India full backs Gouramangi Singh and Nirmal Chhetri, who have both signed to play in the upcoming IPL-style franchise football league, are hopeful they can take part in this season's I-League too despite the clubs' opposition to the new IMG-Reliance league.
"As a player I have been given this opportunity to be part of IMG-R league and am hopeful everything is sorted out and I will be playing in the I-League also," said Gouramangi Singh after a training session at the Cooperage ground this morning.
I-League clubs have refused to loan players to the IPL-style league to be held from January 18-March 30 next year and have also not shown willingness to take in players who are associated with IMG-R's tournament on loan to play for them.
But the new city-based league, which will have eight franchise outfits with 10 international players in each team -- including a marquee player -- has already got the green signal from the All India Football Federation.
IMG-Reliance are the marketing partners of AIFF and shared their new tournament's objectives, structure and implementation with the federation on August 2.
"We (players) are very optimistic about the league. International players are going to be there. It's going to be good for us. IMG-R is a responsible company and this will only be good for us," said he 27-year-old Gouramangi, who has played for Churchill Brothers and Dempo SC in I-League in the past.
