I-League behind emergence of new faces

The enchantment of the I-league in the last two seasons has been the emergence of new teams and lesser known but talented players. In the 2013-14 season, the league’s first-ever franchise, Bengaluru FC, stunned the Indian soccer world by winning the title on debut.

Three talented players emerged in the 8th Hero I-league last year. They were midfielders Eugenson Lyngdoh (Bengaluru FC), Rowlin Borges (Sporting Clube de Goa) and Jackiechand Singh (Royal Wahingdoh).

All three made their international debut in 2015. Lyngdoh and Borges are now established in the Indian team. National coach Stephen Constantine also gave Jackiechand ample chances in the World Cup qualifiers but he did not click. Jackiechand has shifted to Salgaocar (Goa) for this I-League and under the tutelage of their Scottish coach Malcolm Thomson could revive his international career.

The 9th Hero I-League, from January 9 to April 24 should follow the same trend. There are two new clubs, DSK Shivajians (Pune) and promoted FC Aizwal, the first ever team from Mizoram to play in the I-league.

DSK Shivajians have invested heavily in developing quality infrastructure which has been used by the national team for practice and praised by Constantine. They have a good youth development programme and six players in their squad are from their academy. Maybe defender Rohan Adanaik or midfielder Kiran Pandhare or some others can become well known by the end of the 9th I league.

Mizoram made the maximum use of the All India Football Federation’s development programmes and within a decade have become a powerhouse. Their champion club Aizwal FC, are expected to attract massive crowds in home matches, thereby raising the average attendance of the Hero I-league. Last season when they won the 2nd division I-League title large crowds greeted them on their return to Aizwal and the journey from the airport to the crowd took nearly two hours.

Aizwal becomes the latest Indian city to host an I-League match and their North East derby matches with Shillong Lajong (Meghlaya) on February 13 and April 3 should be a sellout. Both Aizwal FC and Shillong Lajong have many local players in their squad and that should attract even greater home support. This tie could develop into a North East derby which attracts as much passion as the historic East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan ties.

Their skipper David Lalrinmuanna a product of the Mohun Bagan academy in Durgapur could emerge as a star player.

The favourites for the I-league should be reigning champions, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC, who have signed eight new players to strengthen their squad and perennial challengers East Bengal. Bagan are a balanced squad with the best attack in the I-League, strikers Trinidad World Cup player Cornell Glen, internationals Jeje Lalpekhlua and Balwant Singh and dashing winger Sony Norde (Haiti).

East Bengal have yet to sign their fourth foreigners though talks are on with defender Bernard Mendy who excelled for Chennaiyin FC in the recent ISL. Their Korean recruit Dong Hyung and striker Ranti Martins could help them win the title for the first time since 2004.