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Indian National Team: Decision On India’s Exhibition Match Against Pakistan To Be Taken On Monday
The chiefs of Indian football shall discuss whether to go ahead with the proposed match against Pakistan in the month of September…
06-Aug-2011 7:46:00 AM
By Rahul Bali
The India-Pakistan series in England, which eventually watered down to just a game, is under the scanner as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) are to mull over as to whether to give it a green signal or put off the proposal for this year.
India were to play three matches in England against Pakistan however it is reliably learnt that the organizers of the event haven’t been able to garner enough sponsors.
It was the India U-23 team which was to travel for the tour however the organisers requested the Indian FA for the inclusion of at least five-to-six senior players including former captain Bhaichung Bhutia in the hope of being able to attract sponsors.
Ahmer Kunwar, director of Touchsky Sports, is said to have approached a top notch sports marketing company in Asia to check how much would the rights for the proposed three matches could come to and according to sources close to Goal.com, the figure was far from what the organizers expected as they hoped to cash in on the Indo-Pak rivalry which is very fierce in other sports such as cricket and hockey. When contacted by Goal.com four days back, Kunwar remained unavailable for comment.
Thereafter the AIFF were approached to participate in just a single match scheduled for September 3.
What concerns the Indian FA is that the clubs aren’t releasing their players for the West Indies tour which is scheduled much prior to the proposed UK tour as it shall hamper their preparations for the Federation Cup which automatically grants a spot in the AFC Cup by virtue of winning the competition. So the question of them releasing their players for another exhibition match remains out of question.
India were to play three matches in England against Pakistan however it is reliably learnt that the organizers of the event haven’t been able to garner enough sponsors.
It was the India U-23 team which was to travel for the tour however the organisers requested the Indian FA for the inclusion of at least five-to-six senior players including former captain Bhaichung Bhutia in the hope of being able to attract sponsors.
Ahmer Kunwar, director of Touchsky Sports, is said to have approached a top notch sports marketing company in Asia to check how much would the rights for the proposed three matches could come to and according to sources close to Goal.com, the figure was far from what the organizers expected as they hoped to cash in on the Indo-Pak rivalry which is very fierce in other sports such as cricket and hockey. When contacted by Goal.com four days back, Kunwar remained unavailable for comment.
Thereafter the AIFF were approached to participate in just a single match scheduled for September 3.
What concerns the Indian FA is that the clubs aren’t releasing their players for the West Indies tour which is scheduled much prior to the proposed UK tour as it shall hamper their preparations for the Federation Cup which automatically grants a spot in the AFC Cup by virtue of winning the competition. So the question of them releasing their players for another exhibition match remains out of question.
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