ISL 2017/18: NorthEast United FC deny rumours that club is shutting shop
On February 13, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) conducted an introductory club licensing workshop for Indian Super League (ISL) clubs at the AIFF Headquarters, in the capital.
The workshop, where general secretary Kushal Das stressed on the ‘importance’ of the AIFF implemented Club Licensing process, was aimed to introduce the members to various criteria of club licensing including infrastructure, finance and other minute technicalities.
All the ISL clubs, barring NorthEast United FC, attended the workshop alongside members from the league Football Sports Development Limited (FSFL). The fact that NorthEast did not attend the workshop, coupled with their underwhelming performances over the years, sparked rumours of the club shutting shop sooner rather than later.
However, a NEUFC official confirmed to Sportskeeda that they will not be shutting down the club anytime soon. Asking people not to read much into the incident, he said that they could not attend the workshop simply because they had to organise a home match the very next day.
"We missed it because it was just one day before our home match. We're one of the clubs which do not have a huge number of officials. Organising the home match was a priority and so we could not make it to the workshop. We politely informed that we would not be able to make it," the officia said.
"It was not a compulsory event anyway and there will be many such events to come in the future. We will definitely attend all of them in the future," he added.
The official further said that there will not be any licensing issues in future for missing the workshop.
In the ongoing season the John Abraham-owned club have disappointed yet again and are languishing in the ninth position on the table with just 11 points from 15 matches. Marcinho and Seiminlen Doungel have been the only positives from this season.
The perennially underachieving club succumbed to yet another loss last night when they lost 0-1 to last boys, Delhi Dynamos, at home. While this season is all but over, they will be looking to come back stronger next season.