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Less than a year back, Melroy Melwin Assisi was still a fringe player in the recently-promoted I-League team Rajasthan United FC (RUFC). He slotted into multiple roles, sometimes playing as a centre-back, at times in the defensive midfielder spot, and rarely even in central midfield.
However, the 24-year-old was seemingly too adamant to shy away from any challenge. Cut to January 2022, the young defender has turned himself into one of the most pivotal pieces in the RUFC defense.
After securing a three-year contract at Rajasthan United, Melroy has already established himself as one of the most prominent centre-backs in the I-League.
Where did the transformation start?
Well, the Durand Cup last year was quite an event for both Rajasthan United FC and Melroy. The Desert Warriors finished second in the group where they were placed alongside ISL heavyweights like Mumbai City FC, ATK Mohun Bagan, and East Bengal.
Melroy was beaming with confidence throughout the tournament as he played with his heart on his sleeve. Even against ISL-level attackers, the youngster showed no signs of nerves and scripted a string of expert defensive showings. So much so that his performances in the Durand Cup even grabbed the eyeballs of the ISL clubs.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Melroy disclosed that during the pre-season tournament, Mumbai City FC had approached Rajasthan United FC to secure his services on a loan deal. But the two sides failed to settle on the terms of the deal and it ultimately fell through.
The Mumbai-born defender has since then continued to impress in the 2022-23 I-League season with his exploits in the RUFC defense. In their opening match of the season, Melroy climbed the highest to head home a goal against the Churchill Brothers and score his first-ever I-League goal. He has continued to regularly feature in Rajasthan FC's starting lineup under head coach Pushpender Kundu.
In the January transfer window, as Sportskeeda has reliably learned, a few ISL clubs have yet again shown interest in tying down the defender. But the Desert Warriors are already in a tough spot after a couple of their key individuals left for greener pastures (read ISL clubs). Hence, they might eventually decide against allowing Melroy to put pen to paper for any of those clubs.
Melroy too, during a conversation with Sportskeeda, stressed that his focus was currently on leading the Rajasthan United team to I-League glory. However, he was confident about making the switch to ISL in the upcoming window. While ambitious, with the performances that Melroy has under his belt, it might be very difficult to bet against the defender breaking into the top-tier league.
"Want to win the I-League title with Rajasthan United FC" - Melroy Assisi on his aspirations from 2023
Here are excerpts from the interaction Sportskeeda had with RUFC's Melroy Assisi:
Question: Firstly, Rajasthan United FC are 12 games into their I-League season and currently sixth in the rankings with 18 points. What’s your assessment of the season so far?
Melroy Assisi: We started off well with a win, we dropped a few points later in the first phase of the league, which with a few wins would see us in the top three at least. Nevertheless, I believe we can still fight for the title with 10 games in hand.
Q: Personally, you had a great start to the I-League campaign, scoring the opening goal for RUFC against the Churchill Brothers. It must have been a special night….
Melroy: Yes, I started off the season with a win over the Churchill Brothers, scoring my first-ever hero I-League goal. It's always good to play at a venue like Goa, I personally like the atmosphere there. It was a night to remember for me, we were flying high with confidence.
Q: Rajasthan are one of the few teams in the league that have trusted an Indian head coach to carry the club forward. What has been your experience of working under Pushpender Kundu?
Melroy: We have proved our worth in every tournament we've participated in this season, starting with the Durand Cup. Kundu's coaching methods and philosophy are unique, and players understand and adapt really quickly. He gives us the freedom to perform without pressure and has a friendly relationship with the players, I personally have a good bond with the coach.
He was a central defender back in the day, which is beneficial to me and the defenders in the team as he can guide and share his personal playing experience with us.
Q: Despite assembling a strong squad, RUFC have been weakened by quite a few departures in the winter transfer window. How do you feel about the situation currently?
Melroy: Yes, there have been a lot of departures and arrivals since we started the season, we do have a big squad with a lot of Indian and foreign talent.
I wouldn't say that our squad has been weakened, we have replacements in every position and very good bench strength. Yes, a few players who left were an important part of the team but we cannot make excuses for it, it is football we move ahead with the players we have.
Q: Among those departures, the one which created the most shockwave was Gyamar Nikum’s move to Mumbai City FC. It was obviously one of the biggest transfers this January. You’ve worked in close proximity with Nikum, so if you could talk about what makes him such a special talent?
Melroy: Nikum is one of the oldest players at RUFC. He's our academy product. Nikum is a natural talent, he's very young and has a high ceiling. I played with him for two seasons at RUFC and to be honest, I have never seen a young player grow so much in such a short period of time.
Talking about his transfer, he's in good hands. Mumbai City FC is a team where he will grow and nurture himself around the best players in the country. I believe he has the capability to move to other City Group teams in the future.
Q: The last time we spoke, Melroy, back in April 2022, you mentioned that you had aspirations to play in the ISL. Could you tell us if there were clubs from the top-tier league that had approached you?
Melroy: We kicked off our season at the Durand Cup, where we left spectators astonished with our performance. We had some big teams in our group and we did pretty well. During the tournament (August), Mumbai City FC approached for a possible loan deal that wasn't successful as the clubs didn't meet on terms.
Q: Melroy, just a few days are left for the winter transfer window to be over. A lot of your teammates have made the move in the winter transfer window. Have you given it a thought to make a switch to the ISL in the near future?
Melroy: Of course yes, I would love to move to the top tier. A lot of RUFC players have moved to the ISL in the winter window and even if the offer stands, it is difficult as there are few days left for the window to shut and we have many first-XI departures already. Also, if some good offers stand then for sure I will move, and if not I'm for sure targeting a move this summer.
Q: Finally, Melroy, 2022 had a lot of highlight reels for you in terms of the I-League, the Durand Cup, and many more. What are your goals and aspirations for 2023?
Melroy: It was a remarkable year with a lot of progression and learning. For 2023, I want to focus on what's there in front of me as of now, which is the I-League. I want to win the title with RUFC. And about moving to the top tier, I will wait and see what offers stand at the end of the season.
