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Aizawl FC - From Grassroots to Limelight

Aizawl FC after winning the I-League 2016-17.
Football in India is on a developing stage. With Football leagues happening in the Nation gradually India is on the pursuit to become a football crazy nation. The I-League finale of 2017 has witnessed something unexpectable, Aizawl FC emerged the Champion , the first such North - East Club to be so. 

The Journey from rags to riches in terms of achievements and finance has been huge. At the end of the last I-League season, Aizawl FC were relegated despite finishing one place above bottom-placed DSK Shivajians. That's because the Pune-based club had relegation immunity due to having a direct entry into the I-League. Aizawl FC's relegation was mourned in the North East football lovers. The fans were disheartened.  Just because the DSK entered the I-League with money and facilities it didn't mean they had to pay the price. For the Mizoram-based club, it was a phase of deformity like this, after years of battling it out in the 2nd division. After relegation, Aizawl FC went on to win over the champions, Bengaluru FC twice in the Federation Cup .They reached the final - a historic achievement. There were pleas from then coach Jahar Das to bring Aizawl back in the I-League fold. 
AIzawl club president Robert Royte, once stated that Aizawl's budget is among the "two lowest budgets in the I-League."According to a source that it's just around Rs 3.5 crore for the entire season. The club's highest paid player is "not on more than Rs 2-3 lakh per month." In contrast, Bengaluru FC's annual budget is between Rs 20-30 crore.
With the coming of Khalid Jamil - the former Mumbai FC coach the team started performing marvelously. Aizawl were second in the table with 12 games played and just a point behind leaders East Bengal. They've won 8, drawn 2 and lost 2. They've already scored 16 goals and let in just 9. In comparison, they scored 15 goals in the entire last season. Their season tally of 26 points was 10 more than what they had in 16 games last year. 
And now this win in the I-League 2017 will be the biggest turning point in the history of North Eastern football and that too in a league with such disrupted financial and populous issues. Ideas Sports Management wishes Aizawl FC such great victories in the days to come and proceed in forming a culture of good football all over the Nation.


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