XtraTime Web Desk: AIFF president Praful Patel agreed to meet I League clubs on July 3 in New Delhi ahead of the federation’s Executive Committee Meeting, which has been postponed.
Seven I League clubs came together to make a joint statement where they decided to move to the court if AIFF declared ISL as the top tier league.
Now, AIFF has postponed its Executive Committee Meeting and have agreed for a meeting with the I-League clubs. “This is to inform you that a meeting with representatives of I-League clubs with the President of the All India Football Federation has been fixed on 3rd July 2019 at 3 pm at Le Meridien, New Delhi,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das’ letter to the club owners stated.
Praful Patel will try to convince the I League clubs as AIFF will face a big loss if they will not declare ISL as top tier league.
The eight I League clubs including Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Churchill Brothers, Minerva Punjab, Aizawl FC, NEROCA, Gokulam Kerala FC and Chennai City FC had requested AIFF to discuss their future ahead of the Super Cup but it was only after Minerva, Aizawl and Gokulam boycotted the qualifiers that Das replied saying Patel will meet them between April 10-14.
The meeting never happened and the I League clubs blamed AIFF didn’t contact them for the same while the federation says the clubs did not meet the president.
On Tuesday, Chennai City FC joined the seven I-League clubs and shot a letter to AIFF addressing the problem areas in Indian football at the moment and asked for an invite to the Executive Committee Meeting “either collectively (all I-League club owners present) or individually, as the current Champions of the I-League.”
It is after that letter, that AIFF general secretary has told the I-League clubs that the president will meet them. AIFF executive committee will meet on July 9.