ISL clubs unwilling to release players for Asian Games

New Delhi, September 12

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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is hoping that the ISL clubs would release any 22 players from the registered 50 for the upcoming Asian Games, allowing the senior men’s team to participate in the continental showpiece.

Most of the clubs had shown unwillingness to release the 22 players named in the Indian squad that was released by the Sports Ministry, as the Asian Games’ football competition schedule clashes with the ISL, which starts on September 21.

The federation has also not ruled out the possibility of star players Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu travelling to Hangzhou, China, with the team for the quadrennial extravaganza.

While the Games are scheduled from September 23 to October 8, the football event will kick off on September 19 and continue till October 7.

Bengaluru FC, FC Goa and Mohun Bagan Super Giants are among clubs who are not willing to release their players for the Games.

Out of the 22 players named in the squad, six are from Bengaluru FC, three from Mumbai City FC, while FC Goa, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters have two each. Newly-promoted Punjab FC, Chennaiyin FC and Hyderabad FC have one each.

ACL tear sparks row

Kolkata: Reigning ISL champions Mohun Bagan are “furious” with the way Ashique Kuruniyan’s injury was handled by India’s physiotherapist during their King’s Cup match against Iraq and have decided not to release their players.

An MRI revealed that Kuruniyan suffered an ACL tear. “For five days, they neglected his injury and didn’t even conduct an MRI. This is not something we’d expect from a Team India physio,” a Mohun Bagan official said. “If they had performed an MRI, we could have started physiotherapy earlier and minimised the extent of the injury. In light of this episode, there is absolutely no consideration of releasing our players for the Asian Games,” he added. — PTI

Indian football mired in astrologer controversy

New Delhi: In the eye of the storm for his alleged correspondence with an astrologer during the Asian Cup Qualifiers, India coach Igor Stimac today hinted at major revelations ahead and reaffirmed his dream of transforming the country into a footballing nation. The controversy has once again cast a shadow over Indian football and this time the national men’s team coach is being linked to it.”Target or honest fighter for the betterment of Indian football? The time is coming to put all cards on the table and see how much and who really cares about football in this country,” Stimac posted on X. The AIFF had hired an astrologer for predictions on the Indian football team for an estimated cost of Rs 16 lakh. As per media reports, Stimac was directly in touch with the astrologer to seek his opinion on the team selection during the Asian Cup Qualifiers.