'ISL is adulterated competition': Antonio Habas hits out at AIFF after Manolo Marquez's criticism

Inter Kashi coach Antonio Habas has become the latest Indian Super League (ISL) manager to hit out at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) over scheduling. Earlier, FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez had slammed the Indian football body for scheduling gaps of two to three matches between teams.

After his press conference remarks were omitted from the official preview, Manolo Marquez hit back by labelling the All India Football Federation a ‘dictator’.

Habas, who won the ISL with ATK in 2014 and 2020, criticised AIFF after his team Inter Kashi suffered a 3-2 loss to NorthEast United FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.

Kashi's Habas slams AIFF

The match was initially scheduled to be played at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata as a home fixture for Inter Kashi, reported Khel Now. However, the venue was changed to Guwahati at the eleventh hour. While Kolkata is also not Inter Kashi’s actual home base, the sudden shift meant Antonio Habas’ side had to undertake a gruelling 12–13 hour journey, arriving in Guwahati around 18 hours before kick-off.

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Habas was livid with the AIFF and ISL schedule as he said that the league has been “adulterated” and claimed that the organisers are trying to favour a few teams.

“Where is our home? I don’t know," Habas was quoted as saying by Khel Now. "To come here, 12 to 13 hours of travel yesterday, go to the hotel at 12 o’clock in the night and play today. How is this possible when it’s a match for playing in my home? This is adulterated competition. How do some teams play four matches away and nine matches home? How is this possible? In what league did that happen? In what league happened that?”

“I trained in South America, in South Africa, in Spain, in La Liga, and here, I never saw one similar thing like here. Never. How is this possible? It’s impossible.

"Do you understand, for example, that Real Madrid plays one match at the Bernabeu and then plays on another pitch? It’s stupid. After that, all the time talking about how we are serious, professionals. Why professional and serious? Why? It’s not possible. Because the action is absolutely abstract. It’s surreal that,” added Habas.

Meanwhile, Inter Kashi are eighth in the 14-team ISL points table. They have 11 points from 10 matches. Jamshedur FC lead the table with 21 points from 11 games.