North East United FC are one of the three teams in the competition that have never gone beyond the group stages in either of the seasons (Pune City FC and Mumbai City being the other two teams.) They had a torrid first season, finishing rock bottom, with only 15 points.
They fared much better in the second season, finishing fifth and garnered a lot of respect from the other team players and coaches. While the team is decent defensively, North East have always been struggling on the attacking side of the pitch.
With previous marquee players Joan Capdevila and Simao Sabrosa having struggled to gel with the team, we take a look at five possible transfers which can help them qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in ISL history:
1. Raul (FWD, Spain)
The greatest Spanish striker of all time, Raul is no stranger to finding the back of the net. Having scored 275 times in 683 games for four different clubs, he is the second highest goalscorer for Real Madrid in their illustrious club history. Blessed with breath-taking shooting skills, the man from Madrid can score from any angle.
With more than decent dribbling skills he can outsmart his opposition time and time again. With tremendous vision, his understanding of the game is beyond comparable. Having retired only a few months back, Raul will still be match fit.
With an opportunity to play in the Indian Super League, Raul may just put his boots back on for one last time.
2. Sol Campbell (DEF, England)
One of the few footballers to obtain legendary status at rival clubs (Tottenham and Arsenal in Campbell’s case), English center half Sol Campbell is one of the greatest defenders of all time. Having played a combined 390 games for the North London clubs, Campbell scored a modest 18 times and has kept over 100 clean sheets.
Campbell is a strong and imposing defender (though he initially had to work hard to improve his heading ability during his teenage years.) He did not possess good natural stamina, but had tremendous agility, pace and quick feet to waltz past the opposing forwards.
With the North East United FC struggling to find a leader, Sol Campbell can step up and marshal his troops to mount a rare title challenge.
3. Nirmal Chettri (DEF, India)
The young 25-year-old defender from Sikkim is a bright and exciting prospect in Indian football. He has already represented some top Indian football clubs like Mohun Bagan and Dempo FC in his short career. Standing at 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in), Chettri is one of the shortest center halves in the country.
But, his pace makes up for the lack of height. Pacier than the average centre backs, Nirmal storms past his opponents and isn't shy on feeding long balls to his fellow forwards. With solid tackling skills, he can win back the ball with ease.
Playing second fiddle to defender Sandesh Jhingan for Kerala Blasters in the ISL, Chettri can move towards greener pastures and, North East United FC is just the right team for him.
4. Alwyn George (MID, India)
The young Bengaluru FC attacking midfielder from Maharashtra has had his contract extended due to impressive performances at club level. With that in mind, and the North East team desperate for creative midfielders, Alwyn George will fit in seamlessly.
A fearless, explosive attacking midfielder who can change the game with a burst of pace, Alwyn also possesses good dribbling abilities. His passing skills are first class and often, bails his defence out of trouble. With bags of tricks and skills in his repertoire, Alwyn George is poised to have a great ISL season and North East will be the right team for him to join.
5. Eidur Gudjohnsen (FWD/CAM, Iceland)
The only Iceland player in the Euros whose name does not end with ‘son’, Gudjohnsen is a legend of the game. After making a memorable debut for Iceland in 1996 (by replacing his father Arnor Gudjohnsen as a second half substitute), he is still representing the Nordic nation twenty years later.
Having played for legendary clubs like FC Barcelona and Chelsea for a combined total of nine years, Gudjohnsen has tremendous experience of playing football at the highest level. Pretty tall for an attacking midfielder (6 ft 1 inch), Eidur relies more on his physical abilities to push past defenders.
His passing is impeccable and can cross using both feet. He has a brilliant right foot and is lethal during one on one situations. He is a calm and composed player, an attribute which we seldom see in today’s generation of players. Possessing a variety of attributes, Gudjohnsen will suit the Indian Super League perfectly.
