Football league
The I-League ( known as Hero I-League for sponsorship ties with Hero MotoCorp ) [ 2 ] is a men ‘s master football league, which is one of two co-existing highest flat leagues in indian football arrangement, along with the indian Super League. It is presently contested by 13 clubs across the nation.
Reading: I-League – Wikipedia
The competition was founded in 2007 as the successor to the National Football League ( NFL ), with the first season starting in November 2007. [ 3 ] The league was launched as India ‘s first ever master football league with the purpose to increase the actor consortium for the India national team. [ 3 ] Unlike the indian Super League, I-League operates on a organization of promotion and relegation with I-League Qualifiers, based on State leagues results. [ 3 ] For the clubs that become I-League champions, they are granted the opportunity to participate in the AFC Cup, Asia ‘s secondary international golf club competition.Until 2019-20 it was the alone top division league of India. But after AFC approved indian Super League as premier top division league in October 2019, I-League becames the official second tier football league in indian football league system. Since the origin of the I-League, a full of seven clubs have been crowned champions. Dempo have won the most titles in league history, being crowned champions three times. Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru have won the league doubly. Salgaocar, Aizawl, Minerva Punjab, Chennai City and Gokulam Kerala have won it once .
history
Origins
In 1996, the first domestic league was started in India known as the National Football League. [ 4 ] The league was started in an effort to introduce professionalism to indian football. [ 4 ] Despite that ambition, that not been achieved to this date. During the National Football League days, the league suffered from poor infrastructure and unprofessionalism from its clubs. One of the clubs in the league, FC Kochin, went defunct in 2002 after it was revealed that the club had not paid salaries since 2000 after running up 2.5 crores in losses a season. [ 5 ] After a ten of decline with the National Football League, the All India Football Federation decided it was time for a change. This resulted in the mod day iteration of the top-tier in India. [ 6 ]
formation
After the 2006–07 NFL season, it was announced that the National Football League would be relaunched and rebranded as the I-League for the 2007–08 season. [ 7 ] The league ‘s first season consisted of eight teams from the previous NFL political campaign and two teams from the 2nd Division to form a 10 team league. [ 7 ] anoint and Natural Gas Corporation ( ONGC ), the title sponsors of the former NFL, were named as the entitle sponsors of the I-League before the league kicked off in November 2007. [ 8 ] The league besides announced a transfer in their foreign-player restrictions with the new rule being that all the clubs could sign four foreigners – three non-Asian and one which must be asian. [ 9 ] The league besides announced that, for the first temper, matches will be broadcast on Zee Sports. [ 10 ] The original ten clubs in the I-League ‘s foremost season were Air India, Churchill Brothers, Dempo, East Bengal, JCT, Mahindra United, Mohun Bagan, Salgaocar, Sporting Goa, and Viva Kerala .
The early on seasons ( 2007–2010 )
The first gear ever I-League match took place on 24 November 2007 between Dempo and Salgaocar. The meet, which took rate at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao, ended 3–0 in privilege of Dempo with Chidi Edeh scoring the first always goal in league history in the third gear hour. [ 11 ] After eighteen rounds it was Dempo who came out as the beginning ever champions in the I-League. [ 12 ] Viva Kerala and Salgaocar, however, ended up as the first base two teams to ever be relegated from the I-League. [ 13 ] The adjacent season the I-League was expanded from 10 to 12 teams. Mumbai, Chirag United, Mohammedan, and Vasco were all promoted from the I-League 2nd Division to make the expansion potential. [ 14 ] This however brought up early concerns over how “ national ” the I-League was. The 2008–09 season would see football team of the twelve teams come from three different cities. The previous temper saw all ten-spot teams come from four different cities. [ 14 ] Bhaichung Bhutia, then captain of the indian national team, said that it was the federations job to spread the game across the area and that it needed to happen. [ 14 ] careless of the early criticism, the I-League went on as schedule and once the 2008–09 season concluded. it was Churchill Brothers who came out on top. [ 15 ] then, before the 2009–10 season, the league was once again expanded from 12 teams to 14. In order to make this happen Salgaocar, Viva Kerala, Pune, and Shillong Lajong were all promoted from the 2nd division to the I-League. [ 16 ] This helped the I-League retain some criticism about how home the league was adenine now the league would be played in seven different cities/states : Goa, Kerala, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Punjab, and Shillong. [ 16 ] After the 2009–10 season it was Dempo who came out on top for the second time in I-League history. [ 12 ]
Conflict of parties
On 9 December 2010 the All India Football Federation signed a 15-year, 700-crore cover with Reliance Industries and International Management Group of the United States. [ 17 ] The cover gave IMG-Reliance exclusive commercial rights to sponsorship, advertising, air, selling, television, franchising, and rights to create a new football league. [ 17 ] This distribute came about after the AIFF ended their 10-year cope with Zee Sports five years early. [ 18 ] Two months belated, on 8 February 2011, it was reported that twelve of the fourteen I-League clubs held a secret meet in Mumbai to discuss the ongoing issues related to the league. [ 19 ] It was never revealed what was precisely talked about at this converge. [ 19 ] then, on 22 February, it was announced that the lapp twelve I-League clubs that attended the meeting would not be signing the AFC –licensing papers needed to play in the I-League. [ 20 ] The reason for this was because the I-League clubs were not felicitous over the fact that IMG-Reliance had indeed far done nothing to promote the I-League and that they demanded the I-League be made a separate entity from both the AIFF and IMG-Reliance. [ 20 ] At this time however there were rumours that IMG-Reliance had been planning on revamping the I-League along the same lines as Major League Soccer of the United States for the 2012–13 season. [ 20 ] On 11 March 2012, following the disband of two former I-League clubs – JCT and Mahindra United, it was announced that the I-League clubs would be forming their own constitution known as the Indian Professional Football Clubs Association ( IPFCA ) in regulate to safeguard their interest and advertise football in India. [ 21 ] Every club, except for HAL and AIFF–owned Pailan Arrows, joined the newly formed administration. [ 21 ] soon after, it was announced that there would be a meeting held between the AIFF, IMG-Reliance, and the IPFCA on 20 April 2012. In this meet, IMG-Reliance would present their design on how they would grow the I-League but the meeting never occurred for reasons unknown. [ 22 ] then, on 4 May 2012, the AIFF hosted the death ad hoc meet – an annual meet between the AFC and AIFF to assess the emergence of indian football. The AFC president at the time, Zhang Jilong, was besides in attendance at this meet. [ 23 ] It was reported that the IPFCA would use this converge to voice their displeasure at the AIFF and IMG-Reliance but the association never showed up at the confluence. [ 23 ] On 18 June 2012 the IPFCA was formally sanctioned under the Society ‘s Act of 1960. [ 24 ]
League improvement
Despite the ongoing war between the AIFF, IMG-Reliance, and the IPFCA, the league did cope to improve its product on the field and awareness did increase during this period. It all started when the India national team participated in the AFC asian Cup in 2011 for the first fourth dimension in 27 years. [ 25 ] Despite being knocked-out in the group stage after losing all three of their games, India came back home more popular than ever. Subrata Pal, of Pune gained the most popularity after his impressive performances in goal for India during the asian Cup. [ 26 ] At the same time, before the asian Cup, Sunil Chhetri became the second indian football player in the modern footballing earned run average to move afield when he signed for the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer in 2010. He besides became the first export indian from the I-League. [ 27 ] The league was then given a major hike from its main bowler hat, the Kolkata bowler hat, between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. On 20 November 2011, 90,000 people watched at the Salt Lake Stadium as Mohun Bagan defeated East Bengal 1–0. [ 28 ] The league besides saw more expansion to others areas with the promotion of United Sikkim from the 2nd Division, [ 29 ] however, their reign was short lived as fiscal troubles saw them relegated the next season. [ 30 ] meanwhile, while the league continued to grow, sol did the players ‘ demand. During this menstruation plenty of indian players were wanted on trial by foreign clubs, chiefly in Europe. After his return from MLS, Sunil Chhetri and external teammate Jeje Lalpekhlua were called for trials at scots Premier League side Rangers in 2011. [ 31 ] Subrata Pal had trials at RB Leipzig before last signing for Vestsjælland in 2014. [ 32 ] And Gurpreet Singh Sandhu undergo trials at then Premier League side Wigan Athletic and last signing for Stabæk Fotball, Norway in 2014. [ 33 ] At the same time, as indian players demand afield increased, the requirement for higher choice foreigners in the I-League besides increased. Former A-League player of the class and Costa Rican international Carlos Hernández signed with Prayag United before the 2012–13 season from the Melbourne Victory. [ 34 ] Lebanese international Bilal Najjarine besides signed with Churchill Brothers in 2012. [ 35 ]
Champions
successful clubs by seasons
- Notes
- ^[36] Matches after 14 March 2020 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mohun Bagan were declared the champions having huge point difference between the second placed cabaret and no runner-up were announced as remaining clubs were very closely placed in the points board .
performance by clubs
all-time board
The surveil is a list of clubs who have played in the I-League at any time since its formation in 2007 to the current season. Teams playing in the 2021-22 I-League temper are indicated in bold. A sum of 36 teams have played in the I-League. As of November 2021
Rivalries
There are respective keystone rivalries and local derbies that have formed in the I-League, including :
- Goa Derby
- South Indian Derby
- 2019 – NEROCA v TRAU
contest format
competition
Since the league began in 2007 the rules of the league have changed about annual. presently, the league has 11 teams. Each club played each early doubly during the season, once at home and the other away from base. The team that wins a match receives three points while both teams earn point if they draw. A failure is not awarded any points. At the end of the season, the team with the most points wins the league. In the casing of a marry then head to forefront record is looked upon. foster, in the case of a draw, the goal difference is looked upon of the tie teams. [ 38 ]
AFC qualification
Clubs from the I-League primarily participate internationally in the AFC Cup, however, some I-League clubs have had the probability to qualify for the AFC Champions League. From 2007 to 2011 champions of the previous I-League season were allowed to play Champions League qualifiers. [ 39 ] then, from 2011 to 2013, no I-League cabaret played in a qualifier public treasury Pune in 2014, after club passed the AFC Licensing criteria. [ 40 ] however, no I-League club has actually qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage .
Since the original National Football League, the Indian league has constantly been sponsored. When the I-League began in 2007 the death sponsor from the old National Football League, ONGC, were brought in as the sponsors, making the league be known as the ONGC I-League. [ 41 ] however, after the 2010–11 season, the deal with ONGC was not renewed and the I-League was left without a sponsorship deal till 2013. [ 42 ] On 24 September 2013, it was announced that telecommunications company, Airtel would be the new title patronize of the I-League, frankincense making the league known as the Airtel I-League. [ 43 ] In December 2014, it was announced that Hero MotoCorp would replace Airtel as the title presenter for the league and hence the league would be known has Hero I-League. [ 44 ]
| Period | Sponsor | Industry | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–11 |  ONGC
|
Petroleum | ONGC I-League |
| 2011–13 | none | N/A | I-League |
| 2013–14 | Airtel
|
Telecommunications | Airtel I-League |
| 2014–present | Hero
|
Automotive | Hero I-League |
Media coverage
Since 2007 the I-League has managed to find a manner to be telecast, which is drastic in increasing the profile and popularity of the league. Before the inaugural 2007–08 season, the All India Football Federation reached a cover with Zee Sports to broadcast 45 of the 90 matches that season with TEN Sports broadcasting 15 matches in the inaugural address season. [ 45 ] The deal with Zee Sports was a sequel of the 10-year deal reached between the AIFF and Zee Sports in 2005. [ 46 ] however, in October 2009, Zee Sports reportedly sent a letter to the AIFF asking for the Federation to review the 10-year contract after concerns were raised by the broadcaster that the league was not attracting as many sponsors as they would have liked. [ 46 ] In August 2010 it was revealed that there were crunch talks between the AIFF and Zee Sports over these concerns and that there was a planning in the 10-year deal that said it could be reviewed after the beginning five years. [ 47 ] AIFF has signed a three-year distribute with Lex Sportel Vision Pvt. Ltd. to broadcast the I-League on DSport starting 2019–20 season. The thirteenth edition of I-League is scheduled to commence from 30 November, featuring 11 teams and 110 matches. individually, AIFF has commissioned Instat Limited – an Ireland-based company to produce feed of the live audio-visual coverage for the broadcast on DSport. Instat will produce all games with an 8-camera frame-up. AIFF ‘s agreement with Instat Limited will run for three years. I-League for past two seasons was showcased on Star Sports. however, as per the request of the I-League clubs, the AIFF and FSDL ( Football Sports Development Limited ) negotiated the deal with the newly circulate collaborator providing exclusive rights for on-air and digital content. [ 48 ] [ 49 ]
local broadcasters
| Language | TV telecast |
|---|---|
| Bengali | Kolkata TV |
| Malayalam | Twentyfour News |
Criticisms
fiscal situation
One of the major criticisms of the I-League has been the league ‘s continuing fiscal instability. [ 50 ] Since the league began in 2007 the league has seen four clubs disband their operations – Chirag United Kerala, JCT, Mahindra United, and Pailan Arrows. [ 51 ] [ 52 ] When JCT disbanded, head of operations, Samir Thapar stated that the lack of any credible exposure and money as a major reason for JCT disbanding. [ 50 ] The majority of clubs in the league trust on main sponsors the investment company the team through a season at least. This is chiefly ascribable to the fact that clubs in the I-League do not rely on income from trade sales or slate sales and that television tax income goes immediately to the All India Football Federation alternatively of the clubs. [ 50 ] presently, attendance in the I-League is suffering as the 2013–14 temper only averaged 5,618 per game. [ 53 ] Mohun Bagan averaged the most spectators that season with an average of 17,068 while Shillong Lajong ended up being the alone other I-League club to finish with an average attendance over 10,000 when the finished at 11,308 per bet on. [ 53 ] Part of the reason for these attendances other than the miss of market has been cited as being the fact that most I-League matches start in the good afternoon, when it is uncomfortably hot for fans, rather than during the cooler evenings. [ 54 ]
many football clubs in India are what termed as institutional teams, in other words controlled or owned by an industrial business. [ 55 ] That means it is difficult for players or coaches to turn into complete professionals. [ 55 ] The players who play for institutional teams would besides work on a full-time speculate outside the game for his party the team was owned by. [ 55 ] This is much the lapp model which was found in Japan before the introduction of the J. League. [ 56 ] The positives are that the teams are normally well resourced with players earning becoming money and the reassuring expectation of employment after their footballing days finish. [ 55 ] On the negative side, teams only efficaciously represent an individual business with a few thousand workers, rather than wholly cities, and thus do not gain broad general support. [ 55 ] On 21 February 2014 it was officially announced that the two remaining institutional clubs in the I-League – Air India and ONGC – had been expelled from the I-League and that all other institutional clubs would not be allowed to participate in the league. [ 57 ]
Clubs
36 clubs have played in the I-League from its origin since 2007, up to the stream season ( including the 2021–22 season ). presently I-League is played among 13 clubs .
head coaches
The role of the head bus in the I-League varies from golf club to club. Some clubs in the I-League like to appoint technical directors adenine well as head coaches and the technical directors for the most separate are given the world power the choose the team and sometimes the entire team management. [ 60 ] The All India Football Federation does impose license requirements for headway coaches in the I-League, the principle being that the head coach must have an AFC A-License in ordain to coach in the I-League, however, some clubs and coaches like Subhash Bhowmick, Subrata Bhattacharya, Sukhwinder Singh, and Bimal Ghosh are known for accepting a technical directors character in order to bypass the oral sex coach requirements without an A-License. [ 60 ] This has bought about a bunch of controversial news program in the I-League, most recently being when Churchill Brothers won the I-League after the 2012–13 season with Subhash Bhowmick running the entire team on and off the battlefield but not winning the “ Coach of the year ” award due to being listed as the technical director and not the head coach. [ 60 ] Seeing this, the AIFF technical conductor, Rob Baan, angstrom well as others, advocated that the federation make it mandatary for both technical foul directors and head coaches to have an AFC A-License. [ 60 ] On 14 May 2014 this was officially put into act by the AIFF during their I-League license committee meeting. [ 61 ] In terms of coaching performance, after the foremost seven seasons of the I-League, an indian lead coach has won the I-League four times while a foreign head coach has won it three times. Zoran Đorđević of Serbia was the first ever extraneous head coach to win the I-League. [ 62 ] [ 63 ] Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese was the most recent foreign coach to win the I-League in the 2020–21 season.
Read more: สรุปเหรียญโอลิมปิกฤดูร้อน 2016 – วิกิพีเดีย
Armando Colaco was the first indian coach to win the I-League in the league ‘s open season and he has the most I-League championships at three. [ 64 ] Khogen Singh is the latest indian coach to win the I-League in 2017–18 season. [ 65 ]
Former Dempo director Armando Colaco was the longest serve and most successful coach in the history of the I League .
Player transfer fees
top transfer fees paid by I-League clubs
top transfer fees received by I-League clubs
individual plot highest attendance records
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Stadium | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohun Bagan | 1–0 | East Bengal | 90,000 | Salt Lake Stadium | 20 November 2011 |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 0–1 | East Bengal | 80,000 | Salt Lake Stadium | 24 November 2013 |
| 3 | Mohun Bagan | 2–1 | East Bengal | 63,756 | Salt lake Stadium | 19 January 2020 |
| 4 | Mohun Bagan | 1–1 | East Bengal | 63,342 | Salt Lake Stadium | 26 January 2016 |
| 5 | Mohun Bagan | 1–0 | East Bengal | 57,780 | Salt Lake Stadium | 28 March 2015 |
Stats and players
seasonal statistics
| Season | Total goals | Matches played | Average per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | 226 | 90 | 2.51[66] |
| 2008–09 | 318 | 132 | 2.41[67] |
| 2009–10 | 486 | 182 | 2.67[68] |
| 2010–11 | 489 | 182 | 2.69[69] |
| 2011–12 | 521 | 182 | 2.88[70] |
| 2012–13 | 530 | 182 | 2.91[71] |
| 2013–14 | 402 | 156 | 2.47[72] |
| 2014–15 | 280 | 110 | 2.55[73] |
| 2015–16 | 186 | 72 | 2.58[74] |
| 2016–17 | 225 | 90 | 2.5[75] |
| 2017–18 | 204 | 90 | 2.27[76] |
| 2018–19 | 303 | 109 | 2.78 |
| 2019–20 | 187 | 69[a] | 2.71 |
| 2020–21 | 216 | 80 | 2.7 |
top scorers
Season after temper, players in the I-League compete for the fortunate boot title, which is awarded at the end of each season to the top scorekeeper throughout the stallion season. The most holocene achiever of the aureate boot is Bidyashagar Singh, who won the golden boot at the end of the 2020–21 season after scoring 12 goals. Ranti Martins is both presently the holders of the most golden boot titles with five gold boots. Along with Odafa Onyeka Okolie, the two Nigerians make up the eight gold boots won by Nigerians, the most of any nationality in the league .
Awards
The trophy
The I-League has only been awarding a proper trophy to the champion since 2013 when the 2012–13 season champions, Churchill Brothers, won the league. [ 86 ] Before 2013 the I-League champions received a basic trophy. [ 86 ] The raw trophy was designed in Europe and is modeled along the lines of the champion trophies in the lead european leagues. [ 86 ] Regarding the trophy, the AIFF cosmopolitan secretary, Kushal Das, said “ It is the endeavor of AIFF to exercise the best principles of other leagues and consequently we thought to create a more contemporary look to the I-League trophy in line with trophies given in european leagues ”. [ 86 ]
Season awards
end of temper I-League awards were previously conducted by the Football Players ‘ Association of India and All India Football Federation since 2008–09 season. presently the awards include the Hero of the league, the aureate boot, the golden baseball glove, the best head coach ( Syed Abdul Rahim Award ), the best defender ( Jarnail Singh Award ), the best midfielder and the emerging player of the league, all of which are sponsored by Hero .
hero of the League
Syed Abdul Rahim Award
Emerging Player of the Season
Foreign Player of the year
amerind Player of the Season
Fans ‘ Player of the class
Prizes
Prize money
- As of 28 February 2018
| Position | Purse |
|---|---|
| Champions | ₹ 1 crore |
| 1st Runners-up | ₹ 60 Lakhs |
| 2nd Runners-up | ₹ 40 Lakhs |
| Fourth | ₹ 25 Lakhs |
| Matchday Subsidy | ₹ 1 Lakh |
| Match winner | ₹ 50 Thousand |
| Hero of the Match | ₹ 25 Thousand |
I-League clubs in Asia
traditionally, I-League clubs have done peculiarly well in the AFC Cup. In 2008 Dempo managed to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Cup before being defeated by Al-Safa of Lebanon. [ 98 ] East Bengal besides managed to reach the semi-finals in 2013 before being knocked-out by Kuwait. [ 99 ] Bengaluru is the only I-League club to reach the AFC Cup Final in 2016 but lost to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya of Iraq. [ 100 ] In the AFC Champions League however, no I-League club has always managed to make it past the qualifiers. [ 101 ]
References
- “iLeague Fixtures”, League Winner. Retrieved on 31 May 2015.
Read more: 2015–16 Liverpool F.C. season – Wikipedia