Pronay Halder, Albino Gomes say closure will hurt Indian football
New Delhi: India internationals Pronay Halder and Albino Gomes on Monday urged the Tata Group to reconsider its decision to pull Jamshedpur FC out of the Indian Super League (ISL), saying the club’s closure would be a setback for young footballers and Indian football.
Jamshedpur FC announced on Friday that it was withdrawing from the ISL after missing the deadline to pay the participation fee for the season beginning September 4. The club also decided to dismantle its senior team.
“It was shocking news for me. I didn’t expect the Tata Group to make such a decision. It is my humble request that they change their decision and participate in the ISL because this is a huge platform for an entire generation,” Halder said.
The India midfielder said Jamshedpur FC had become “an emotion” for him and highlighted its role in producing players for the national team.
Gomes, whose India debut came during his stint with the club, said, “I just want to appeal to the Tata Group to reconsider their decision. This isn’t about one year or two years, it’s about the future of Indian football.” He added that the decision had left the players “completely shocked” and credited the club for reviving his career
after injury.
Young midfielder Nikhil Barla, a Tata Football Academy graduate, also appealed to the management to reverse its decision, saying Jamshedpur FC had shaped his career and its closure would be heartbreaking for home-grown players.
