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The ISL 2016 begins on the 1st October and the excitement already seems to be on the boil. While all teams have re-shuffled, there is a lot to look forward to in terms of football on the field. New coaches in the form of Gianluca Zambrotta and Jose Francisco Molina will grace the technical lines and would be expected to rally their teams to victory.
Amidst all the hullabaloo, there are a handful of players who have slightly higher responsibilities than their counterparts. With the tag of marquee player bestowed on them, these players would be expected to not just play good football, but also to inspire and lead the team from the front.
Let’s take a look at the 7 (post-Eidur Gudjohnson’s injury) marquee players and what they can contribute to their respective sides.
#1 Aaron Hughes – Kerala Blasters FC
When a team has conceded more goals than they’ve scored in an entire tournament, there’s surely something wrong with the defence and Steve Coppell has catered to that. The team, owned by god-like cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has signed Northern Irish defender Aaron Hughes as their marquee player for the 3rd season of ISL.
Kerala Blasters, last season, scored 22 goals while there defence was shattered a record 27 times, the most in the league. Kerala Blasters had a forgettable tournament last season and ended at the bottom of the league table.
The defender has played for various Premier League clubs like Aston Villa, Newcastle United FC and Fulham and has made 455 appearances without earning a red card, which speaks volumes of his discipline. Known to be an astute defender who is good in the air, Hughes can play as a right-back or a defensive midfielder as well.
The defender has unquestionable international experience, donning the national jersey a record 103 times. With Sandesh Jhingan, Hughes is expected to be the cornerstone of a team which has been defensively porous last season. If Hughes becomes a stand-out performer, Kerala Blasters FC could replicate its form of first season, where they reached the finals.
#2 Diego Forlan – Mumbai City FC
Mumbai City probably needed someone like Diego than anybody else. The former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid striker needs no introduction, but the player will have a lot on his hand to help a team which languishes at the bottom in terms of number of goals scored.
Forlan is arguably the biggest star coming to Indian shores to play in the ISL and with his abilities; the dynamic player can set the stage on fire. Adept at playing anywhere in the attacking third, Forlan can both score and create goals with equal ease.
The Uruguayan has won the Pichichi and the European Golden Shoe award and was also awarded the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup. The Uruguayan is as deadly in open-play as he’s in dead-ball situations and has one of the meanest free-kicks in world football.
Mumbai City FC could only muster 16 goals in the league last term, the lowest in the league. The team will be looking at the mercurial striker to solve their problems in front of the goal and to lead them to glory.
#3 Didier Zokora – NorthEast United FC
Didier Zokora is the no-nonsense midfielder every coach loves. Defensively strong, well-built and a good coordinator of link-up play, Zokora is Ivory Coast’s most capped player of all time. The 35-year old defensive midfielder has previous experience of playing in the ISL and that might help the John Abraham-owned side.
Along with being a coach’s delight, Zokora is a leader on the field. He links smoothly with his defensive partners and helps in breaking the opposition’s play. A player in the mould of a certain Claude Makelele, Zokora is never shy of putting in the hard yards or going into a tackle.
Zokora has played for Premier League and La Liga clubs like Spurs and Sevilla, which gave him huge experience at the highest level. NorthEast United FC have been defensively poor the last season, letting in 23 goals and the coach has brought in Zokora to resurrect his team’s defence.
If the team has an assured defence, it will give the Indian youngsters enough freedom to play more aggressively up ahead the pitch, and Zokora, with all his experience, can ensure that.
#4 Florent Malouda – Delhi Dynamos FC
Delhi Dynamos have a revamped look this season. The team has signed various new players, both Indian and international, and yet, their marquee player remains the same. The team reached the semi-finals last season and with a new-look squad and a high-profile coach, they will be expected to go all the way.
In a league where a team failing to retain their marquee players is the order of the day, Delhi Dynamos seem to have made a real special bond with the French winger. With mazy runs and a creative flair, there’s very little this French genius cannot do. Malouda has the ability to take on defenders on his own, to play the final ball and is also capable of making off-the-ball runs.
Malouda prefers to play on the left wing, but is adept as an inverted winger and has a vicious left-foot. The former Lyon and Chelsea superstar won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 with the Blues and would be hoping to add another trophy to his cabinet.
Malouda assisted six goals in the tournament last season, but couldn’t get his name on the score-sheet. The team scored 18 goals in the tournament, in which Malouda played a key role. With a new coach in former Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta, Malouda would want to lead the side to glory this time.
#5 John Arne Riise – Chennaiyin FC
The former Liverpool full-back is one of the most loved players for the Kopites for his aggressive defending on the left side as well as his adventurous runs down the flank. The Norwegian footballer has been capped the most number of times for his national team, making him an absolute certainty in the squad.
Having won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2004-05, Riise knows what it takes to win at the biggest stage. Riise has also plied his trade for Italian team AS Roma and was known to be the go-to-player in big match scenarios. Riise played for the Delhi Dynamos last season, where he made 15 appearances and scored a goal.
With Bruno Pelissari and Elano Blumer no more with the Chennai team, Riise will have to play a crucial role with Djemba Djemba and Rafael Augusto for the defending champions in the midfield. Chennaiyin FC have no defensive or attacking issues as such, but with the exodus of important players, it would be interesting how Marco Materazzi prepares his team this season.
Riise is equally adept at playing in the defensive half of the midfield and could be seen playing that role at the franchise this season. If the defence gets the kind of security it needs from the former Liverpool star, Chennaiyin could well become the first team in ISL to defend its title.
#6 Helder Postiga – Atletico de Kolkata
If the Kolkata team missed one player last season, it was their marquee player - Helder Postiga. Postiga, at 34, is still one of the youngest marquee players in the ISL and much would be expected from the Portuguese who flattered-to-deceive last season.
Postiga made his ISL debut in the first match against Chennaiyin FC, scored two superb goals, got injured and never made a comeback. Too much was asked of Iain Hume after this injury, and the team could only progress to the semi-finals. With a Spanish coach Jose Molina, the Portuguese would be raring to silence his critics with some amazing football.
Postiga can terrorise any defence on his day and is equally adept at playing as a centre-forward or a support striker. Postiga has played 71 times for the national team, scoring 27 goals. The opening match of the last season got the ATK fans on their feet and their expectations rocketed sky high, but the injury to their talisman gave their journey a severe jolt.
Postiga could very well put the ATK team where it was at the end of first season – on the winner’s podium. With the amount of quality this striker possesses, it is needless to say that the ATK faithful would be looking at the Portuguese to bail them out of crisis situations throughout the tournament.
#7 Lucio – FC Goa
‘Attackers win you matches, defenders win you leagues’, is one of the most famous proverbs said by arguably the best manager in football ever – Sir Alex Ferguson. Zico, the FC Goa coach, seems to believe in the quote and has put that to good effect. Brazilian defender Lucio, one of the greatest defenders in the history of the game, thus, remains the marquee player for FC Goa.
Zico has one of the most miser centre-back pairings in the league, with Lucio and Gregory Arnolin at its heart. The Brazilian is known to be very strong in one-on-one situations and has great ability in the air. Lucio has also played in the midfield in the past and knows how to take the ball out of the defence.
Having laid hands on the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and the Champions League in 2009-10 with Inter Milan, the well-built centre-back knows how to win. Zico has managed to play one of the most attacking-based football in the ISL and would be hoping to win the title this season.
The team reached the finals last term and scored the most number of goals in the league, 29. Zico would be hoping that the experience of his marquee player would be the guiding light for his team.
Note: Eidur Gudjohnsen, who was FC Pune City’s marquee player, has pulled out of the ISL due to injury. Pune are expected to sign a replacement, as soon as they do, we’ll be the first one to inform you about it.
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