The 49th King’s Cup came to an end, and with it came uncertainty. The confusion is about whether players would stay in Thailand to train (AIFF) for the Asian Games 2023 or return to their clubs to prepare for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL), which will begin on September 21 with Kerala Blasters playing Bengaluru FC. However AIFF has refuted the claims of the players being stranded.
The Asian Games 2023 football season will start on September 19. On the first day, India takes on the hosts China. Bangladesh and Myanmar are also included in the group. Four of the top third-place teams and two teams from each of the six groups will advance to the round of 16.
According to representatives of ISL clubs, some members of the King’s Cup team were still waiting for return tickets from the federation as of late on Sunday. In the letter inviting teams to release players for the King’s Cup, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) notes that they “will return on September 11.” The letter, dated August 17 and addressed to “CEO/Sporting Director” at clubs, is on file with Hindustan Times.
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AIFF vs ISL affecting Indian Football
If AIFF fails to issue the tickets by the close of the FIFA window on September 12, two ISL clubs want to fly their players back. A player shoot has been organized this week, according to a representative of an ISL club, keeping in mind that the club’s national team players will be released following the King’s Cup, as promised by AIFF.
Clubs are being approached by federation authorities and ISL organizers to release players as players wait in Thailand and head coach Igor Stimac is unsure of who will be in the squad of 22 that is set to report into the Asian Games Village on September 16.
A club official stated, “Even as they remain committed to launching the league during the Games, they are calling us to release players in the national interest.” Given the delicate nature of the situation, the official asked to remain anonymous.
The AIFF requested that each club release two players last week. Clubs, though, are not eager to do that either considering that they will be competing in the ISL. “We were requested to release two members of the first team, but we refused. Players who are not on the first team will be sent if necessary,” according to the club official previously cited. In the coming days, a solution can be found, according to an AIFF official.
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