New Delhi: Uncertainty over the inaugural edition of India's Premier League Soccer (PLS) increased on Saturday when organisers disputed a claim from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that the competition had been cancelled.
The six-team league, featuring a host of international players in the twilight of their careers, was launched with the hope of replicating the success of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament.
However, denied grounds by the West Bengal state government, the PLS missed its original March 24 start and AIFF secretary general Kushal Das said the first edition had been shelved.
"It has been cancelled, this is what IFA (Indian Football Association) has told us," Das told Reuters....
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11:27 PM, Mar 31, 2012
New Delhi: Former England and Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler on Thursday raised doubts on the future of India's much awaited Premier League Soccer (PLS), which was postponed on Wednesday due to the unavailability of venues. Fowler is one of the semi-retired world stars hired to play in the lucrative six-team league in West Bengal. The 35-year-old Fowler has been bought by one of the franchises for $530,000. Former Argentina star...
08:24 PM, Feb 23, 2012
Kolkata: The much-awaited Premier League Soccer (PLS), which has already grossed over Rs 100 crore, has been postponed because of non-availability of grounds, according to an official. The organisers had earlier announced March 24 as the tentative date for launching the tournament, which has roped in famed soccer internationals like Fabio Cannavaro, Hernan Crespo and Robert Pires. "We are yet to get most of the grounds. The Indian Football Association...
11:49 PM, Feb 21, 2012
New Delhi: The much-anticipated Premier League Soccer (PLS) is likely to move out of West Bengal thanks to the state sports department's non-cooperative attitude, and offers have come from Kerala and Maharashtra to host the football tournament. It was learnt that the Bengal sports department has indicated that the venues may not be free to host matches if the tournament is held next month, with some sources even claiming that...
06:51 PM, Feb 17, 2012
New Delhi: It is not the mere presence of a few international stars but the organisational aspects of the Premier League Soccer (PLS), which would determine whether the much talked-about event turns out to be a boon or bane for Indian football, feels national team striker Sunil Chhetri. "The league is great, it's great that the likes of (Fabio) Cannavaro and (Hernan) Crespo are coming, but what's more important is...
12:04 AM, Feb 15, 2012
New Delhi: After raising apprehensions over the Premier League Soccer (PLS), the AIFF on Monday seemed to have soften its stand over the conduct of the cash-rich football tournament, saying that it just wants to ensure "good governance". The tournament, proposed to be held from March 24-May 6 in Bengal under the aegis of the Indian Football Association, had run into rough weather after the AIFF asked world body FIFA...
11:23 PM, Feb 13, 2012
Kolkata: The auction for the Indian players for the IFA-backed Premier League Soccer, scheduled to be held on Sunday, was postponed on Saturday. "The players' auction will not be held tomorrow. IFA wants to sort out the issues with the AIFF and then we will go on a full-fledged basis. Utpal Ganguli (IFA secretary) is going to New Delhi to sort this out (with AIFF)," Bhaswar Goswami of the Celebrity...
11:42 PM, Feb 11, 2012
New Delhi: The much-anticipated IPL-style Premier League Soccer (PLS) may reach a dead end, with the AIFF set to withdraw permission for conducting the tournament after its all-powerful Emergency Committee meeting on Monday. The tournament, proposed to be held from March 24-May 6 in Bengal under the aegis of the Indian Football Association, had run into rough weather after the AIFF asked world body FIFA to temporarily suspend the six...
08:47 PM, Feb 11, 2012
Kolkata; Organisers of the upcoming Premier League Soccer on Friday claimed that the tournament would go as per schedule amid reports that there was a fresh hurdle with AIFF suggesting to the FIFA that it stops the participating clubs from recruiting foreign players. Indian Football Association (IFA) secretary Utpal Ganguly conceded that the parent body had asked for some clarifications, but asserted there would not be any road blockade. Asked...
08:52 PM, Feb 10, 2012
Kolkata: The Rs 1.5 crore-prize money Premier League Soccer (PLS), that has already grossed over Rs 100 crore, is tentatively slated to begin March 24, with the final scheduled for May 6, the organisers said on Monday, while announcing Argentine 2006 World Cup skipper-Juan Pablo Sorin as the icon player of the Haldia franchisee. The franchisee, bought by the Grey Mind Communications, will be coached by former England star John...
11:58 PM, Feb 06, 2012
Kolkata: The much-anticipated Premier League Soccer (PLS) will kick off in West Bengal on March 24, with the final scheduled to be held on May 6, paving the way for a collision with the Indian Premier League. The likes of Fabio Cannavaro and Hernan Crespo, along with some of the world's renowned coaches, will arrive in the city early next month as the pre-season training will begin on March 3....
10:51 PM, Feb 06, 2012
Parma: Hernan Crespo has announced his departure from Parma, with the striker being tipped to complete a move to India within the next two weeks. In an emotional press conference on Thursday, the 36-year-old explained his decision to terminate his contract at the Ennio Tardini, but reiterated his love for the Serie A club, where he enjoyed great success in his career. "It's hard for me because I leave Parma...
03:22 PM, Feb 03, 2012
Kolkata: Former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo was the most expensive player in an auction on Monday for an inaugural Indian football league based on the successful Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament. The idea of a players' auction was borrowed from IPL, whose success has spawned numerous franchise-based leagues in other sports across the country. In a bid to make the game more attractive at the national level, the Indian...
01:50 PM, Jan 31, 2012
Kolkata: Premier League Soccer (PLS) is no EPL (English Premier League) or IPL (Indian Premier League) but the Indian tournament promises all the thrills and frills, bringing in football icon Baichung Bhutia and former Indian cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly on board. The Barasat franchise at the world players' auctions on Monday announced that Baichung will be their brand ambassador, while according to the buzz in the sports fraternity the 'Prince...
10:34 AM, Jan 31, 2012
An IPL-style auction will be one of the major attractions of the football extravaganza in Kolkata. ...
09:42 AM, Jan 31, 2012
Kolkata: World Cup-winning Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro will be one of the six icon players for the IPL-like Premier League Soccer, to be kicked off in the state from February 25. Besides the Italian defender, French World Cup winner Robert Pires, Argentina World Cup captain Juan Pablo Sorin, Argentine Olympic silver medalist Hernan Crespo, Nigerian stalwart Jay-Jay Okocha and English World Cupper Robbie Fowler will be the other icon players,...
11:35 PM, Jan 13, 2012
Kolkata: In a bid to make the game more attractive at the national level, the Indian Football Association (IFA) on Thursday launched Premier League Soccer (PLS) - which will have Portuguese midfielder Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro aka Maniche, winger Sergio Conceiao and many other world class foreign players turning up alongside Indians beginning mid-February. IFA, along with the officials of promoters Celebrity Management Group (CMG), on Thursday announced the...
08:22 AM, Dec 23, 2011
