Bhaskar Gangopadhyay
This ISL has no importance for me. I haven’t seen any game on TV this time. Can you tell me why? Tournament where local boys are not given a chance. In which no new talent emerges. The importance of that tournament may be for others, not for me.
Mohun Bagan has had many successes in the past as well. I was part of some successes. The feeling was different. There was a crowd of Bengali footballers. After returning, Misty used to go for us from home and neighborhood. How much have I won for Mohun Bagan? League, Shield, Durand, Rovers, Negi Trophy, Bardalui, DCM Trophy, and many more. But leave aside handball, there are no small-scale tournaments. Irrational football owners have gotten away with it all.
Only I League and ISL are available. By reducing the importance of I-League, the federations are making profits by creating franchise teams for themselves. But leaving all other tournaments, they are cutting the branch sitting like Kalidas. As a result, Indian football has become more vulnerable, especially the footballers of Bengal.
Many footballers in the field are playing football without conducting tournaments. What will they do to run the family? Like Pritam Kotal and Shubhashir Bose, not everyone will get a chance in the Mohun Bagan team.
I am surprised that Bengali football fans are jumping with joy at Mohun Bagan’s victory. But my mind is in the darkness of despair. Which is the Bengali team? Playing only two Bengali players in the first XI could not have been a worse advertisement. So is the team of East Bengal. The son of Bengal has to be seen through binoculars.
Winning the ISL may increase the bank balance of Mohun Bagan and Shilpapatti Goenkad, but Bengal football will not improve an iota. Instead, Bengal’s football supply line is being destroyed by bringing in foreign and foreign hired footballers.
If the authorities don’t realize this, Indian football will soon go further down the drain. See for yourself if you find any budding talent in ISL this time. They are Pritam, Shubhashish, Praveer, Arindamra. Don’t keep your eyes open and wake up the owners, otherwise the country’s football will not improve in this title.
Lastly, let’s talk about Vishal Keith. The Shimla boy is a good keeper. I love to see her. I said on the basis of what I heard from my friends, what I read in the newspaper. The boy is in college, will go far.
