Calcutta Football League pullout might relegate SC East Bengal: IFA

Heavyweights SC East Bengal, who’re engaged in a tussle with their buyers Shree Cements over switch of sporting rights, might face relegation in the event that they pull out of the Calcutta Football League Premier Division, the state soccer physique Indian Football Association (IFA) stated on Monday.
With “no clarity” about SC East Bengal’s participation within the 14-team event slated to start in August third week, IFA secretary Joydeep Mukherjee stated as per the rulebook the red-and-gold brigade could be relegated to the decrease division.
“We want football to resume, many players, officials are affected (by the pandemic). We don’t want to deprive any club and for one club CFL won’t stop,” Mukherjee informed reporters after a gathering with membership representatives the place SCEB didn’t come, citing “personal inconvenience”.
It has been learnt that the membership was given a seven-day discover to clear the air.
“Initially, we had decided to stop relegation but if competitions happen in all divisions, then there will be a relegation and the team which pulls out will be relegated to the lower division. It will be a big blow and there are chances that SCEB will face relegation.”
Representatives of 13 groups have been current on the assembly.
“They (SCEB) have not yet specified that they’re not playing. We have mailed the fixture details to all the clubs including SCEB. We have also spoken to the club’s (executive) official Nitu Sarkar in personal capacity and he said they have no issues,” Mukherjee stated.
SCEB membership administration are at loggerheads with their buyers Shree Cements over the switch of sporting rights, one thing that has additionally hampered their crew constructing for the upcoming season as their participation in top-tier Indian Super League can also be not clear.
Welcoming SCEB to take part within the CFL, the IFA secretary additional stated they’re even prepared to barter between the 2 events to “iron out their differences”.
“For the interest of Bengal football, we want all the clubs to play. From our side, there will be no problem, IFA is ready to negotiate but they must come to us,” he stated.
The CFL, which was cancelled final yr due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can have a rejigged format in a league-cum-knockout foundation.
Fourteen groups will probably be divided into two teams and the highest three from every group will earn a direct quarter-final berth.
The remaining eight will then play with one another and the highest two would full the last-eight groups and the event is prone to recover from by the primary week of October.
This yr golf equipment would have the ability to register six foreigner gamers however solely two could be allowed within the first eleven, Mukherjee stated.
Teams:
Group 1: SC East Bengal, Bhawanipore Club, Southern Samity, Mohammedan Sporting, BSS Sporting Club, Railways FC and United SC.
Group 2: ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Aryan Club, Tollygunge Agragami, George Telegraph, Peerless SC, Kidderpore SC and Calcutta Customs Club.