New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF)’s decision to call footballers from the second division of the National Football League (NFL) clubs for the national camp and the subsequent delay in holding the final rounds of the NFL has invited sharp criticism from some of the affected clubs.

While Churchill Brothers have made it clear that they would not release their players (Jagdish Pappaiha and Thockhom Singh) for the Gwalior camp, Vasco and Ever-Ready have accused the federation of burdening the smaller clubs with additional expenses.

Churchill manager Denzil Ferrao said his club will not release the players before the final round is played. “What happens if they get injured in the camp or during the AFC tournament? We can’t take that risk.”

Among the 30 players called for the camp, 18 are currently playing in the first phase of the second division at Jamshedpur and Bangalore for Churchill, SBT, HAL, Ever-Ready and Tata Football Academy.

These players, according to AIFF general secretary Alberto Colaco, have been asked to report only after the completion of the first phase. “The final phase will be played in Bangalore in the last week of April”, he said.

The 16-nation AFC Challenge Cup in Bangladesh from April 1 to 16.

Vasco and Ever-Ready feel that the AIFF is not concerned about the welfare of smaller teams. “Had they finished the second division by the end of March, we could have saved some money,” said Ever-Ready official Alokesh Kundu. Now that it has been spilled over to May, we will have to spend a couple of lakhs more in case we qualify for the final rounds.”

A Vasco official, who did not wish to be named, said it was simply bad planning by the AIFF. “The second division teams have been made the scapegoats to save the premier division teams.”