Football needs glamour quotient but don't lose I-League: Sunil

At a time AIFF and its commercial partner IMG-Reliance are planning to float an IPL-style football league, India skipper Sunil Chhetri today said that the sport needs to increase its glamour quotient but not at the cost of ignoring the I-League.

"I am happy with whatever I have been hearing and how it (IPL-style league) is going to happen. But I am not sure whether it is going to happen or not," Chhetri said about the IPL style tournament to be organised jointly by IMG-Reliance and the AIFF.

"For me glamourisation of football is very important but not at the cost getting away with the pool of talent we already have. It is important we should glamourise the game but we should not lose the I-league. I hope whatever is decided finally it is good for Indian football," Chettri said at a summer training camp organised by a private football entity 'Letzplay'.
 

The I-league clubs owners body, Indian Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA) has already made their reservation public about the tournament proposed to be held in January-March next year and decided not to release or loan their players for it.

"I don't want players to be forced into a situation when they have to choose one. It's never a good thing for a player. I think Indian Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA) and AIFF should sit together and look into it," the striker said.

Chhetri sounded optimistic about India's chances of bagging the hosting rights of the 2017 Under-17 Football World Cup and sees it as an opportunity that will immensely benefit Indian football.