‘Convert Santosh into NFL’

So what will the clubs — with their increasing quota of foreigners — do? ‘‘The clubs will play all the other tournaments through the year’’, says Nayeem. ‘‘The foreigners can play there. Local talent has to be tapped.’’

The simplistic theory is, of course, riddled with flaws. One being the fact that FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (who pushed the AIFF into introducing the NFL in 1996-97 before it was really prepared) have always given preference to club-based national leagues. And used their funding as the carrot for such leagues to be set up.

A possibility not lost on Colaco. ‘‘That (the AFC/FIFA angle) is something we have in mind’’, he told The Sunday Express. ‘‘But there are bigger problems. What will happen to the players? The logistics? What about our calendar? What happens to the clubs? It’s a sensible idea but we can’t take a decision without solving all that.’’

The most obvious question is, who’ll show Indian football the money? Big money came into Indian football only after the NFL was introduced. Will the corporates continue to finance Indian football if the format is changed?

Former India forward Bikash Panji, currently East Bengal’s assistant coach, dismisses Nayeem’s idea on those very grounds. ‘‘This won’t be difficult, I think it’ll be impossible.’’

While Colaco says that the question of finances is topmost on their agenda (if the option is to be explored), a senior current Indian footballer says he — and presumably others like him — would consider not playing the NFL and concentrate on club competitions if money becomes an issue.

Nayeem’s plan is aimed primarily at the north-east states, which have no club structure but do well in the Santosh Trophy. Panji’s counter to that: ‘‘Players from those areas still get a chance with clubs from Bengal and Goa. And just to bring in all the states, we don’t need to change the structure followed across the world’’.

The ball is now with Colaco and the AIFF. Will they shoot to score or pass it back?