Football legend IM Vijayan hails weekend-centric ISL schedule

Former Indian team skipper IM Vijayan has lauded the new ISL schedule of the tournament. The matches will be held from Thursday to Sunday and Vijayan reckons it will be beneficial for both fans as well as the players.

The Indian legend reckons it will increase interest among football aficionados and it will be good for the league. Football Sports Development Limited recently announced the schedule of the league and the ninth edition will begin on October 7.

“Having one or two games at the end of the week is better for the fans and the team. As all the teams are playing in their respective time slots, the fans will get a better opportunity to enjoy well. The excitement among the fans will also increase. The players will also get enough rest,” Vijayan said in a release as quoted by PTI.

As per the new schedule, all 11 clubs will play their respective 20 league stage matches within 21 weeks.

“It is time for India to position itself better progressively in Asian football. A European-style approach to the calendar will benefit Indian football, regional football, and all sectors of the people who depend upon football for their livelihood. It will inspire the young generation who dream of playing football professionally,” he said,

“I have talked about this before. Players will get more opportunities and time to play. Longer seasons with adequate rest at regular intervals is always better. It can mold a generation of strong football players,” the legend added.

The opening match of the Hero ISL 2022-23 season will begin when Emami East Bengal will face Kerala Blasters FC on October 7 in Kochi.

Meanwhile, the upcoming season of Indian football will be long and it will give more recovery time to the players between the matches. Furthermore, the weekend matches will help in increasing the viewership of the tournament.