By IANS
New Delhi : Dempo coach Armando Colaco criticised the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) decision to allow clubs four foreigners for the I-League. He called the decision as a ‘backward step’ in Indian football.
“Till few days back they (AIFF) were thinking of reducing the number of foreigners in the league. I am bit surprised with their decision of increasing the number (of foreigners) in the I-League,” said Coalco, after his team was held to a goalless draw by JCT, Phagwara in the sixth round of the I-League here Sunday at the Ambedkar Stadium.
The AIFF has allowed clubs to recruit four foreigners for the inaugural I-League, one more than what it was in the erstwhile National Football League. But the clubs can only field only three foreigners in any match.
The decision of having four foreigners goes against the federation’s stated aim to reduce foreigners in Indian football in order to encourage local talent.
“I have not recruited a fourth foreigner and I think increasing the number of foreigners will not help the cause of Indian football. I feel it is a step backward in development. I think instead of the foreigners if we could have a local player, even on the bench, it will benefit local talent,” said Colaco.
“If we want to develop Indian football then we have to build a sound youth development programme. And we have to promote the local talent and it will only be possible when we give them chance to play,” he added.
The Dempo coach also said that he didn’t find any logic in allowing recruitment of four foreigners but restricting to three the number of foreigners in a single match.
“Why will a team recruit an extra foreigner, if the player has to cool his heels on the bench. There is no logic in it as clubs spend huge amounts in recruiting foreign players. I think ideally they should have allowed registering all the four foreigners with the fourth players coming in as a replacement for the any other foreigner,” he said.