ISL 2018-19: "Scar and injury part of my story," says FC Pune City's Iain Hume

You have asked foreigners to have an open mind while coming to India. What kinda presumptions do foreigners usually come with and what do you mean when you say open mind?

I came here because things in the UK were... what's the word.. too political. I was getting frustrated. I've played throughout my career in England before the ISL. I just wanted a new adventure. I came out during the first season and thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

You see players come out and they expect to be treated like royalty. They expect this - they expect that. And they think things here will be the same, like the rest of the world.

They come out here living off their past success of football. Some are trying to remake (rebuild) their careers. Some are at the end of their careers and don't want to go out with people thinking less of them.

So they have to come out here with an open mind. By that, I mean they should come here to be successful rather than a big paycheck or any other motive.

Self belief and hard work will always yield success in your endeavours 💪Welcome back @Humey_7 , we have been waiting for you to light up the season 5 of Hero @IndSuperLeague for the Stallions.#OneTeamOneDream pic.twitter.com/dljg0YUjNK

— FC Pune City (@FCPuneCity) November 20, 2018

After the initial seasons of the ISL, you had time to go back and play in England as the ISL concluded in three months. Now that the ISL season is longer, do you believe it's good for foreigners to sign a contract for a year and play just in India?

That's what we have to do. There's no doing anything else. You sign for a full year because the season is long and because the league has expanded. It is what needs to be done.

I have said it before. At this time in Indian football, the clubs need to be signing players on two-three year contracts and achieve stability. They have been doing it with a lot of the Indian players and showing faith in them, which is the main point of the ISL anyway.

They want to increase the quality of the Indian players and they want to increase the level of the national team.

The ISL is into its fifth season and there have been many changes in it. What changes do you like about the ISL?

First and foremost, the quality of football has improved among the Indians, forget the foreigners, leaps and bounds. That's the most pleasing fact. The main aim of the league was to increase the level of football and that has happened. that's evident to everybody.

Good thing is that it's increasing every year. Everything is improving. That's huge and that's why Indian football is on the up and up.

Do you think announcing the full fixtures in advance could help teams prepare better?

Yes, it's a hard question. The last two seasons of the ISL, they have been... sort of put on hold. Last season, we had the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in India. This season, we have the Asian Cup in the UAE in January and this is a huge, huge, huge monumental occasion for Indian football.

It is easy for me to say we would love the full set of fixtures at the start of the season - and that's what everybody wants too in the leagues around the world. But the circumstances have been hard to give it out. You can complain about it.

As big as the ISL is for Indian football, the U-17 World Cup and Asian cup are more important. The fixtures have been announced until the winter break and it is what it is.

Your family and wife Christine have supported you throughout this ordeal. Are they in Pune?

They are back home. My oldest daughter has an exam in school and then when they have holidays, they will come to Pune. They will come before the New Year.

They are the reason I do everything. I have to work and make sure they have a great future. That's the main reason why I am here. I know I am all by myself. But they are around me and they support me and they push me to be the best.