Unsavoury end leaves bitter taste
PARK BRAWL Sunday’s late-night events could impact arrival of foreign players for future editions of Indian Super League
If winning the Indian Super League (ISL) after trailing 1-2 three minutes from time was a surprise for Elano Blumer, what followed must have felt as unexpected as snow in the Sahara. Forget celebrating with his teammates at their hotel in Cavelossim, he sat inside the Margao police station 21 km away looking somewhat non-plussed and still wearing his Chennaiyin FC shirt.
At the team hotel then, the staff was taking turns to pose with the ISL trophy holding its ears. Italian defender Alessandro Potenza was checking out because he had a redeye flight to catch and soon, so did Marco Materazzi, the Chennayin FC coach, after obliging team and hotel staff with photographs. When Elano finally returned to the hotel — after his interrogators sought selfies with him — the former Brazil international was whisked away in a golf cart to his room from the gate.
A little over a day-and-a-half earlier, Elano, who was the league’s highest-paid player with a salary of almost $750,000 (`4.9 crore), had told the media that the ISL was so well run that players wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to be part of this even if it got longer.
The for mer Brazil international, who is scheduled to return to Santos, hasn’t spoken about it so far — a Chennaiyin FC official said over the phone that conversation on this has been studiously avoided — but his thoughts about future passages to India could change now. WRONG SIGNAL Would this also impact international players coming here for future editions of the ISL? “It is very unfortunate. Nobody has the right to take the football law into their hands. We have to be firm, strict and see that it doesn’t impact the international community, whether it is players or referees, from participating in India. We are also governed by FIFA’s code of conduct. If our players were to go and play in some other country and something were to happen to him or the referee, what would be our situation,” asked AIFF president Praful Patel.
At a media conference in Margao on Monday, FC Goa coach Zico was asked about this. “Yes it is a problem, no doubt. When there are unwanted things that happen, it becomes an issue but the ISL also has positive points…. I can tell you that in the last two years there is no complain of anything that was promised, signed on paper. If anyone can asks, if they should go to Goa, I would tell them that I have had two years there and there is no problem.”
Speaking to HT earlier in the day, Bhaichung Bhutia corroborated this: “If the contracts are good, the clubs are serious, players will come.”
Another perspective though was provided by Gautam Kar, head of the All India Football Federation’s referees’ department. “You feel responsible for foreigners who come to your country on your invitation.” Kar was referring to foreign referees in the ISL. Getting quality match supervisors for a tournament not recognised by the AFC was always a challenge for the AIFF. Now, it could get tougher.