Kolkata-based Pailan Group likely to take over Indian Arrows

June 6th, 2011 - 8:13 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Kolkata-based Pailan Group is likely to buy the All India Football Federation (AIFF)-owned Indian Arrows team, which was formed last year to prepare the national team for the 2018 World Cup.

Pailan Group and Pune-based industrialist Vishwajeet Kadam, owner of deemed university Bharati Vidyapeeth University, were in the running to take over the club, which had run into financial problems.

A top official in the AIFF told IANS that the Pailan Group is the frontrunner to buy Indian Arrows and a decision would be taken at the end of this week.

“The AIFF was impressed with the Pailan’s proposal and also the infrastructure that they are providing for the team. Indian Arrows is a very serious project and Pailan Group are serious to take it forward,” said the official on the condition of anonymity.

The Arrows, comprising mostly under-21 players, was formed last year to prepare them for the 2018 World Cup and as a first step they have been fielded in the elite I-League.

The AIFF was struggling to maintain the team within its Rs.7 crore annual budget as it shells out Rs.11 lakh a month as rent for the self-contained resort where the players are lodged in Gurgaon. And each player gets paid between Rs.20 lakh-Rs.25 lakh a year. Domestic carrier Indigo picked up tabs for air travel of the team for I-League matches.

Despite their inexperience, the club, coached by Englishman Desmond Bulpin, has done reasonably well in their debut season.

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