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The 6th season of the Hero Indian Super League is just a few days away and the excitement seems to be building among the Indian footballing community. Fans of the various teams will want their side to lift the coveted ISL trophy as this season is building up to be the most competitive one in the league's six-year history.
The reason for this can be attributed to the fact that most teams have splashed the money on big-name foreign players like Asamoah Gyan, Roy Krishna and Bartholomew Ogbeche.
While the attention and spotlight will obviously be on them, Indian football fans will also keep a close tab on some of the budding Indian footballers. Apart from few of the youngsters from the Indian Arrows outfit who will be making their bow in the ISL for the first time, there are other talented U-23 players who have given rise to some positive expectations about India's future as a footballing nation in the last couple of years.
This season of the ISL provides yet another opportunity for such prodigies to further their development and become household names amongst the adoring Indian football fans. With the Igor Stimac-coached Indian national team also giving away a youthful look in the past couple of months, some good performances might very well fetch a national call-up or even help in the bid to move abroad just like how Rahul KP intends to do.
So, it would be an apt time for us to have a look at five U-23 players who could have a big five months in front of them.
Note: Players like Sahal Abdul Samad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Anirudh Thapa and Ashique Kuruniyan weren't considered as they are known faces.
#5 Amarjit Singh - Jamshedpur FC
The former India U-17 captain Amarjit Singh Kiyam will kickstart this list of young Indian players to watch out for. The midfielder might just be 18 years old but his maturity and composure on the ball belie his tender age. After playing in the U-17 World Cup in 2017, Amarjit plied his trade for the Indian Arrows in the I-League through the last couple of seasons. The Manipuri-born youngster went onto score four goals in his 36 appearances for the Arrows.
His performances in central midfield were so impressive that he not only bagged a massive contract with Jamshedpur FC but also got a call-up to India's squad for the Kings Cup in June. National team coach Igor Stimac was quickly impressed by Amarjit's work-rate and ability to play possession-based football.
"I'm really impressed with how he looks on the pitch, and how mature he looks with respect to his age. The way he plays is something which gives us hope. He along with Raynier (Fernandes), completely changed the game against Curacao," Igor Stimac said after India's game against Curucao in the Kings Cup.
At Jamshedpur FC, Amarjit might have the opportunity to develop and expand his game under the tutelage of Antonio Irionda. Playing alongside an experienced campaigner like Memo would do a world of good to Amarjit.
Unfortunately, Amarjit wouldn't be able to start the season because as he is still recovering from a fractured hand that he suffered during a training session with the national team. A surgery to recuperate meant that he wouldn't be available from for at least the first four weeks of the ISL but once he makes his return to the field, Amarjit would be raring to make a mark at his new club.
#4 Anwar Ali (Jr.) - Mumbai City FC
For long, India have had a severe lack of depth in the defensive department and this was only explicitly exposed when Indian coach Igor Stimac had to ask Anas Edathodika to reconsider his retirement from international football. This is where Anwar Ali's constant development as a player becomes vital.
Additionally, he is also employed on the left side of the central defence which is another role within the role that has been found scarce positive results when it comes to Indian players.
One of the rare prospects for India in central defence, there have been a lot of expectations from Anwar Ali ever since his days with the India U-17 team. Anwar has also been called up for the Indian senior team's preliminary squads on quite a few occasions in the past few months and that reflects his undoubted potential. With a good physique and build for his age, the 19-year old has all the attributes of becoming a top-class defender for not just Mumbai City FC but also the national team.
Apart from being a strong defender, the Punjab-born player can also be useful in the opposition box during set-pieces. Further, he is also more than capable of taking set-pieces and this ability of his was especially seen while scoring a stunning free-kick to defeat Argentina U-20 in the COTIF Cup last year.
However, on an overall basis, Anwar Ali had a mixed 2018-19 season while playing for the Indian Arrows and he would know that such inconsistency would be detrimental while playing in the ISL as teams tend to really be defensive when it comes to employing young players in their team, especially in a crucial department like central defence.
It says something that most ISL clubs have almost always played two foreigners in central defence and this means that Anwar Ali has to be on his toes all the time. All said and done, even in Lucian Goian's absence, the Minerva Punjab-youth product would be aware that a spot in Mumbai City FC's starting 11 might not be available right from the beginning as he would have to battle out for a spot with players like Sarthak Golui and Pratik Choudhari in order to partner Mato Grgic. This level of competition might just bring out the best in him if he gets a chance to prove himself.
#3 Boris Singh Thangjam- ATK
Dribbling, pace, intelligence to make the best choices, versatility - Boris Singh Thangjam has all of those in abundance. With Boris Singh sacrificing consistent playing time while playing for the Indian Arrows to grabbing more spotlight by playing for ATK, the upcoming ISL season will be a big one for the young Manipuri.
In the U-17 World Cup, Boris Singh turned out to be one of the very few Indian players who managed to make their presence felt on the big stage. Since then he has only become even more consistent as a player.
While his talent has helped him make this list of players to watch out for in the upcoming ISL season, one has to wait and watch as to what role Boris would play for a heavily-stocked ATK outfit.
Although he can play in various roles such as right-back, left-back and right-winger, the presence of players like Pritam Kotal, Ricky Lallawmawma, Sena Ralte and Prabir Das might limit his game-time.
Yet, ATK and Indian football fans would hope that this hugely talented youngster gets a chance to prove his ability under manager Antonio Lopez Habas.
#2 Rahul Kannoly Praveen- Kerala Blasters FC
Be it his powerful volley that was so close to ending up as a stunning goal against Colombia in the U-17 World Cup or his audacious footwork that got the better of one of ISL's most consistent defenders in the form of Lucian Goian, Rahul KP has never failed to excite football fans. Thus, it is no surprise that he makes it into this list.
The 19-year-old is very versatile and can occupy any position in the attacking half. His previous team, Indian Arrows used Rahul as a right-winger, left-winger and also as a centre-forward on occasions. He excelled in all those roles and went onto score six goals in his two-year stint with the developmental side.
Given his mightily impressive performances for the Arrows and Kerala Blasters' tendency to focus on local talents, a move to the ISL was always on the cards. Yet, unlike most youngsters who would be happy to live in their comfort zone, Rahul KP has already signalled his intention to aim for bigger and better things. To this effect, the Thrissur-born youngster mentioned that a move to Europe is a dream for him and he would want to fulfil that in the near future.
Unlike his team-mates from the Arrows who made a move to the ISL, Rahul KP is also in a far better position to get a considerable amount of game-time. Not only is Kerala manager Eelco Schattorie well known in getting the best out of young players, but Rahul KP's ability alone might also force his way into the starting 11.
With the likes of Rahul KP joining forces with Sergio Cidoncha, Sahal Abdul Samad and Bartholomew Ogbeche, Kerala go into the season with one of the most exciting bunch of attack-minded players.
#1 Daniel Lalhlimpuia - Odisha FC
Daniel Lalhlimpuia ranked as the number one U-23 player to watch out for stands as a testament to two things. One, his prodigious talent. Two, just like centre-backs, India have struggled to find quality strikers and this is where Daniel comes into the picture.
Unlike the others in this list, the 22-year-old is no stranger to the ISL. He made his debut for Chennaiyin FC in 2016 itself and thus one wouldn't be wrong to expect the striker to finally announce himself in a way that befits his ability.
No one has ever doubted his potential. In fact, former Chennaiyin FC manager Marco Materazzi was someone who had predicted a bright future for Daniel Lalhlimpuia. However, his performances have been inconsistent and that has frustrated many an Indian football fan. In fact, few even feared that he could lose his way like another prodigious talent in the form of Uttam Rai.
Yet, it was his good performances in the back-end of the last season which has once again given rise to expectations that Daniel could yet fulfil his potential. Having scored four goals in the previous season including a brace against eventual champions Bengaluru FC, the youngster will at the very least look to double his tally this time. Odisha FC manager Josep Gombau will also have big expectations from the man who would be expected to lead the line for his team in this upcoming season.
Honourable mentions - Deepak Tangri (Chennaiyin FC), Ninthoiganba Meetei (Northeast United), Gaurav Bora (Odisha FC) and Suresh Singh Wangjam (Bengaluru FC)
