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The Indian Super League is sure to create new Indian football heroes but several local players also have a point to prove by performing well in the inaugural season of this new league. Sportskeeda picks out one such player from each of the eight city franchises.
#1 Jeje Lalpekhlua
Jeje announced his arrival in senior international football in some style back in March 2011 as he scored four goals in three matches to help India qualify for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup. That year he also finished as the highest Indian scorer in the I-League despite playing for AIFF’s developmental side, Arrows. Thus he was tipped to be the successor of Bhaichung Bhutia and ideal strike partner for Sunil Chhetri. But it hasn’t really turned out that way as injuries and loss of form has seen him lose his place in the India team and he wasn’t even a regular at Dempo last season. He has made a decent start to his Mohun Bagan career and has plenty to prove in the ISL for Chennai Titans.
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Team: Chennai Titans (On-loan from Mohun Bagan)
Age: 23
Position: Forward
Value: 23 lakh
Draft Pick: Round 3
#2 Mohammed Rafi
Four years ago Rafi was one of the best strikers in the country, having finished the highest Indian scorer in the 2009-10 I-League. Such great domestic form earned him a place in India’s 2011 Asian Cup squad and he even started the opener against Australia. However since that tournament Rafi hasn’t played for the national team and his career has been badly hit by injuries as he has hardly featured in the last four seasons of the I-League. Rafi would now be looking to repay the faith that Atletico de Kolkata have shown in him and he seems to be on the right track, having bagged a brace in their 6-0 friendly win over Spanish fourth tier outfit Gimnastica Segoviana CF.
Team: Atletico de Kolkata
Age: 32
Position: Forward
Value: 33 lakh + 25% loan fee share
Draft Pick: Round 6
#3 Deepak Devrani
After impressing for India youth teams and AIFF’s developmental side Arrows, Devrani was tipped to be one of the top centre-backs in the country. But he has gone backwards in the last 12 months as he was only on the fringes of the Sporting Clube side in last season’s I-League and failed to get a place in the India U-23 squad for the Asian Games. Devrani has plenty of time in his career though to improve and ISL provides him the ideal opportunity to get back into the limelight. He had to wait until the second day of the domestic draft to get picked by FC Pune City and has his work cut out to earn a regular place in the team.
Team: FC Pune City
Age: 21
Position: Centre/Left Back
Value: 17 lakh + 40% loan fee share
Draft Pick: Round 8
#4 Raju Gaikwad
Having captained Indian Arrows, India U-23 and become a regular at the heart of the India senior team’s defence in 2011, Raju looked destined to be the country’s best centre-back for years to come. But the Tata Football Academy graduate hasn’t progressed the way he would have liked despite playing several high-pressure matches for East Bengal over the last three seasons. The long-throw specialist has been making too many individual mistakes in the last couple of years and thus has lost his place in the national team. Raju would be looking to get back to his best while playing for his local city’s franchise in the ISL and make a swift return to the India team.
Team: Mumbai City FC (On-loan from East Bengal)
Age: 23
Position: Centre/Right Back
Value: 25 lakh
Draft Pick: Round 4
#5 Godwin Franco
This Goan medio has never lacked quality but for one reason or the other has been unable to perform to his full potential. His former teammate and ex-Arsenal and Spurs forward Rohan Ricketts had hailed Godwin as one of the most skilful Indian players. When Godwin is at his best it is easy to see why Ricketts said so because the former Dempo player can pass, shoot from distance and even goes past players. Godwin, who also had a trial with German second tier outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf last year, is 29 now and thus should be at the peak of his powers. He would be determined to have a strong first ISL season with the Kerala franchise.
Team: Kerala Blasters
Age: 29
Position: Central Midfielder
Value: 13 lakh + 33% loan fee share
Draft Pick: Round 7
#6 Manandeep Singh
2012 was a memorable year in Manandeep’s career as he caught the attention by being the highest Indian scorer in the I-League and that earned him the FPAI Young Player of the Year accolade. That award motivated Manandeep further as he banged in the goals for both India U-22 and East Bengal and won the Nehru Cup with the India senior team. But 2013 wasn’t so kind to this young Haryana lad as he suffered two serious injuries and had to undergo surgery on both occasions. As a result there were doubts regarding his fitness and he wasn’t picked until the last round of the domestic draft. However Manandeep has fully recovered now and is determined to show that he is still one of India’s best young forwards.
Team: Delhi Dynamos
Age: 21
Position: Forward
Value: 42 lakh + 33% loan fee share
Draft Pick: Round 14
#7 Semilen Doungel
Despite spending three seasons at East Bengal, this youngster from Manipur never got a good run in the first team and only made cameo appearances. Perhaps it was down to his age but Doungel consistently made a difference whenever he got a chance on the field. His potential was well spotted by India coach Wim Koevermans and thus has been included in the U-23 squad for the Asian Games. Doungel left East Bengal this summer and can now look forward to more playing opportunities at Shillong Lajong. But before that Doungel has the enormous platform of the ISL to excel while playing for NorthEast United, a franchise that has vowed to prioritise development of youth over results.
Team: NorthEast United
Age: 20
Position: Forward; Right Midfielder; Attacking Midfielder
#8 Alwyn George
It is very difficult to find playmakers or players who can operate in the traditional number ‘10’ role in India and thus George is an asset for Indian football. The youngster from Nagpur looked a future India international from his very first I-League game two and a half years ago. He has gone on to play for the senior team and even won the FPAI young player of the year accolade in the last two years. But in truth George’s development has stalled in the last 18 months, a proof of which is the fact that he was dropped from the India U-23 Asian Games squad. He has plenty of time on his side though to make amends and would be looking to start his revival from the inaugural season of the ISL.
Team: FC Goa
Age: 22
Position: Attacking Midfielder
