considered by the AIFF.
“It is more than a year now that the AIFF has not disclosed and much less worked out a strategy to implement the report,” stated Valanka.
“The AIFF must come clear on the issue which is fundamental to the future achievements of Indian football at all levels. Already three prominent Goan Clubs – Dempo, Salgaocar and Sporting – have closed shop in the I-League for want of proper vision and direction and it has been the football players who have been at the receiving end. But for Churchill Bros, the future of most of Goan footballers would have been bleak. The road map must be divulged, the sooner the better,” concluded Valanka as she made a plea to AIFF not to treat the vital issue lightly as has been seen all these years.
