Mumbai: The Indian Super League has decided to launch a new developmental league for the reserve sides from this season onwards.
According to reports, Nine teams have agreed to join the inaugural edition of the tournament. Eight teams from ISL will field their reserve teams in the league- ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Jamshedpur FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, and Hyderabad FC. As of now, SC East Bengal, North East United FC, and Odisha FC have not confirmed their participation in this season’s developmental league.
The ninth side will be a squad from the Reliance Foundation Young Champs. Since its inception back in 2015, the RFYC has done enough in nurturing talents to become the best academy in India. The development program gave its first batch of academy graduates in 2020 with 7 of them given professional contracts by ISL clubs. The notables are the likes of Muhammad Nemil (FC Goa), Thoi Singh (Bengaluru FC), and Ayush Chikara (Mumbai City).
While this new league will be the first of its kind in India, the concept of a developmental league is a very common one around Europe. Apart from England where Premier League has a separate Under 23 edition, other clubs usually place their reserves sides in their lower tiers of their respective domestic league system giving their youngsters to groom away from the spotlight.
For instance, Spanish giants Real Madrid have their reserves named Real Madrid Castilla who plays in the Spanish third tier, the Primera División RFEF while Dutch side Ajax has placed their reserves “Jong Ajax” in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier below Eredivisie.
Meanwhile, before this season’s ISL, the administrative body made it mandatory for their clubs to sign at least four developmental players (born after January 1, 2001) and to include two of them in the matchday squad.
However, with the demanding level of the football that is played in the league, most of these developmental players won’t get enough game time for their senior side, and that’s where the developmental league hands them an opportunity and other reserve team players to showcase their talent. As per sources, the developmental league might start in mid-February in Navi Mumbai, in a bio-secured bubble.
