Please reconsider Jamshedpur FC’s ISL withdrawal: AIFF chied Chaubey appeals to Tata group

All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey has urged the Tata group to reconsider its “shocking” decision of withdrawing Jamshedpur FC from the embattled Indian Super League (ISL).

The Tata group has made it clear that JFC’s exit from the ISL was a long-planned strategic decision to ensure that the company returns to its core ideal of grassroots football development. Tata Steel vice President (Corporate Services) D.B. Sundara Ramam has also insisted that the move has “nothing to do” with the uncertainty surrounding the ISL’s commercial future and would not be reconsidered.

However, Mr. Chaubey said the AIFF would still hope for a rethink by the legacy corporate house.

“AIFF would be happy if Tata remains in football, especially in senior top tier football. If an AIFF request or application can change their mind…the AIFF would like to appeal that for the interest of the players and football, Tata should remain in the senior football league,” Chaubey told PTI in an interview.

“The AIFF welcomes any suggestion (from them) and is ready to incorporate the suggestions to ensure the best outcome,” he said.

Tata Steel has assured that Jamshedpur FC will honour all existing player contracts and help footballers find new clubs.

The AIFF president said he has faith in Tata group and its decisions cannot be driven by commercial interests.

“It’s all about, I think, some decision in the boardroom. And I’m sure there are reasons, but it cannot be for ₹1.1 crore participation fee or management fee. It is not that. When the board decided to withdraw the senior team from the top-tier league, I am sure they had a reason for taking this harsh decision.

“They are aware of the football fans’ reaction, but I assume this cannot be only a financial decision because Tata has many enterprises and businesses,” he observed.

The former India goalkeeper said he has immense respect for the group’s contribution to the sport’s growth through the Tata Football Academy that has been in operation since 1987. Chaubey too has trained in that facility during his playing days.

“We have seen many corporates become very prominent over the last few decades, but we have also seen many corporates go bankrupt thereafter. But Tata is different. It has gained that respect, earned that respect among Indians,” he noted.

“Tata will never consider sports merely as a medium for business, revenue generation, profit, or loss. They have done so much for Indian sport. They have invested in archery and several other areas, and in football, I think most of the youth development system has come through the Tata Football Academy,” the former India player added.

Chaubey recalled how the academy survived a financial crisis in the ’90s.

“…it was rumoured that TFA would be closed down, the Archery Academy would start, the Engineer Hostel would start, and the Cricket Academy would start. Many rumours were there.

“But since we won two tournaments in Germany and the Netherlands at the junior level, it became a headline in London. So officers from the London Tata office came and met us. They gave us incentives, PK Banerjee and Ranjan Choudhury were the coach and technical director. So that’s how the Tata Football Academy continued, which was supposed to be closed down in 1992,” he revealed.

Mr. Chaubey fondly recalled his association with the Tata Academy as a cadet player.

“I learned football through Tata Football Academy. Since 1987 till date, nearly 275 or more player have graduated from TFA. I am also one among them and perhaps Renedy Singh and myself served the longest period in the Tata Football Academy,” he said.