Cup football is the flavour of the month, and in India all the more so as the Kalinga Super Cup begins on January 9 in Odisha and ends on January 28. Yes, the national team are in action during the AFC Asian Cup at the same time, which raises plenty of questions about the importance being afforded to what is on paper at least, India's premier cup competition.
So why is this taking place over 19 days mid-season?
In short, a compressed footballing calendar. Ever since its inception as a replacement for the Federation Cup, the Super Cup has been a month-long (ish) tournament. It's usually been a post-season affair, but with the AFC Asian Cup complicating the football schedule this season, the Super Cup has been moved to January.
However, with all eyes on India's fortunes in Qatar at the 2024 AFC Asian Cup, and with India's best players plying their trade there, one could argue the sheen's been taken off this tournament. Yes, the AIFF have relaxed the foreign player rule (now up to six, from four) in a bid to ease the pain of club's taking part without their best domestic players, but nonetheless, there remains the feeling that this tournament is a bit of an afterthought, a formality.
Is the competition actually a formality?
If it looks, walks and quacks like a duck... The 12-team Indian Super League does not meet AFC's minimum criteria of games - a scenario that's overcome with the addition of Durand Cup and Super Cup games. Coupled with it being forced into a mid-season window, where there will be precious fewer eyeballs, it does seem like the Super Cup exists to tick a few boxes on a checklist.
The organization of the tournament also reeks of indifference, especially as the opening game, between East Bengal FC and Hyderabad FC, takes place on the training pitch of the Kalinga Stadium, after a late change. Imagine if the FA Cup fixture between Arsenal and Liverpool took place at London Colney instead of a packed Emirates, and you have the absurdity of the situation. Especially since East Bengal bring with them sizeable travelling support, and 'Kalinga Stadium - Pitch 1' to give it its official name, cannot accommodate them.
The AIFF's recent organizational gaffes have left many managers upset, with FC Goa boss Manolo Marquez telling Times of India, "I love this country after four seasons here, but there are things that I still don't understand. You cannot change rules every week. First four foreigners, then six. First games in another stadium, then another (training) pitch close to the Kalinga. These things you cannot plan at the last moment." "How is it possible that the second leg fixtures (of ISL) are still not out... We need to plan."
What about the actual football?
Indian football never disappoints, and there are plenty of matters rumbling throughout the clubs. Chief amongst those will be Antonio Habas' return to the touchline for Mohun Bagan, after Juan Ferrando's mid-season departure. The club have already won silverware this season with the Durand Cup, and Habas will be keen on beginning his new spell with a trophy.
Not-so-similarly, Jamshedpur FC also welcome Khalid Jamil back to India's top-flight footballing scene, and it'll be interesting to see if he can turn around the fortunes of the club. There isn't a manager better at fostering an underdog spirit, and JFC could thrive under his tutelage.
Hyderabad FC, reportedly having reached the brink of financial meltdown (not hard to guess given the spate of players and coaches terminating their contracts), apparently have fresh investment and may even employ a recently-fired coach.
On the 30th of December 2023, I legally terminated my contract with Hyderabad FC. I would like to say thank you to the Club's supporters, who were extremely understanding during my time at the Club, and to those players who always gave their best for the good of the group.
- Conor Nestor (@Conornestor17) January 1, 2024
Wait, that's not actual football
Ah well, FC Goa ought to be favourites on the pitch, with the ISL table-toppers purring with their recent form. They may not be disproportionately affected with three Indian players missing (Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes and Sandesh Jhingan). Mumbai City have supplied six players to the national team squad, five of whom regularly feature in the starting XI, so Petr Kratky might have his work cut out.
Kerala Blasters' style of play under Ivan Vukomanovic this season seems tailor-made for cup competitions, and even the absence of Pritam Kotal, Ishan Pandita, Rahul KP and Adrian Luna might be overcome as they aim for their first-ever trophy at the national level. Defending champions Odisha FC are a match for any team on their day, with Sergio Lobera aiming to feel silverware in his hands once more. Bengaluru FC and East Bengal might also thrive in a cup competition, especially as they are not as affected as Mohun Bagan, who supply seven players to Igor Stimac's squad.
With the ISL clubs not necessarily at full strength, we could also see one of the I-League quartet of Gokulam Kerala, Sreenidi Deccan, Shillong Lajong and Inter Kashi spring a surprise. Which would be perfectly in keeping with the strange nature of this tournament.
So, who's playing who?
Well, there are definitely some big games to look forward to in the group stage. There's a Kolkata derby, a Hyderabad derby, a rematch of last year's Super Cup final, so there are some intriguing storylines waiting to be written.
Group A: Mohun Bagan Super Giant, East Bengal, Hyderabad FC, Sreenidhi Deccan
Group B: Kerala Blasters, NorthEast United, Jamshedpur FC, Shillong Lajong
Group C: Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC, Punjab FC, Gokulam Kerala
Group D: FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, Odisha FC, Inter Kashi
The 2024 Super Cup will be telecast on the Sports18 network and streamed live on JioCinema.