Big haul for Odafa

Odafa was the most sought after player in the transfer market for the coming season but his decision to stick to his old club has ended all speculation. Churchill Brothers president Churchill Alemao confirmed that Odafa has signed on the dotted line for the 2009-2010 season,but refused to give details of the contract.

“Yes,he (Odafa) will stay with us for another season. As long as he is in India,he will not play for any other club. If he leaves,he will leave for Europe,” Alemao told The Indian Express.

Asked about the contract amount,he said he would not like to disclose the figure. “But what I can tell you is that he has agreed to stay for a lesser amount than what was doing the rounds. After all,this is the club that has made him a star. He has become a part of the family.”

Odafas worth it

Odafa has been the highest scorer on the domestic scene for the past three consecutive years. He has come a long way since he played as a defender for Mohammedan Sporting and was discarded after an ordinary season in 2003. Six years later,he has established himself as the most lethal striker in Indian football. His last year’s contract was for Rs 72 lakh.

“For a club run by a family it’s not easy to spend huge on team building. The recession has hit the Indian football market as well. But Odafa is different,” Alemao said.

But does the Nigerian merit an eight-figure annual contract? “Dempo coach Armando Colaco chose to remain non-committal on the issue. “It’s for the Churchill management to decide,” he said.

He,however,was a lot more forthright when asked if such huge pay packets for the players are a boost for Indian football. “An isolated example doesn’t a paradigm make. How many I-League clubs have the spending capacity? Will it be possible for Vasco or Air India to spend Rs 1 crore for just one player? And unless there’s a level playing field,you cannot say that Indian football has become truly professional,” Colaco said.