Professional League in line with J-league, Bundesliga

Kolkata, Feb 26 (UNI) India will soon have a professional league on the lines of J-League of Japan and Bundesliga of Germany.

''We are moving firmly on the path to establishing professional league. We will do it by next year end,'' AFC Technical Committee member Prasun Banerjee told UNI.

''The FIFA officials are coming again, later this year and have promised us all the support we need,'' he said.

''The professional league is being structured in the patterns of J-League and Bundesliga. Clubs like Mahindra United, Dempo SC, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are almost prepared to jump into the format.

We hope to get the others soon,'' he said.

Mr Banerjee said contrary to the popular belief that nothing is happening in football, a flurry of activities are in place and the results will be there soon.

Project GOAL is in place and the development of youth programmes are also in line. Five centres, including Manipur, have been identified for FIFA projects, he added.

Early this month, the AFC and FIFA officials had made a tour of the country to assess the situation for introducing the professional league here.

UNI