Underlining the importance of Manipur as a footballing state, its Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh said he will go all out to ensure Neroca FC, currently second in the I-League, is part of the proposed one league that is expected to take shape by the next season. The country's premier club competition I-League, and the Indian Super League (ISL) have been running simultaneously from this season. The I-League, which replaced the National Football League (NFL) in 2007, ran into problems since the emergence of the franchise-based glitzy ISL in 2014. "When the two leagues are merged, Neroca should be part of it. There must be one team from Manipur. I will try to support them come what may," Biren Singh told IANS in an interview. "We have many clubs in Manipur. Neroca have done exceedingly well to qualify for the I-League," he said. The CM, however, expressed reservations that the government cannot back a private club wholeheartedly. "We will support them as much as we can. Our hands are also tied as we cannot support one private club to a great extent," he said. Cash-strapped Neroca's problem in taking part in one league is the steep participation fee of Rs 15 crore. Previously, I-League heavyweights East Bengal and Mohun Bagan had also vehemently opposed the participation fee idea and went to the extent of approaching West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who assured full support. Talking about Manipur football which has over the years given so many top footballers to the national team, men's and women's, the CM urged FIFA and AIFF to support their cause in promoting the sport in the state. "Manipur football has always been up there and we from the government are trying hard to promote the sport here. We want the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and FIFA to help us in our endeavour," said the 57-year-old, a former national-level footballer. Biren Singh, who is Manipur's first Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) CM, added that his long-term vision of having a regional football academy here might finally see the light of the day. "We have a lot of talent here and they need to be groomed. So now I had decided to have a regional academy. I have been proposing this since 2007 to the establishment. But nobody was supporting," he said. "But these days, I have already met Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Union sports minister) and the secretary of sports and the project has been revived again. I am planning to, if possible, when the Prime Minister will visit on 15th of March for Science Congress, lay the foundation stone of the regional football academy." IANS
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