Sunil Chhetri bats for unified league
Win or lose, that will at least give us a chance to improve as a footballing nation, says Chetri.
New Delhi: Emphasising on the need for the national side to get more Fifa games in a year, former skipper Sunil Chhetri believes that a unified league (merger of the Indian Super League and the I-League) will allow greater possibilities for that to happen.
“I want to play all 13 Fifa dates in a year. We need that. That’s where the unified league is going to come in handy. We should prioritise that, and ensure the national team gets a chance to play more games. Hope we play bigger opponents and away from home as we have done really poorly as a nation away from home. Win or lose, that will at least give us a chance to improve as a footballing nation,” Chhetri said at the launch of the 10th edition of the I-League here on Tuesday.
India’s premier domestic football competition will see a return of representation from all four regions of the country — Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Aizawl FC and Shillong Lajong from the East and NorthEast; Mumbai FC, DSK Shivajians and Churchill Brothers from the West; Bengaluru FC and Chennai City FC from the South and debutants Minerva Punjab will bring the North back into top flight Indian football after a gap of five seasons.
With great deal of uncertainty surrounding the proposed merger, the Bengaluru FC skipper hoped that the unified league would soon be a reality. “Who would not like to see a merger? One league with more teams, more months is what we all wish for. There are few technicalities and I am sure they are looking into it. Eventually we will see one league. A unified league,” he said.
Having won the Saff Championship as a national team member, reached a historic AFC Cup final with Bengaluru FC and semi-finals in the ISL with Mumbai City FC, Chhetri called 2016 his finest year.
Asked if the Indian players should strive to play club football overseas, Chhetri said, “If a player has reached a certain level and he thinks he can improve more, then he should go. Not only in India it’s everywhere. Gurpreet has done it very nicely, I have seen him grow.”