Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos bids adieu to ISL, won't feature next season
Mumbai: On the eve of the first leg of the semifinal clash against FC Goa, Brazilian legend and marquee player-cum-manager of Indian Super League (ISL) team Delhi Dynamos, Roberto Carlos revealed he will not feature in the ISL next season.
“I won’t be coming back to ISL next season as I have got a better offer from another club. This is football. You get better offers and you leave. I won’t be able to tell you which one it is. You will all know,” Carlos, who was considered as one of the best left backs in the history of the sport said on Thursday.
Speaking exclusively to this correspondent, President of Delhi Dynamos Prashant Agarwal, also a close friend of the Brazilian star, said 42-year-old Carlos, who played in three World Cups for Brazil, helping the team reach the final in 1998 in France and win the 2002 tournament in Korea, will continue to be a manager going ahead.
“Roberto wants to continue being a manager when the ISL ends. This is why he is willing to accept offers from across the globe to give him an offer, typically a proper season contract, and not just a four-month contract,” he said.
Agarwal also mentioned that in order to rope in world famous stars to Indian fields, the ISL has to prolong for a longer duration. “For me, not only Roberto but everybody in life has a better future. ISL is just a four-month stint. After that people are having literally nothing ahead to do. If ISL has to grow in future, then we can think of a long term contracts,” he said.
“I respect his decision and from where he comes from. It is in the best interest of him. These contracts are seasonal,” he added.
It is reliably learnt that the Delhi side is busy embroiled in resolving internal issues as opposed to focusing on field. Reports had it earlier that Carlos was having a hectic time engaging in negotiations with the club management over contractual payments.
Close sources also say that there is a difference of interpretation of gross and net wages. However, Agarwal, who was also an advisor and an agent to some ISL clubs in the first season, slammed such stories as untrue.
“I don’t know where and who is getting this information and why are these enemies trying to spoil the camp over here. I’m unaware about what exactly this is. We are here today because there are no differences and no issues. We want to warn all those elements and individuals who are keeping a bad eye on Delhi Dynamos from the beginning,” Agarwal asserted.
The former Galactico, who was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 1998 and 2002, has certainly enjoyed his time at the club.
“Roberto Carlos considered Delhi Dynamos as a school where he wanted to learn things and at the same time he wanted a platform such as the ISL because in today’s football world, ISL is one of the fourth largest platform. He has proved himself and has been a man with many laurels in his life,” he said.
On being quizzed if the club’s management have thought about a replacement for Carlos, Agarwal said, “Right now, our concentration is to win the ISL championship and then we shall concentrate on who should be our coach for the next season.”
Carlos is the second-highest capped Brazilian player with 125 appearances and scored 11 goals. He has won the 2002 World Cup as well as the 1997 and 1999 editions of Copa America. He is amongst the few players to have won the Champions League thrice with Real Madrid.
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