Sep 15 – The ISL, which began its inaugural season on September 21 with a match between Kerala Blasters FC and Bengaluru FC at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, has come to embody the revival of football in India. At a hotel in Bengaluru, head coaches and players from clubs like as Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, and Hyderabad FC met to discuss the progress of the league and their teams’ preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League.
Established players on the circuit, such as Sunil Chhetri of Bengaluru FC and Rahul Bheke of Mumbai City FC, as well as rising stars, such as Chinglensana Singh of Hyderabad FC and Nemil of FC Goa, recognised the infrastructure and exposure that the Indian Super League has provided them to advance in their football careers.
After leading Bengaluru FC to the ISL final last season, Head Coach Simon Grayson is preparing to begin his second season with the Blues, and he expects a more difficult season this time around. Teams have improved since the transfer deadline, and those who did not make the playoffs the previous season will try again in 2023-24.
“With BFC, we are used to winning titles. There is no point going into the tournament if you think that you can’t win the title. This is going to be one of the best ISLs in terms of the level of competition. We have set our ambitions and that’s the big trophy,” he added.
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Sunil Chhetri, the captain of Bengaluru FC, underlined an improvement in league football levels and predicted that it will inspire young players seeking for slots on the Indian national team to improve their game. Chhetri, who has the most goals for India in the league’s history, cited Sandesh Jhingan as an example of a young player who has improved his game by competing in the ISL.
“With every year, the standard of the league is getting better with better players coming in. Sandesh (Jhingan) is one example. He improved as a youngster playing against the likes of Coro, (Barth) Ogbeche and Miku. The holistic and scientific training is a big help for the youngsters,” he added.
