For a decade, Mumbai footballers had been struggled to join into the Indian national team. In 2011, Steven Dias and Abhishek Yadav had been each a part of the country wide team set-up but when you consider that then simplest Borivali-born Keegan Pereira performed for the US among 2015-’16, making just 4 appearances in all.
Speedy forward to now, things seem to be shaping up better for Mumbai footballers inside the new generation underneath India train Igor Stimac.
Rahul Bheke, Farukh Choudhary, Raynier Fernandes have been inside the blend for some time and veteran centre-again Pratik Chaudhari has also obtained a primary-name up after being named in the probables list for India’s global Cup qualifier against Qatar at home (which stays postponed).
The growing inflow of Indian gamers inside the country wide set-up may additionally hint that Mumbai soccer is at the upward push again but is that definitely what’s occurring?
Fewer clubs
At one factor, Mumbai had multiple clubs competing in India’s pinnacle-tier country wide football League and i-League. Mahindra United was the remaining membership from Mumbai to win the national league (2005-’06) but given that they got disbanded in 2010, few others have followed match. Air India and ONGC, two regulars within the I-League have been disallowed to compete within the opposition since 2013 as they had been owned by public quarter gadgets. And for the reason that Mumbai FC close keep in 2017, no different membership from Mumbai has featured within the I-League.
At present, Indian outstanding League franchise Mumbai city FC is the handiest energetic expert club in the metropolis. Mumbai metropolis FC Reserves are part of the second one department I-League which features 17 sides however different cities have multiple teams – Kolkata (three), Bangalore (), Kerala ().
The scarcity of local clubs inside the first and 2d division has supposed a loss of possibilities and even much less notion for gamers taking up the sport. earlier final year, U-Mumba FC had made their aspirations clean to take part within the I-League and had performed trials until the All India soccer Federation asked them to hold their plans on keep.
“Lack of opportunities is the handiest purpose why Mumbai football isn’t arising,” stated former India big name Steven Dias.
Dias, who’s now the Jamshedpur FC assistant train added: “It’s a pity. There’s handiest one league [Mumbai District Football Association] however after that, there’s no option to make a career. in case you see the North East, they have got such a lot of teams in extraordinary belts. That’s how their gamers get noticed and make it to the I-League and ISL.”
Whilst the ISL has its own share of fan following since being launched in 2014, Mumbai town FC has failed to entice supporters at their domestic base in Andheri sports complex. Barring that, handiest two local players in Fernandes and Chaudhari were a part of the first-group squad.