Players want a quick resolution to the current controversy: Sandesh Jhingan on ISL crisis

Sandesh Jhingan has been the cornerstone of the Indian football team’s defence for more than a decade. He made his debut for the national team in 2015 and has since earned over 60 caps and has also captained the team. Edited excerpts from his conversation with Nirmal John on the issues currently plaguing the ISL:

How do you view the current controversy as a player?
We want a quick resolution. We are going through something new right now. I’m just a footballer who’s waiting, hoping that this gets resolved soon, so that we can get back to playing. That’s what the country needs. We have very important games coming up in October for the national team, and we need to play to be match-fit and to give our best.

What is the impact of ISL?

I think every league, in a way, is judged on the basis of how well the country does internationally. The ISL started in 2014, and I remember our (Fifa) ranking back then was worse than 170. We were not in a great place. Since then, if you see the trajectory of the national team, we have played two consecutive AsianCups for the first time. Our ranking improved to 96. We had some big results. In that sense, I think we have done well, and ISL should get a lot of credit for it, as it really revolutionised Indian football and made it more professional.

Many clubs say they are making losses because players are overpaid.
In football, as in all parts of life, it is always about demand. Everyone’s gonna look out for themselves. You want to look out for your family. And you are gonna ask what you think you deserve. And if the player is good enough, he will sustain it. Whether you are paid right or not, it will be judged on the pitch, and you will get to know whether that player deserved it or not. That is how it is all over the world. Of course, there should be a budget limit (salary cap) so that everyone plays by the same rules. I understand what the owners are saying, because they are the ones putting the money. There should be an ecosystem where everything is sustainable. If players keep demanding crazy wages, it’s not sustainable. Budget limits and salary caps need to be followed strictly. Football in general should be made more sustainable. We want the ISL to be around for 100 years. The more sustainable it is for the clubs, the better it will be for players and the entire ecosystem of Indian football.

How will players take it if we end up with the worst-case scenario—no league this year?
It is going to be tough. At the end of the day, for players, this is our job—it brings food on our tables and sustains our families. It’s going to hit us the same way it hits every other human being when the office gets shut or when they lose their job. I hope we don’t come to that. I am worried that our national team will get affected as we have four important AFC qualifiers ahead of us in a short span of time.