Unity Cup: Mohun Bagan call back their players from India squad

Bengaluru: Mohun Bagan Super Giants players are unlikely to feature in the Unity Cup, making the likes of Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Vishal Kaith unavailable for the knockout tournament in London from May 26 to 30.

The abovementioned names, most of whom are a crucial part of the Indian line-up, have already been called back. The exclusion weakened the national team's chances at the four-nation tournament, which includes Jamaica, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. India are facing title holders Jamaica in the second semifinal on May 27.

Speaking to DH, the club on its part maintained that they had no objection to its players joining the national squad but would only allow them to do so during FIFA's international-match window, which opens on June 1. The management feels the players need time to recover after the season ended on May 21.

The club maintained a similar stance during the CAFA Nations Cup too, which was played last year in Tajikistan outside the FIFA window in August-September.

At the time of writing the report, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has not planned any replacement for the 28-man preliminary roster, now reduced to 22, while coach Khalid Jamil was supposed to trim down the squad to 23 players before the match.

The rest of the players assembled in Bengaluru over the last two days after the completion of the ISL season and took the flight to London in the early hours of Sunday.

Genius bid on hold

Meanwhile, the AIFF's Special General Meeting in Kolkata couldn't take a unanimous decision on approving the commercial rights bid, which included the biggest bid by UK-based Genius Sports (offering Rs 64.4 crore per year in a 15+5-year agreement).

On failing to reach a consensus, the AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, recommended that the matter be moved to the Executive Committee for a decision. The meeting was also attended by former AIFF chief Praful Patel, in the capacity of Western India Football Association representative, who also suggested the matter be moved to another SGM.

The failure to approve the deal comes a day after most of the ISL clubs, including Bengaluru FC, published a joint statement, requesting that no binding decision be taken on the matter during the SGM. The clubs have feared that the model suggested may not be financially sustainable for the clubs while adding that they can't commit to the league beyond the current season under the current circumstances.

The statement came out after the clubs failed to convince AIFF with their alternative model for commercial rights during meetings on Friday.

Under the model, clubs propose to hold the commercial rights and operate the league, while the revenue share will be in a 90-10 proportion (clubs-AIFF). The clubs, who also stated the same in a letter to AIFF, also ensured a yearly pay of Rs 14 crore while keeping Genius Sports as official data and technology partners. A source also claimed that Genius Sports is on board with the plan.

"The commercial rights matter has been referred to ExCo along with the letters submitted by the club. After they review all the proposals, ExCo will place them before the general body for approval," said an official.