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Season two of the Hero Indian Super League has gotten better than season one and the biggest improvement from last season has been the performance of the Indian players. The Indians have raised the bar and are an integral part of their teams this season.However, if we go deeper, we also see that some teams have incorporated local players and reaped huge benefits, while some teams have relied on talents from other parts of India. So we rate all the eight ISL franchises on the basis of number of regional players in the teams to see which team has really grown the game locally.
#8 FC Pune City (0 players from Pune or Maharashtra)
FC Pune City are the lowest ranked team in these rankings as they have zero local representation in their team. There are no players from Pune or Maharashtra in the side and the team are striving hard to build footballing culture in the city and boost the participation of local talent.
The closest they have to someone from Pune is midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh, who is familiar with the city, after having studied there during his college days. Pune has had a participation in the national leagues for many years, but there has rarely been a player from the city who has risen on to the Indian football scene.
#7 Delhi Dynamos FC (1 player from Delhi)
Delhi Dynamos have just one player from Delhi in their ranks but that one player is an absolute darling of the Delhi faithful. Robin Singh has played a crucial role in Delhi Dynamos’ season so far and has netted vital goals for Delhi Dynamos.
The goal against Mumbai City FC earned his side a point in the 93rd minute as Robin Singh has since become a fan favourite for the Delhiites. His early goal against NorthEast United in Delhi's 2-1 win also helped them clinch a place in the semifinals of the tournament.
#6 Mumbai City FC (2 players from Mumbai)
Mumbai City FC have only two players from the city of dreams and to be honest both of those players haven’t had the best of the seasons. Right-back Ashutosh Mehta, though has been a regular in the Mumbai City FC line-up, has failed to produce the form which he is capable of.
The other player, Keegan Pereira, has played second fiddle to Fanai for most parts of the season, but has come into Nicolas Anelka’s scheme of things in the last two games. Mumbai only has two other players playing elsewhere but both of those players have made an impact in the ISL this season.
Kerala Blasters full-back Rahul Bheke has had an impressive season and is the only Indian player to have played every minute of their season, while Jayesh Rane has also impressed in a cameo role for Chennaiyin FC.
#5 Chennaiyin FC (2 players from Tamil Nadu)
Chennaiyin FC have just two players from Tamil Nadu and unfortunately both the players haven’t featured for them this season due to injury.
Dhanpal Ganesh has been ruled out due to injury and goalkeeper Nidhin Lal hasn’t got a look in thanks to Edel Bete’s performances in goal for Chennaiyin FC. The Chennai side edge Mumbai City FC out with three players from Tamil Nadu playing in the other ISL teams.
These players include Ravanan, an integral part of Pune City’s defence, Nallapan Mohanraj, who of late has made a place for himself in Atletico de Kolkata’s team and CS Sabeeth, who is part of Goa’s squad.
#4 Kerala Blasters (2 players from Kerala)
Kerala has players playing all over India in the ISL, but only two have managed to be a part of the Kerala Blasters side. However, those two players are a key part of the Kerala Blasters set up.
Forward Mohammed Rafi and midfielder C.K. Vineeth have performed well in patches for the Kochi outfit. Rafi had a great start to the season when he scored four goals, becoming the second highest Indian scorer after Sunil Chhetri.
Vineeth on the other hand has been in and out of the team, but has impressed whenever given an opportunity. Kerala are tied with Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC in terms of the number of local players, but their overall representation of seven players in the ISL apart from the two players in the Blasters team sees them take the fourth spot.
Some of the other notable players from Kerala playing in the ISL include Denson Devadas, who is part of FC Goa’s squad, Rehenesh TP, probably the best goalkeeper in the league playing his trade for NorthEast United and Anas Edathodika, one of the best defenders in the league this season, part of the Delhi Dynamos.
#3 Atletico de Kolkata (5 players from West Bengal)
Kolkata has been another bastion of Indian football for many years and it isn’t surprising to see them among the top ranked teams in terms of the number of regional players. Leading the way is Arnab Mondal who also represents the Indian National Team on a regular basis. Mondal has become a key figure at the heart of Atletico de Kolkata’s defence and is also a great leader on the pitch.
Other Bengali players though have been on the fringes with Jewel Raja and Syed Rahim Nabi being in and out of the team. Mohammed Rafique was signed late in the season by Atletico de Kolkata, but it was he who scored the all-important goal in last year’s final to give Atletico the title. Nadong Bhutia is another one of the players from Bengal in the side.
There are many Bengali players who are part of other teams, such as Mehtab Hossain, who is the rock in midfield for Kerala Blasters and Narayan Das, who plays as a left-back for FC Goa.
#2 FC Goa (8 players from Goa)
Goa has been the heartbeat of Indian football for many years now and FC Goa have been a sensation in that part of India since last season. The arrival of the legendary Zico as the manager has galvanized Goan football and FC Goa have eight players from the state playing for them.
Wingers Romeo Fernandes and Mandar Rao Dessai have been good this season and have terrorized visiting full-backs all season long. The presence of the duo and other Goan players like goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, Victorino Fernandes, Nicolau Colaco, Keenan Almeida, Joaquim Abranches and second choice goalkeeper Luis Barreto have managed to pull huge crowds at the Fatorda Stadium this season.
There are several other Goan players in all franchisees of the ISL, but it is this octet that has had the pleasure to play for their home town club.
#1 NorthEast United (13 players from the NorthEastern states)
NorthEast United, since the beginning of the league, have been a great promoter of their local players. With a view to growing football in the NorthEast, the Highlanders have always recruited players from the eight sister states, which have been blessed with some of the best talents in the country.
Siam Hanghal, a player from Manipur has been the pick of their players and has earned great praise from head coach Cesar Farias. Apart from Hangal, winger Sanju Pradhan, full-back Yumnam Raju, Robin Gurung, Aiborlang Khongjee, Reagan Singh and Seityasen Singh have also impressed.
Boathang Haokip, M. Suting and Z. Ralte have also played a part along with forward Holicharan Narzary. Manipur has the highest representation in the NorthEast United team with Assam too represented well in the John Abraham owned outfit.
Such a high number of local players in the NorthEast United team shows the passion for the game in those states and it is safe to say that it is from this region that India’s finest talent in the future will hail from.
