I-League: Five reasons that make the competition unpredictable

With a quarter of the season gone the competition has been quite a topsy-turvy one.

The I-League, just like other seasons, has started with a bag full of surprises, with teams moving up and down the ladder on a regular basis. However, one thing that has remained constantly associated with the league is its unpredictability. One week into the New Year, Churchill Brothers hold the crown at the top of the table with Mohun Bagan being a close second. But, one cannot come to the conclusion that it is going to stay that way until the end of the season. With more than half of the campaign to go, there will be many ebbs and flows before the arrival of the final hurdle. It definitely will be a great challenge for the Red Machines and the Mariners to remain consistently at the top. [KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Recently, the Indian Arrows got their act together and took down Churchill Brothers, who are considered to be one of the title contenders this season. However the Red Machines regrouped and came back strongly with a win against East Bengal. Real Kashmir, as usual, have brought the beautiful charm of the Valley, while Aizawl FC's trust in their local talents has paid dividends till now. India awaits another great rivalry with the Manipur Derby to be played between NEROCA FC and TRAU FC for the first time in I-League history. Whilst we are in the midst of another action-packed league campaign, we at Khel Now take a closer look at the factors that make the I-League unpredictable:

5. Diversification in topography among the clubs

One of the major challenges of playing in the I-League is the hectic travel which teams need to overcome. The geographic locations of the clubs are quite varied all over the country and travelling takes a lot out of the players, physically as well as mentally. From the snowy artificial turf in Kashmir to the highlands of Aizawl and Manipur. The stadiums in Kozhikode and Coimbatore are also not easily accessible from the nearby airport and hence, they also pose enough difficulties of their own. Every club resonates an ideology and their very own culture through their football, something which makes the league very special. Teams favoured to win a match often falter in accordance with the conditions and challenges and it adds up to the unpredictability of the league. [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

4. Representation of local talent

While the important slots are filled by foreign players, a lot of local talents are given the platform to build their career from scratch. Young talents bring their own panache and swagger to the league. I-League clubs work on a lower budget in comparison to the Indian Super League and hence the teams depend on unearthing local talents from their region. These players have made names for themselves over the years. Recently, in a press conference, ATK midfielder Jayesh Rane spoke about his Aizawl FC days. The 25-year-old revealed how the club helped him build his career and also gave him the limelight to achieve bigger and better things. It is the same for most of the players playing in the ISL right now. Last season's surprise package Gaurav Bora and Edwin Sydney Vanspaul have grown in stature after performing exceptionally for Chennai City and have earned contracts with ISL clubs.

3. Promotion and Relegation

Promotion and relegation has to be one of the most challenging factors in the I-League. As we enter the business end of the season, teams fight hard to stay in the top division. While the top half of the table intensifies with teams jostling for the title, clashes between bottom half teams provide for their struggle to stay in the top division. [KH_ADWORDS type="2" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] The promotion-relegation system is a necessity in every competitive league and it adds to the excitement and increases the unpredictability, as teams from the bottom half of the table often come up with surprises against the table toppers. So, it is never a dull affair in the I-League.

2. The difference in quality between the teams

I-League clubs work on a considerably lower budget and therefore the quality of the teams is more or less the same. This has allowed teams like Minerva Punjab, Chennai City and even Aizawl FC to write their own fairy-tale script by winning the championship. The success of the teams mainly depends on their cohesiveness and their ability to churn out results as a team. The difference in quality is negligible and therefore teams are motivated to perform to their abilities and achieve big things in the I-League. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

1. The passionate fans

This may sound cliched, but the I-League is popularly known as the People's League in India. While the clubs are based on their footballing ideologies, they also represent the region they belong to and their people. Fans are an integral part of football and without them, it always remains incomplete. Indian football has also seen a revolution in fan-culture recently and the emotions and passion often get translated to the players on the pitch. Most of the clubs in the I-League have a decent fan following and they back their teams with heart and resolve. If we go through the success stories of Aizawl or more recently Chennai City, it is evident that fans play a huge role in churning out results in crucial games by backing their players. They add the icing on the cake for these teams, who feed off the extra motivation from the stands and translate that onto the pitch.