Will the proposed changes in ISL affect Indian Football's future?

The league is set to witness significant changes from next season onwards.

The new Coach & Player Selection Guidelines of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) has decided that ISL clubs will now have to field at least seven Indian players at any point in a game, reducing the number of foreigners from five to four. This is in line with the AFC’s club competition regulations and a welcome change for Indian footballers.

The inaugural season of the league had witnessed six foreigners playing, and the number was reduced to five in 2017-18. Next season onwards, homegrown players will have a larger pie of the cake.

Clubs have been allowed to sign a maximum of six foreign players, one of which needs to be from an AFC member nation. Clubs can continue to sign marquee players within the League-approved classifications. However, ISL clubs do not need an AFC-member nation player on the pitch at all times, unlike AFC competitions. Instead, all teams need to have one AFC-member nation player in the squad at all times. In May 2020, AIFF's Executive Committee had unanimously implemented the ‘3 (foreigners) + 1 (Asian) recruit rule' for I-League matches from 2020-21 season.

Big change in Indian Football

In another major move, FSDL will mandate clubs to increase signing a minimum of four development players. The number stood at two until 2020-21 season. Two such development players will continue to be part of the match-day squad. The move is set to bring a big change in Indian football. It will give at least 11 Indian players across all teams more game time and a larger pool of selection to the national team management.

Playing within the right shape in tandem with the continental championships - of which India has three slots – will help the clubs adjust to the right game plan. FC Goa, recently, had to drop Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera due to the 3+1 AFC rule. The club looked out of depth in attack. In the future, teams having played with that very structure for an entire season will be more comfortable and settled and players would know their roles on the pitch better.

Moving on to the ISL, Khel Now has continuously corresponded on the need to put Indian players in positions of responsibility on the football pitch, more intrinsically known as the spine of the team. Generically, homegrown players have found spaces on the wings, full-back roles and as custodians. Only a handful of players including Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan play commanding roles at their respective clubs in outfield positions; and the number needed to grow yesterday. It will, now.

The new rule opens up at least one position in every team’s spine, and local players will now have to take more responsibility. Former Bengaluru FC head coach Carles Cuadrat was not a fan of the move.

“If we reduce the foreigner quota, we will be putting a lot of pressure on the Indian players (to dish out quality football). They might be talented but they aren’t ready yet to handle so much pressure,” Cuadrat had told Chennai City FC coach Akbar Nawas during an Instagram live last year after I-league implemented the decision. Igor Stimac, back then in a press conference, had highlighted the issue and wanted more Indian players on the pitch.

Responding to this, Cuadrat had added, “Stimac doesn’t need to train with 100 players but 40 skillful players. He should then pick 20 best players for the India squad. The difference between Indians and foreigners is huge. When we play a possession-based game in training, the Indians, particularly the reserves, keep losing the ball. This is because they still need to improve their basics.”

“My suggestion for the top tier [league] in the country is to follow AFC rule of 3+1, that’s the basic rule for the number of foreign players. It’s not strange that most successful Asian countries are following that rule and that is why they are successful,” Stimac had said.

Parth Jindal, owner of Bengaluru FC, had a completely different view on the same. He had tweeted –

https://twitter.com/ParthJindal11/status/1263326068057890821

Only Hyderabad FC can boast of giving Indian youngsters a chance on ISL 2020/21 and that directly showed results. Players such as Akash Mishra, Chinglesana Singh Konsham, Liston Colaco and Yasir Mohammad became the talk of the town. They made mistakes, but learnt on the job and will only get better with experience.

An opportunity for youngsters

India has a scathing dearth of strikers at the moment. The move could motivate clubs to play with an Indian striker/forward on the pitch. India can may take a pragmatic approach in defence and open up new avenues on the pitch for homegrown players. A midfield slot, too, could see the likes of Suresh Singh Wangjam, Glan Martins and Jeakson Singh given more responsibility. They can pass the ball forward more and not just recycle it.

“The league witnessed a significant improvement in the performance of developmental players last season with the likes of Akash Mishra, Apuia, Jeakson Singh, Rahul KP, Asish Rai etc. delivering breakthrough performances underlining the testament to the growth of young footballers in India,” Indian Super League (ISL) official statement read.

Players such as Anirudh Thapa have basked in responsibility and their game has grown by leaps and bounds. In Chennaiyin FC's first match last season, Thapa scored with the sweetest curve with the first touch. The new line of Indian players have already proven they’re ready to take bigger roles. From Manvir Singh to Rochharzela to Rahul KP, this move is set to help Indian footballers in the long run. The quality of football might dip a little but gradually, Indian players would get better. They will play more at the highest stage in the country and the continent - the experience holding them in good stead and creating a better line of players for the future.

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