The coach of newly crowned I-League champions Dempo SC, Armando Colaco on Wednesday said he would write to the All India Football Federation to allow his side’s national players (selected for the preparations of 2011 Asian Cup) to take part in the next season’s AFC Cup.
Colaco said Dempo, who will be one of the two Indian teams to take part in the AFC Cup next season, want to do well in the AFC Cup and for that he needs the seven players from his side, who would be in the national camp from June to January next year.
“We have gained experience in AFC Cup by playing for some time and we are the only Indian team to reach semifinals of the AFC Cup. Now that we have qualified again after winning the I-League we will concentrate ourselves to win it,” said Colaco.
“But with AIFF saying that all players selected for the Indian team for the 2011 Asian Cup will be not allowed to play for their resepective clubs in any tournament for eight months, this will hinder our prospects in the AFC Cup as we have seven of our players in the national team,” he said.
“The national team is not kept together for such a long period anywhere around the world, even the ones playing in the upcoming World Cup are still playing for their clubs” Colaco said. — PTI