'Resolve ISL issues, introduce promotion and relegation': Armando Colaco on need of the hour in Indian football

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Former India head coach Armando Agnelo Colaco believes the need of the hour for Indian football is to resume the Indian Super League and also believes the introduction of promotion and relegation will further incentivise teams to improve their overall game.

The 2025/26 ISL season was put on hold with the AIFF and FSDL coming to a standstill in regards to their Masters Right Agreement (MRA). The Supreme Court has now directed the football governing body to bring a new commercial partner on board, while the Super Cup will now kick the season off in October.

"We need to quickly resolve the issue surrounding the ISL so that our club football, which is the feeder for the national team, gets back on track. We also need to ensure more game time for the players and to have a dedicated roadmap for both the men’s and women’s team to progress through the international rankings.

"Logistics, planning and greater commitment from all stakeholders is key to future success. We also need to resolve our I-league and ISL issues, and introduce the relegation and promotion format in the ISL, that will incentivise clubs in I-League as well as the ISL to improve their overall game, strategies and tactics.

“Infrastructure and taking the game to the masses is extremely important to be able to tap the right talent and to develop a football-supportive culture. School and college level tournaments are not really happening and if focus is laid on the same, there will be an entirely new layer of development that will help feed the system on top,” Colaco told IANS, in an Interaction facilitated by Vedanta Limited.

Colaco is an acclaimed player-turned coach who has had the honour of coaching the Indian team in 2011. His coaching stint with Sesa Goa during the 2019-20 season was marked with formidable progress as a side with a balanced defence and attack. He is the first ever Goan to have been conferred with the Dhronacharya Award for lifetime achievement in football.

The Sesa Football Academy has been set up to build and nurture the dreams of the youth in the mining belt and the Academy has done a tremendous job in this regard. Over 230 players have graduated over the years and thousands more have been supported through camps, tournaments and clinics. It is the only academy of its kind in Goa and has helped nurture not only the state level football but also provided so many players for the ISL and the Indian team.

In this regard, Sesa Goa has had a rich tradition of supporting Goan youth & transforming them into elite sportspersons. Through various initiatives, the Company has fuelled the flight of some of the biggest names in Goan football and sports such as Denzil Franco, Adil Khan, Pratesh Shirodhkar, Glan Martins, Micky Fernandes, Bruno Colaco, Jovel Martin, Godwin Franco, Augustin Fernandes, Rowilson Rodrigues, Gabriel Fernandes, are household names in Goan football and are all alumni of the Sesa Football Academy who have not only had illustrious club careers but have also represented India at various levels.

Colaco took the time to explain the incredible work being done at the SFA.

“Vedanta has through its Sesa Football Academy in Goa created a tremendous infrastructure for developing football. With this the platform is set for taking the academy structure to the next level. I have been involved with the SFA at both its Sankhli and Sirsaim complexes and the difference that the set up made to the boys coming through the system was tremendous,” Colaco explained.

--IANS

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