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The Indian Super League, one of the top football leagues in India along with I-League, is well into its 5th season and there have been a number of star performers over the course of the tournament. Some of them have been the icons of ISL owing to their consistency over the years while some have merely been a one season show and failed to replicate their ISL performances for more than one season.
Here are 5 people who could only gather limelight for one year:
#1 Elano Blumer
Elano was the highest goal-scorer in the maiden Indian Super League season by a fair margin. The Brazilian midfielder had scored eight goals in the tournament while no other player scored more than five goals.
However, he could not replicate his performance in the next season. The Chennaiyin midfielder scored only four goals in 15 games in the 2015 season though his number of assists rose up from one to four.
His goal conversion rate dropped from 21% to 11% and so did his number of passes per game by dropping from 42 to 37. Perhaps, age was taking a toll on him as the then 33-year-old played only 16 more games in club football after his second season with ISL and did not manage to score a single goal in them.
#2 Fikru Teferra
Fikru Teferra not only lit up the maiden Indian Super League season but also officially started the proceedings by scoring the first ever goal in the history of the league. He was the second highest goal scorer in the 2014 season with five goals to his name in 12 games.
However, in the next season, he moved to Chennaiyin FC where his performances went down considerably. Perhaps, the change of clubs did not suit him and he had a paltry total of just one goal in 11 games. Stiven Mendoza and Jeje Lalpekhlua stole the limelight in the second season of ISL at Chennaiyin FC as the south Indian club were crowned champions for the first time.
#3 Arata Izumi
Arata Izumi is the first Japanese player to play for India in international football. He has been plying his trade with Indian clubs since last 12 years but he could not understand the dynamics of ISL after the first season.
He has played for three clubs in his three stints at the tournament including Atletico de Kolkata, Pune City and Kerala Blasters. However, he has not managed as many goals as he scored in his first season as the other two seasons combined.
He scored five goals in 10 games in Atletico colours while he managed only one goal in 13 games since then. Age has been taking a toll on him too as he will be turning 36 this year and does not seem fit enough to fulfil the duties of a midfielder well.
#4 Sameehg Doutie
Sameehg Doutie was the prime playmaker for Atletico de Kolkata in his first two seasons with them. He managed 10 assists in his first two seasons but has not scored a single goal or made an assist in seven games in the 2017-18 season so far.
The South African is currently playing for Jamshedpur FC and does not seem to adjust well to Steve Coppell's system. His average number of passes per game has also dropped from 35 to 32 and now 19 which shows the contrast between his performance with ATK and Jamshedpur FC. He has been underperforming at other clubs as well as he failed to score a single goal or make an assist for Ajax Cape Town.
#5 Stephen Pearson
Stephen Paul Pearson played a key role in helping Kerala Blasters reach the finals of the Indian Super League in the maiden season by making the holding midfielder role his own. He did not contribute much in terms of goals and assists but managed 799 passes in 17 games.
However, he could manage only 391 passes in 11 games in 2016 with Atletico de Kolkata. Pearson had one of the best pass/game averages in the first season with 47 passes per game but it dropped to 35 passes per game when he donned the red and white. He did not impress his other suiters as well as his Scottish club Motherwell released him after 17 games with them in 2017 and he is currently a free agent.
