ISL clubs look for breakthrough in Delhi meeting

Kolkata: The ISL clubs are preparing to meet with Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi, desperately searching for some clarity about Indian football's roadmap.In a communication to the clubs, Mandaviya has invited them for a meeting at the SAI office in the Capital on Monday. The minister's move has come hot on the heels of ISL clubs' recent proposal for a two-year club-led pilot project to the All India Football Federation (AIFF). "We welcome the Union minister's move in clearing the air of uncertainty hanging over the new season. The clubs are struggling to sustain massive operational costs and there must be some measures to bring the situation under control," said a club official, who is expected to attent the meeting in New Delhi. Though the latest proposal to the federation, the clubs aim at stabilizing the league, improve commercial performance and increase stakeholder alignment. The club official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, called for a merit-based system and a level-playing field. "There should be a player draft with a salary cap of Rs 60 lakh for each player per season. Our demands also include having control of the commercial part while the AIFF can take care of the technical part. But what is more important is the necessity of downsizing the cost of running the league from a club's perspective," he added. Incidentally, earlier this year, Mandaviya brokered an agreement between the AIFF and ISL clubs bdefore setting the ball rolling for the start of ISL-12. With the start of ISL-13 again facing crisis, it remains to be seen how Monday's meeting between the sports minister and club representatives is going to resolve the issue.