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Tight schedule for CFL

KOLKATA: The clubs playing in the premier division of the Calcutta Football League (CFL) were given a tight schedule in an effort to accommodate a prolonged I-league this season. The fixtures of the Sahara sponsored CFL, which was released here on Tuesday, slots 56 matches in roughly eight weeks.

This is the shortest duration ever for the two-tier tournament, which is one of the oldest leagues in the world (beginning in 1889).

With the All Indian Football Federation trying to reformat the I-League and extend it to a weekend affair, the other tournaments, including the domestic league, are facing a time crunch.

The Bengal Indian Football Association has been given a special lease by AIFF to conduct the CFL in the time it is usually held.

“We will have the domestic league running concurrently with the I-League from next season,” said IFA secretary Utpal Ganguly.

“The main problem here is the availability of grounds. With the grounds allocated to different sports in different times of the year, it is hard to adjust to the calendar AIFF is offering,” he added.

The IFA has already started developing grounds in the suburbs of the city.

There will matches in the three district centres — Howrah, Barast and Khardah — this year, apart from the regular venues like Salt Lake stadium and the Mohun Bagan ground.

Defending champion Mohun Bagan starts its campaign taking on Peerless SC on Friday.

East Bengal, which won the league for the 31st time, gets down to business on Monday.

The eight-team premier division has two more I-League promotees in Mohammedan Sporting and Chirag United SC, who would be challenging the might of the two city giants.

The first leg of the tournament gets over on August 3 while the tournament will be over by August 31.

The IFA asked the national coach Bob Houghton to mind his own business and not shoot comments about administrative matters.

“He is a coach and should not speak on administrative matters,” said Utpal Ganguly on Tuesday.

The Englishman had been critical of the domestic league, especially the one managed by the IFA, saying that it is hampering the development of Indian football.

“Houghton brings up the development issues whenever his national team flops (the loss in the SAFF Cup). “

We are following the AIFF regulations and I do not see the domestic leagues hampering development in any way,” he added. — Principal Correspondent

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