AIFF plan to rope in Indian origin footballers shelved

New Delhi, June 4 (UNI) The AIFF has shelved its ambitious plan to rope in footballers of Indian origin due to ''political'' complications, national coach Bob Houghton said today.

Hougton was ''quite enthusiastic'' about prospects of inducting Indian origin players to boost country's sagging football fortunes when he took over the reigns from Syed Nayeemuddin in June last year.

But, one year down the line, he admitted the project has been shelved and he is not pursuing the matter anymore.

''There are lots of good players of Indian origin in Canada, USA or England who are playing at top level not necessarily premier league but first division etc, but I now realise that it is a complicated matter,'' he said on a query at a media inetraction here.

''I had quite a few discussions with AIFF president (Priyaranjan Dasmunsi) but I have stopped thinking of it now. It is in the political realm,'' Houghton said.

UNI