New Delhi : Former India head coach Armando Agnelo Colaco believes Indian football urgently needs to resume the Indian Super League (ISL) and introduce promotion and relegation to incentivize clubs to improve their overall game.
The 2025/26 ISL season paused due to a standstill between the AIFF and FSDL over the Masters Right Agreement (MRA). The Supreme Court has now instructed the football governing body to bring a new commercial partner on board, while the Super Cup will kick off the season in October.
“We need to quickly resolve the ISL issues so that club football, which feeds the national team, gets back on track. We also need to provide more game time for players and establish a roadmap for both men’s and women’s teams to climb the international rankings,” Colaco said.
He added, “Logistics, planning, and commitment from all stakeholders are key to future success. Resolving I-League and ISL issues and introducing a relegation-promotion system in the ISL will motivate clubs in both leagues to enhance their strategies and tactics. Infrastructure and taking the game to the masses are critical to discovering talent and building a football-supportive culture. School and college-level tournaments are largely missing, and focusing on them will create a new development layer feeding the system at the top.”
Colaco, an acclaimed player-turned-coach, led the Indian team in 2011. During his 2019-20 stint with Sesa Goa, he balanced defense and attack to achieve formidable progress. He became the first Goan to receive the Dronacharya Award for lifetime achievement in football.
The Sesa Football Academy (SFA) nurtures youth in the mining belt, producing over 230 graduates and supporting thousands more through camps, tournaments, and clinics. The academy has supplied numerous players to the ISL and the Indian team, maintaining a rich tradition of developing elite football talent.
Through SFA, Vedanta has created world-class infrastructure for football development in Goa. Colaco said, “I have worked with the SFA at both the Sankhli and Sirsaim complexes, and the setup has made a tremendous difference for the boys progressing through the system.”
Several alumni, including Denzil Franco, Adil Khan, Pratesh Shirodhkar, Glan Martins, Micky Fernandes, Bruno Colaco, Jovel Martin, Godwin Franco, Augustin Fernandes, Rowilson Rodrigues, and Gabriel Fernandes, have had illustrious club careers and represented India at various levels.
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