GUWAHATI, Nov 22 � Celebrity Management Group (CMG), a leading event management organization of the country, has proposed to set up the North East Premier League (NEPL) from next year onwards.
Disclosing this here today, All India Football Federation (AIFF) vice-president and convener of NEPL Ankur Dutta said AIFF has already given the go ahead signal to the organisers. Dutta said he had submitted the proposal and AIFF agreed to the concept. After getting the green signal, he approached the Kolkata based CMG, which was instrumental in bringing Maradona and Argentina-Venezuela international soccer friendly to Kolkata, which readily agreed to support the NEPL.
Presenting the whole project, CMG managing director, Bhaskar Goswami said it will be an eight team event. Apart from top teams of the seven States, the second best team of the region will be picked for the championship which will last for nine weeks during which 61 matches will be played, informed Goswami. All the teams will play in home and away basis. After the league phase among two groups, top two teams will qualify for the semifinals. No official teams like ASEB, Assam Police, etc., will be allowed as the participating teams have to be private clubs.
The vision behind the competition is to give exposure to the talented players of this region as all the matches will be telecast live. Players and teams will also be benefited with lucrative offers.
Goswami further mentioned that teams may include three overseas players and it will be mandatory to put six players of U-21 years.
The NEPL is likely to start after the ongoing I-League which is scheduled to be completed by March next. Goswami clarified that the tournament will be run by a governing council and no State associations or clubs will be allowed to conduct the matches.
