The story surrounding the champions of the 2021-22 Indian Super League, Hyderabad FC, is a captivating saga. Transitioning from being the top club for young talents in 2020-21 to securing the ISL trophy the following year, Hyderabad embodied the Nizams’ desire to rejuvenate their longstanding footballing legacy.
Despite public awareness of internal challenges preceding the season, financial problems have plagued the club since 2022. Football Sports Development Limited, the league’s owner, stepped in with financial assistance, temporarily alleviating the acceleration of its financial crisis. However, visible differences between the then-coach Manolo Marquez and the management surfaced during press conferences, and HFC was unable to recover from the escalating disaster.
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Hyderabad FC’s Foundation Rocked: Transfer Ban, Unpaid Dues, and Player Revolt
Moving forward to the Durand Cup 2023, Conor Nestor, Thangboi Singto, and Shameel Chembakath assumed leadership roles within the club. However, the situation internally was far from positive despite appearances. The Bridge was the first to report that Hyderabad FC faced a significant hurdle: they were unable to register new players just days before the season due to a FIFA-imposed transfer ban. This ban resulted from the non-payment of dues to Nigerian striker Bartholomew Ogbeche. Yet, this wasn’t the sole issue; players who had been with the club from the previous year and earlier refused to attend training sessions due to pending dues.
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— Deccan Legion (@DeccanLegion) December 31, 2023
After the transfer ban was lifted, and the club successfully persuaded the players to participate in the Durand Cup, discontent was prevalent, particularly among the high-profile foreign recruits. For these players, leaving their homes and coming to a new country only to face payment issues was a nightmare scenario.
Jonathan Moya became the first to protest against the ongoing chaos by refusing to travel to Kolkata for their away game. The club had attempted to pacify players by promising salaries on multiple dates, even using the cyclone in Chennai as an excuse at one point. However, when patience wore thin, Jonathan Moya, Philippe Amorim, and Oswaldo decided to part ways with the club. Several Indian players also submitted letters requesting contract termination, as the final deadline for clearing dues had passed.
Humanitarian Crisis at Hyderabad FC: Players Step In to Cover Medical Bills and Expenses for Struggling Staff
Beyond the players, the lower-tier employees at Hyderabad FC have been enduring profound hardships. One staff member had to tirelessly seek funds for his wife’s surgery since the club failed to pay his salary. Ultimately, the players intervened and generously covered the expenses out of compassion. There were instances when the players took on the responsibility of covering food expenses for the low-earning support staff. The events unfolding at HFC are a clear violation of humanity and a case of exploitation.
Challenges of Internal Politics and Favouritism in Hyderabad FC
Unfortunately, the challenges at Hyderabad FC extend beyond financial issues. Presently, the return of Conor Nestor to the club seems improbable. The reality is that Conor was ousted as the head coach after the initial seven games of the season, with Thangboi Singto taking charge of the match against NorthEast United FC.
While it’s not uncommon in football for coaching changes to occur, what set this situation apart was the club’s failure to communicate officially with Conor Nestor. Instead, Joao Victor, the club captain, broke the news to the players through a WhatsApp group message, signaling the end of Nestor’s employment with HFC. Subsequent events took a turn for the worse.
Under the new leader, Singto, training sessions were reduced to 30–40 minutes, and players like Mark and Gurmeet were inexplicably excluded from the starting XI. Kattimani, who was sidelined due to an injury, saw Gurmeet performing well. This rift in the dressing room further plunged Hyderabad FC’s ISL 2023–24 campaign into complete disarray, with the club now languishing at the bottom of the league standings.
Impact on Training, Unpaid Bills, and Urgent Need for Investor Support
The financial struggles at Hyderabad FC have even started impacting training sessions. On a particular occasion, the bus driver responsible for transporting players to training threatened not to come, and food vendors refused to cooperate due to months of unpaid salaries.
The most recent development involved the Ramada Hotel in Jamshedpur filing an FIR against the club’s owners, specifically Varun Tripuraneni, for the non-payment of a three-day bill. Despite discussions about potential new investors, there hasn’t been any concrete information made public. The pressing need for swift financial injections is evident, as the future of the club hangs dangerously in the balance.
