New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia feels the new-look I-League on the lines of US Major League Soccer (MLS) should encompass the entire country and not be confined to a few select cities.
Speaking on the sidelines of unveiling the Euro 2012 Trophy, Bhutia said the game right now is restricted to a handful of cities. If I-League has to be popular, it has to be pan-Indian.
“For I-league, the important thing is to spread the game across the country. You can’t have 80 percent of the clubs from Kolkata and Goa. Then you are playing I-League between two cities. First of all, we need to spread the game across, once that is done fans from all over the country will watch it. They will flock to the stadiums as well,” said Bhutia.
Bhutia felt that a football fan would get frustrated and bored if he kept watching the same two teams play over and over again.
“If I am a football fan from Kolkata and five teams are playing there, ten times a year if I watch East Bengal play Mohun Bagan, I think somewhere down the line I would get fed up. So it’s important we manage it properly. I-League clubs asking for revenue-sharing is absolutely genuine, but the problem is AIFF itself is not making money. So, where do they get it from?” said Bhutia.
The European championships taking place in Poland and Ukraine will see the top teams battle it out for the title. Bhutia tipped Spain or Germany to win the title.
“My favourites for the Euro 2012 are Spain and Germany.”
