I-League: Dempo SC heading for another title?

The fifth edition of the I-League, the Indian Professional Football League, it most likely the most closely fought season of the NFL/I-League since its foundation in late-1996 though at the top and bottom things are quite clear. Goans Dempo SC seem to be heading to regain their title from Salgaocar SC with a six point gap at the top with six matches to go. The reason is simple then Dempo have been the most consistent team in this I-League campaign with the other top clubs needlessly dropping points or taking points of each other.

At the other end of the table HAL from Bangalore are only on 7 points - 10 points adrift of Mumbai FC, who occupy the first non-relegation spot. From the start of the season HAL have looked like the top candidate to go down never really putting up a fight like last season. The newly put together Pailan Arrows are second from bottom, but the AIFF's Developmental team cannot go down so 12th placed Chirag United Kerala on 14 points are fighting for survival along with Mumbai FC in 11th position.

But otherwise it is a close affair. Take league leaders Dempo on 43 points out of the equation, from second placed Mohun Bagan on 37 points to Shillong Lajong FC in 10th position on 27 points there is only a gap of 10 points. A team like defending champions Salgaocar SC, who were in the bottom half of the I-League early on through an impressive series of wins have climbed upto third spot and are now one of the challenger for Dempo's, if the former champions drop enough points.

But there also a big worry. The general interest in the I-League is lower then in the past. Surely more matches are being covered by television, there is extensive coverage on the Internet, but the newspapers seem to be covering less and the general public not too much into football doesn't seem to be bothered. They are more fascinated by the upcoming PLS then the I-League. This should be an alarming sign to the AIFF and their marketing partners IMG-Reliance.

Currently the league is having a six week break for the preparatory camp and 2012 AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal with the I-League resuming on March 24 for the final six matches of the league.


Current I-League Table

#-- Team ------------------ P- W- D- L- GF-GA GD- PTS
01. Dempo SC -------------- 20 14-01-05 43-16 +27 43
02. Mohun Bagan AC -------- 20 11-04-05 38-26 +12 37
03. Salgaocar SC ---------- 20 10-06-04 29-15 +14 36
04. East Bengal Club ------ 20 10-05-05 34-18 +16 35
05. Pune FC --------------- 20 09-07-04 32-26 +06 34
06. Churchill Brothers SC - 19 10-04-05 30-19 +11 34
07. Prayag United SC ------ 20 08-08-04 29-20 +09 32
08. Sporting Clube de Goa - 20 08-06-06 41-35 +06 30
09. Air India ------------- 20 08-03-09 26-31 -05 27
10. Shillong Lajong FC ---- 20 07-06-07 17-27 -10 27
11. Mumbai FC ------------- 20 05-02-13 20-37 -17 17
12. Chirag United Kerala -- 19 04-02-13 17-31 -14 14
13. Pailan Arrows --------- 18 00-08-10 08-30 -22 08
14. HAL SC ---------------- 20 01-04-15 13-45 -32 07