I-League: New entrant Neroca FC wants to follow Manchester United model

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New Delhi, May 24: The sleeping giants of Indian football are waking up! It was seven years ago when Lajong FC became the first team from North-East to become eligible for the elite I-League.

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After seven long years, Aizawl FC created history this year to become first club from North-East India to clinch I-league title.

Now, another club from the North-East, Neroca FC, has qualified for the prestigious I-league for the next season.

Neroca is the premier club from Manipur which ensured its berth in the elite I-league in the next season by winning second division I-league this season.

With a triumph against Lonestar FC from Jammu & Kashmir on Monday (May 22) Neroca has already been through to the elite I-League.

The club was formed in 1965, but it has made itself professional by reforming the administrative structure. Neroca FC is a private limited club for last two years.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naoba Thangjam, speaking about the club's future plans over phone from New Delhi said, “Most of the clubs, after earning status to play n the elite I-league seem to be busy in building up a stronger side which can compete against the strong teams in I-League. But we are thinking in a different way.

"In our last board meeting, the directors had one principal agenda that how the club will sustain amidst such a crude professional world. It will not be possible to run the show from only gate sale of our home matches in the I-League. It will also not be possible for us to match the expenditure of the club from merchandises only," Thangjam added.

"We have planned to follow the model of world's top clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Liverpool. That is to enter the business world under the club's banner which is essential in the market."

Neroca FC already has a hotel business all over Manipur. Now, they are planning to enter trading world of garments, mineral water, travel-bags.

According to the club's CEO, all these products will have logo of Neroca. They will be marketed all over India in due course and the earnings will be invested into the development of club's football and youth development programme.

OneIndia News