Kolkata: Everything seems hunky-dory now in the relationship between All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the clubs. India coach Khalid Jamil and the federation have thanked clubs for releasing players ahead of the FIFA window “at a time when they were fine-tuning their squads for the ISL season.”However, any lingering sense of bonhomie in the proverbial club-versus-country dispute could be a false dawn and the fragile truce between the federation and top-tier clubs is in danger of another breakdown over release of players for the next international window.India have twin assignments during the next window in Nov: Two friendlies against World Cuppers New Zealand and the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh, where India are defending champions. While release of players for the New Zealand assignment will not be an issue, clubs are in no mood to do th same for the SAFF Championship since it’s being played outside the window and overlaps with ISL fixtures.“During the meeting between clubs and Jamil, AIFF made it clear that the priority was the friendlies against New Zealand,” a senior official told TOI. “The friendlies are during the FIFA window (Nov 9-17). The govt is also involved and forms part of a series of sporting events to celebrate ‘100 Years of Unity Through Sport’ between both nations. For SAFF, the fixtures fall outside the window. There is a domestic calendar to be managed too. We are not sure how many clubs will send players and play their fixtures.”The SAFF Championship will be hosted in Dhaka from Nov 4 to 17. Chasing a record-extending tenth SAFF title, India begin their campaign against Maldives on Nov 5, before taking on Pakistan on Nov 11.However, the ISL has released fixtures with matches between Nov 5 and Nov 7. Ten of the 13 clubs will be involved in games when the SAFF Championship is in progress.During the meeting between CEOs of five ISL clubs and Jamil, a tentative probables list was shared for both assignments. While Jamil has named 34 probables for New Zealand friendlies, another list comprises 21 names. The seniors are travelling to New Zealand while a squad comprising under-23 players and reserves — those who don’t make it to the main squad from the 34 — will be on SAFF Championship duty.According to sources, there are players from nine clubs in the first list and ten in the second. Should the list remain untouched, Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC will have the maximum players among the probables.
