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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
HT Kick Off: The challenges Jamil could face
The appointment of Khalid Jamil as head coach has come at a time when uncertainty is the only certainty in football in India. The inability of All India Football Federation (AIFF) to announce the duration of Jamil's contract, or when he will be released by current employers Jamshedpur FC, while naming him the men's team head coach fits into a narrative where a court verdict is pending and the future of the Indian Super League (ISL) in animated suspension. Khalid Jamil needs to be ready in quick time for his first international assignment. (HT) Since Jamil has not spoken — how can he, given that he is busy with Durand Cup — we do not know how he has planned his first international assignment in the short, medium and long term. Jamil has asked, and is likely to get, a three-year contract. But one week after being named Manolo Marquez's replacement, India does not know how he proposes to lift the team from the bottom of the 2027 Asian Cup qualification group. Or, what he would want to achieve in the CAFANations Cup beginning later this month. This was not how Stephen Constantine and Igor Stimac, head coaches from 2015 to 2024, were appointed. Albert Roca was said to be a shoo-in because of his success at Bengaluru FC but Stimac got the job in 2019 because he had aced the interview. Even though he had never worked in India, Stimac impressed AIFF with his knowledge of players in ISL and I-League, it was said at the time. Neither the executive committee nor the technical committee got to hear what the final shortlist of Constantine, Jamil or Štefan Tarkovič would offer a men's national team in urgent need of repairs. The club-country tussle But that bridge has been crossed, the appointment made. Can AIFF now give Jamil the best possible chance to deliver? Assuming Jamshedpur FC release Jamil in national interest, his first assignment does not start in a FIFA window which means teams in the Durand Cup are unlikely to release players before they exit the tournament. If FC Goa qualify for the Asian Champions League 2 – they play Al-Seeb in a winners-take-all one-off qualifier on Wednesday –will they release players for national duty? Will Mohun Bagan Super Giant who have started training for ACL2 main round in September? Sunil Chhetri's club Bengaluru FC have suspended salaries of first team players and staff. Source: (ISL) Add to that a number of clubs not having started pre-season because, well, they do not know when the season will start. Calling players from Chennaiyn FC, Bengaluru FC, or Odisha FC, could be risky, especially if there is no scope for at least a two-week preparatory camp. A squad without the regulars from Bengaluru FC would be severely depleted. One where a number of players join after the Durand Cup final on August 23 could be under-prepared against Tajikistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Or will Jamil go for the left-field choice of players whose club careers he has helped revive but who have not been in the national team in the recent past? Whatever it is, suddenly, what seemed like a good move to get players game time could devolve into a situation marginally better than the 2023 Asian Games fiasco. Jamil is a football obsessive who has consistently got teams to punch above their weight. For the Asian Cup qualifiers, where India is the top ranked team, can he continue to be the underdogs' coach who took Aizawl FC, NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC to glory? The low block and long balls that bypass the midfield will not work against teams that could adopt the same tactics. After all, you cannot park the bus against teams that park the bus. So, Jamil may have to evolve into a coach he has not been. The difference between good and great would lie in his ability to do that. For more on Jamil, read here and here. Play of the week
New Straits Times
24-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Red Giants ready to tackle JDT in Charity Shield season opener
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor head Katsuhito Kinoshi wants his players to be ready for a tough test as they kick off the new M-League season with a Charity Shield clash against defending Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) next month. Kinoshi is determined to lead Selangor to a stronger 2025-2026 campaign and remains confident that the Red Giants will rise to the occasion, with fans expecting much more from the team this season. The Japanese tactician also stressed the importance of performing well in regional competitions, including the Asean Club Championship and Asian Champions League 2. "We must be ready for this toughest match. Without enjoyment, there's no chance," said Kinoshi. "Even in the toughest match, we must enjoy it, and that means giving 100 per cent. Without hard work, we can't enjoy anything." Kinoshi was speaking after Selangor and Daikin Malaysia marked the third year of their strategic partnership at a ceremony held earlier today. Among those present was the Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who also serves as the club chairman. When asked about new foreign signings and the team captaincy, Kinoshi remained tight-lipped. "The club will make an official announcement at the appropriate time," he said. He did, however, highlight the return of Fazly Mazlan as a key addition, both as a role model for younger players and as someone eager to prove himself. "I cannot say if he (Fazly) will start or not, but at the very least, he must be part of the team like last year," said Kinoshi. "He must put in the effort to become an effective player for the squad." Meanwhile, Selangor will face the Asia Warriors, led by Japanese World Cup star Keisuke Honda, in a friendly this weekend.
Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Season on hold, ISL clubs told
Days before a decision on who should run India's top men's football competition can be expected from the Supreme Court, a letter reached Indian Super League (ISL) clubs informing them that the 2025-26 season has been placed on hold. ISL season runs from September to April. (ISL) Issued by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), AIFF's commercial partners and organisers of ISL, the letter informs clubs that since discussions on the 'potential renewal of the MRA (master rights agreement)…remain inconclusive at this time', the season has been 'placed on hold.' HT has a copy of the letter sent on Friday. The letter explains that since the 15-year MRA is due to expire on December 8, 2025, 'approximately one-third of the way through a typical ISL season which runs from September to April', it would not be possible for FSDL to 'effectively plan, organize or commercialise the 2025-26 ISL season.' The decision 'has not been taken lightly,' the letter states. Discussions on the MRA have been stalled following an observation by the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi that no major decision be taken till the verdict on the new AIFF constitution, one that could lead to fresh elections and direct whether the top league should be run by the federation. The hearing ended on April 30. AIFF not agreeing to FSDL's proposals that included a moratorium on promotion and relegation for 10 years and that ISL will be run by a joint-venture company comprising clubs, the federation and its commercial partners too have not helped. HT had reported on the proposals on June 21. The letter has come when six ISL clubs, including 2024-25 double winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant, continue to prepare for the Durand Cup that starts on July 23. And while FC Goa have opted out of the season opener, they are likely to start pre-seasons next week because of the Asian Champions League 2 qualifier against Oman; Al-Seeb on August 13. 'It's considerate of FSDL to keep the clubs informed,' said Mandar Tamhane, CEO of NorthEast United FC. 'What they've communicated isn't entirely new to us. There's a difference between the league being put on hold and the season being cancelled. At NorthEast United FC, we are focused on preparing to defend our Durand Cup title and remain hopeful that there will be clarity soon.' Clubs being active on the transfer market is proof that Tamhane is not alone in thinking this way. Mohun Bagan are rumoured to have signed Punjab FC and India left-back Tekcham Abhishek Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan has reportedly returned to Bengaluru FC and East Bengal have renewed with PV Vishnu and bought players from I-League clubs. And it is not as if only Indian players are being signed. Mumbai City FC have announced the signing of Argentine Jorge Pereyra Diaz from Bengaluru FC.
New Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Selangor outcast Safuwan lands loan move to Sailors
KUALA LUMPUR: Unwanted by Selangor despite having a year left on his contract, defender Safuwan Baharudin has officially joined Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors on loan for the 2025-2026 season. Selangor confirmed the move with a brief social media post on Sunday. "Centre-back Safuwan Baharudin has officially joined Lion City Sailors (Singapore) on loan for the 2025/26 season. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter, Saf," read the statement. No further details were provided. The announcement ends weeks of confusion and speculation, following Timesport's report last month on what was dubbed the "curious case of Safuwan." The 34-year-old Singapore international had publicly claimed that he had been told he was no longer part of Selangor's first-team plans, and was later spotted training with the club's Under-23 squad in Shah Alam. Safuwan made history in 2015 as the first Singaporean to play in Australia's A-League, with Melbourne City. He has since become a familiar presence in the Malaysia Super League, having turned out for several clubs over the past decade. Now, he is eager to begin a new chapter with the Sailors, a move that reunites him with national teammates Hariss Harun, Hami Syahin, Lionel Tan and Shawal Anuar. "I'm very excited to be part of a team that's doing everything it can to raise the bar for Singapore football," said Safuwan in a statement. "I followed the club's run in last season's Asian Champions League 2 closely — it was truly inspiring for the country. The club's lofty ambitions are very much aligned with my own goals, and I'm ready to help us reach even greater heights this season."
New Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
DPMM FC to foot travel bill for Super League teams heading to Brunei
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Football League (MFL) has confirmed that DPMM FC will fully sponsor all Malaysian Super League teams travelling to Brunei during the 2025-2026 season. MFL acting chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said the sponsorship arrangement forms part of a key agreement between MFL and DPMM to ensure the smooth participation of the Brunei-based club in the M-League. Under the agreement, DPMM will cover all travel and accommodation expenses. The move mirrors the support the club previously extended to teams in Singapore's S-League. "One of the most important matters in our agreement with DPMM is this sponsorship," said Shazli after the launch of the official match ball for the 2025-2026 season on Saturday. "DPMM requested that it be implemented for the upcoming season, and they've confirmed Brunei will bear the cost." Shazli clarified that although DPMM will compete in the M-League, the club are not eligible to represent Malaysia in international club competitions - Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE), Asian Champions League 2 (ACL2) and Asean Club Championship (ACC). "If Brunei qualify, they will not represent Malaysia as a national slot holder," he said. At the event, MFL unveiled the official ball for the new season - the PUMA Orbita MFL 1. Shazli also announced that 12 teams have confirmed their home venues, with Darulmakmur Stadium in Kuantan identified as an alternative site should any team face last-minute issues. He revealed that Immigration FC have been given until Monday to confirm their venue, while MFL will travel to Brunei on July 10-11 for a special briefing with DPMM . "Our East Coast zone is settled. The Darulmakmur Stadium will serve as a backup venue if necessary," he said. The 13 teams who will play in the M-League next season are Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), Selangor, Penang, Kuching City, Sabah, Terengganu, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan Darul Naim, KL City, Police, DPMM, Melaka and Immigration.
