Early this year, AIFF had announced a ten-team Institutional League intended to to create more avenues for competition for footballers playing in PSUs, state departments, and police units. This has provoked conversation within the community in the country.
For many, the league will offer them a chance to play competitive football, showcasing their talents, while having the security of a job. For one man, who has benefitted from a similar structure, the announcement has jogged back memories.
“I was drafted into Kerala Police when I was a teenager,” IM Vijayan says. “It’s only after I played for Kerala Police that I went on to play for Mohun Bagan, JCT, East Bengal and all. My entire journey started with Kerala Police, who gave me a job, and a chance to play and show my game at high levels.”
Considered by many to be one of the greatest footballer India has produced, Vijayan, in a storied career, went on to win several titles, including two Federation Cups when he was part of the Kerala Police team.
“In my time the Kerala Police team was a legendary team,” Vijayan says. “We had Sathyan, Chacko, Sharaf, all great players. Playing with them really honed my skills too. I credit them with really kick starting my career and owe them a lot.”
Vijayan, currently the director of the Kerala Police Football Academy, believes the Institutional League will revitalise investment in department teams and benefit players in the long run.
“One of the big complaints by a lot of departments, including SBI, SBT, FCI, was that there were no tournaments and competitions for them to play in through the years,” VIjayan says. “They didn’t see the benefit of putting together a team just to be in training. This will encourage them to recruit more players also.”
The India legend believes that creating more avenues for game time, more tournaments and competitions will lead to greater and truer realisation of the Federation’s target of the roadmap ‘Vision 2047’.
“The truth is that not every footballer in the country is going to play the Hero ISL and the Hero I-League. But that doesn’t mean they do not deserve to play in tournaments, get game time, and employment for their skills. I’m glad that the Federation has taken this decision to launch the Institutional League, it will do a lot for young players who have sports quota jobs with different units. It will also encourage more to take up the sport knowing that they can play it and also gain employment through it.”
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