Chesterpaul and Ryntih FC aiming to get I-League football back in Shillong 

The I-League second division is set to be held in Bengaluru from October 4. The competition has been reduced from ten teams to nine. It happened after Hyderya Sports were disqualified for producing a fake bank guarantee to fulfill the criteria required to participate in the Qualifiers.

This edition of the I-League second division will see a lot of clubs marking their debut in the competition, including Ryntih FC from Meghalaya.

Founded in 1998, the Shillong-based club has been participating in the state league for many years now. In 2020, they attempted to play in the I-League through corporate entry but were unsuccessful. This year, though, the Meghalaya Football Association recommended Ryntih FC to the AIFF for participation in the I-League second division. Ryntih FC will put Meghalaya back on the Indian Football map since 2019, when Shillong Lajong were relegated from the I-League.

Ryntih’s squad mostly comprises of young players hailing from Meghalaya. Sportskeeda got an opportunity to catch up with Chesterpaul Lyngdoh, one of the most experienced players in the team. With stints at Mohun Bagan and Real Kashmir, Chesterpaul’s experience and contribution will be vital for the club.

While talking about the same, Chesterpaul said:

"I played for Real Kashmir where we played and trained with a lot of foreign players. With that experience, I have joined Ryntih FC. I hope to share that experience with the young players in our team. We do not have any foreigners in our team too. The coach also prefers to play short passing football from the ground, unlike what we did at Real Kashmir."

The 24-year old midfielder's journey to the upper divisions of Indian football hasn't been easy. With personal tragedies and a lot of different clubs, Chesterpaul endured quite a few setbacks along the way. He said:

"We used to stay far away from Shillong, almost 3 hours away. I started to play football when I was around 11 or 12 years old. When I joined SAI academy, my father had passed away. After that, in 2013, I signed with Pune FC. Later I played for FC Pune City, Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan and Real Kashmir."

Almost all players in Ryntih FC hail from Meghalaya

For two seasons in the I-League, Shillong witnessed a derby. In 2013-14, Rangdajied United FC and Shillong Lajong represented the state in the country's top tier league. Royal Wahingdoh FC replaced the former next season.

Chesterpaul confident about the Ryntih's calibre

Shillong Lajong were still a beacon of hope for the people of Meghalaya but they stopped playing in the national league after getting relegated in 2018-19. One of the most talented states in Indian football is now without a top-tier club, hindering the growth of footballers from the state. Chesterpaul hopes to change the same this season. He said:

"This is my first time playing in the I-League second division. My aim is to win the tournament. In Shillong, football has stopped completely, even the Shillong League is not happening. I hope the people will see us, we have almost all local players and we hope can go on to win the tournament with our young players."

"People in Shillong love football. Clubs like Royal Wahingdoh and Rangdajied United FC played only one season in the I-League. Shillong Lajong also got relegated in 2019. Its difficult for Lajong to come back now. I hope Ryntih can qualify for the I-League so that people in Shillong can get I-League football back."

With no foreign players in the team, Ryntih FC will be at a disadvantage while facing their counterparts who have prepared a strong squad. However, Ryntih FC's boys are not selling themselves short and come forth with a lot of self-belief. It will be interesting to see if Ryntih can spring a surprise or two in the upcoming I-League qualifiers.