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[caption id="attachment_46776" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Bhaichung Bhutia and Renedy Singh in Kolkata on Sunday. Image Source: XtraTime[/caption] Kolkata: If the I-league and ISL merger takes place then the franchisee fees should be removed for East Bengal and Mohun Bagan and all the other teams of the I-League, said former Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia. Bhaichung, before going to Kuala Lumpur, showed at a press conference that he had conducted a survey among 70 footballers, which showed that maximum of the players opted for playing in the ISL. FPAI President Renedy Singh was also scheduled to come, but he arrived late as his flight was delayed. “I am delighted on Neroca’s victory.  Almost 14,000 supporters came to watch the final game” said Renedy. Bhaichung is uncertain of what is going to happen, whether a merger of both the leagues would take place or whether both the leagues would take place simultaneously. He thinks that ISL should accept the gamble if the tournament becomes a 7-month affair. More players would come to play, more Indian players would get chance as well as the league would become more serious. So the committee should be ready to accept this challenge. He thinks that if the ISL & I-League merger takes place comprising of a 20-team league, then the players would be highly benefitted. If the merger doesn’t happen, then both the leagues should take place simultaneously. Few days back at a meeting held at Netaji Indoor Stadium between IFA and the top officials of both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan yielded the result that, both the clubs wanted the two leagues not to occur simultaneously.  To this Bhaichung showed his discontent by saying that it would be unfair. He thinks if a particular player plays both in ISL and in the I League that would be unfair since it would hinder a chance of another player to play and players would remain jobless. The former international also thinks that clubs and franchises should have long-term contracts with the players. He thinks the clubs would be benefitted in this way. If the clubs can give the players a long term contract then they could either sell them at a higher price or can give importance to youth development. He also cited Barcelona’s example in how they keep their key players like Messi or Neymar by offering them long-term contracts. ‘’7 month league would be good but Praful Patel had previously said that I-League would remain the no 1 league of the country and if ISL gets it’s affiliation then it would also be good.” said Bhaichung. “People think I am supporting ISL but that is not the case because I am working for the betterment of the players” he added. Apart from these things Bhaichung thinks that there should be a Super Cup, Promotion-Relegation system as well as a Pyramid structure should be introduced. https://youtu.be/kScaKnFopqs