Telangana: No Hyderabad team in ISL, stalwarts disapointed

Hyderabad FC's move to Delhi disappoints local football stalwarts Shabbir Ali and Victor Amalraj. The decision is a blow to Telangana's young talent, diminishing their ISL dreams and Hyderabad's football legacy felt many

Hyderabad: Apna Hyderabad’ will not be there in ISL!

Well, that can be the biggest loss for the football fans from Telangana, more so from Hyderabad which was once the ‘Mecca’ of Indian football with the decision of HFC to move its base from the City to Delhi.

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Former stalwarts from the City, Shabbir Ali and Victor Amalraj were clearly disappointed with the development.

Echoing this sentiment, former India captain Shabbir said the HFC had instilled a lot of hope in the young talent across the State because of its presence in the ISL.

“This will be a huge blow for the youngsters. With HFC there, they were always chasing a dream for sure. But, not any amore. It is a very sad development, I am surprised. I don’t know how long it will take for a Hyderabad team to figure in the ISL again,” Shabbir informed ‘Telangana Today’ .

The 69-year-old Shabbir, also first footballer to get the prestigious Dhyan Chand Award, confessed that the standard of football is still not that high in Hyderabad and other centres of Telangana to merit someone’s selection by a club in the ISL.

“But, HFC and Sreenidi Deccan FC (which competes in the I-League) were no doubt an inspiration for many here,” he said.

“Honestly, I loved the way former head coach of HFC Manolo Marquez did his job, especially giving young faces so many opportunities and importantly showing them a way to make it to the Indian team,” Shabbir said.

For his part, another former India captain and midfielder Victor Amalraj, who had the rare distinction of leading all three famous clubs (East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting) in the Kolkata League in 70s and 80s, points out that that feeling of nostalgia will not be there anymore in ISL for the Hyderabadis.

“To put it simply, we Hyderabadis don’t have a team to be associated and identified in ISL. This is disappointing,” he said.

“This especially after the State Government, the AIFF, Sreenidhi Group and the TFA doing so much for the game in the recent past by way of hosting FIFA Friendly, 3-Nation Soccer and the Santosh Trophy in the City,” Amalraj said. “There is something wrong somewhere but I am optimistic of things taking a turn for the good,” he said.

“Yes, there were no local players in the HFC but it did make an impact by its sheer presence in ISL,” Amalraj said.