Kolkata, Feb. 14 -- "We are trying to get six weeks of pre-season work into three." Sharing his experience with Jamshedpur FC where he is back on a two-season deal, Owen Coyle was speaking for most Indian Super League (ISL) teams. "But the good thing is that football starts to get played again. We must ensure that this never happens again." This time, Coyle, 59, was speaking for everyone connected with India's top tier: players, staff, fans and All India Football Federation. Some problems remain though. As late as Thursday, the AIFF had to call an emergent executive committee meeting to quash Churchill Brothers' plea to be admitted into ISL this term. Debutants Inter Kashi do not have a fixed home venue, Mohammedan Sporting do not have a foreign player, Odisha FC have not played all season and barely trained but all three will be part of the 14-team round robin single-leg league. With most clubs having suspended operations and then asked players and staff to take a pay cut, none of this looked possible at the turn of the year. But here we are, all set for a double-header start on Saturday. The season will be televised and live streamed and apart from Rs 1.25 crore as prize purse, the winners will get a shot at Asia (barring Mohun Bagan Super Giant who are banned and FC Goa who have got one by winning the Super Cup). The union sports ministry requesting state governments to "waive", "subsidise" or give "concessional" rates for stadiums and practice facilities has got a favourable response. Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, Odisha FC and Mohammedan Sporting will start with Indian head coaches and that did not look possible either at the end of 2024-25. Renedy Singh will have an opportunity to coach his former club and India teammate Sunil Chhetri at Bengaluru FC. For Mehrajuddin Wadoo, it will mean proving that Mohammedan Sporting's all-Indian squad can hold its own. That too in a "a 13-match tournament," as Antonio Lopez Habas, ISL's most successful coach who is now with Inter Kashi, put it. There is also the prospect of relegation this season, which adds to the jeopardy, Coyle said. Like many coaches, including Sergio Lobera at defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Singh has inherited a squad at Bengaluru FC and could find it difficult to do what he has with a side he has built. Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Kashi, Jamshedpur FC, the first teams to agree to play irrespective of the format, have the full complement of six imports. Kerala Blasters, who will kick-off the season against defending champions Mohun Bagan here before FC Goa host Inter Kashi, have five all first-timers to the team, said coach David Catala. The bigger question for Coyle is match sharpness. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal should have an advantage as they have been training for over two months. But importantly, the league will finally begin....