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Along with the Indian Super League, the country’s top division league, the I-League has also come to its business end. With Chennai City are a win away from the title, the season has witnessed many Indian players break the barriers and came to limelight.
Jobby Justin’s meteoric rise in recent times has caught the attention of many. Fans venting their anger to include a player of the I-League into the national team are a rare scene in recent times. That is what happened with Justin.
The rise of local talent Edwin Vanspaul and Alexander Jesuraj should be noted, so is the performance of Laldanmawia Ralte. But there have been some brilliant individual performances from teams that have not performed up to their potential.
In this article, we try to find out some Indian player who deserves to attract big club offers next season.
#7 Jobby Justin (East Bengal)
If there was one player who forced every Indian football fans to sit up and take notice, it has to be Jobby Justin, who plies his trade from East Bengal. With nine goals from 17 appearances, he is most scored Indian striker as of now. There have been calls from every nook and corner to include him in the national team and deserving so.
So much has been written for Justin in recent times. That he gave up the job in Kerala State Electricity Board to come and play football for East Bengal have well become a part of the football folklore. But his path was not easy. Last season, he scored only two goals and the plans that were built up around him was about to break.
There comes the twist. Under Spanish coach Alejandro Menendez, Justin has transformed himself so much. He is now more fit, has more control with the ball, can outrun any player and good in the air. He has found the net every time when the team needed him most. He has suddenly become a fan favourite after his heroics in both the legs of the Kolkata Derby.
For his performances, attractive offers from ISL clubs have already started arriving in and ATK already expressed their interest in signing the player for next season. Whether East Bengal will release him or not if they play ISL next season is another question.
Also See : Durand Cup, Durand Cup Schedule, Calcutta Football League
#6 Edwin Sydney Vanspaul (Chennai City FC)
Joining in one of ISL teams from Chennai City FC is not something new. Ahead of this season, Nandha Kumar Sekar and Michael Soosairaj joined Delhi Dynamos and Jamshedpur FC respectively after producing excellent performances for Chennai City. If everything goes the right way, Edwin Vanspaul will be one among the players who will jump his ship to the ISL bandwagon next season.
For a boy who has started concentrating football only after failing in two subjects in 12th Grade, Vanspaul learned a lot from this game in the last few years. Being a professional footballer from a state like Tamil Nadu, it was never easy for Vanspaul to chase his dream. After failing few trials, he finally got selected for Churchill Brothers but rejected the offer. At this moment, Chennai City came calling and Vanspaul didn’t hesitate to join the team from his native state.
He caught attention with his performance last season and this time, he developed leaps and bounds. Under the tutelage of Akbar Nawas, Vanspaul learnt various tricks of the game. His performance as a central midfielder combining with Nestor Gordillo and Sandro Rodriguez has been hailed by many. His positioning and ball control is also well.
As of now, he has two offers from ISL clubs on his table but he would surely get more once the season gets over. Clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan may also hire his service.
#5 Alexander Romario Jesuraj (Chennai City FC)
If his first name suggests the great warrior, his middle name is of one of best footballers of the globe. How can one forget his wonderful performance in the 1994 World Cup, where he lifted the trophy?
Unlike his idol, Jesuraj plays more widely, right wing to be precise. If Vanspaul guards the midfield by moving up and down regularly in a match, it is Jesuraj who is given the authority to create attack from the right side. Chennai have a formidable attacking line-up where Sandro Rodriguez and Nestor Gordillo operate from the middle. But coach Akbar Nawaz has instilled another level of self-belief among the Indian players.
Whenever Gordillo is marked by the opponent or Sandro is off-colour, it is Jesuraj who creates the attack from right side. His darting and clever runs and delightful crosses make him an easy choice for any coach and Nawas wouldn’t mind giving him chances. During the home match against East Bengal, he kept Manoj Mohammed on toes every time and even scored the second goal, which proved to be the difference between the two sides.
#4 Laldanmawia Ralte (East Bengal)
After his impeccable performance for Aizawl in 2016, in which he helped the club win the I-League, Laldanmawia Ralte joined East Bengal along with other teammates last season. He was used by the then coach Khalid Jamil occasionally but under Alejandro Menendez, Danmawia (as he is popularly known among fans) started getting a regular place.
He scored once against Mohun Bagan in the Calcutta Football League and twice in the I-League, hence earning the name ‘Derby Boy’ from the fans. He had also scored in the same fixture last year. Under Menendez, he operates more than a free role than his usual right wing position. More than providing crosses, Laldanmawia loves to be at the right position at the right time to score goals.
The boy from tiny Mizoram village Sialhawk has scored seven goals so far. He is first and only Indian player this season who has scored a hat-trick. One should not be surprised when if he turns out for a big club next season.
#3 Farhan Ganie (Real Kashmir)
Almost all the teams have a couple of foreign defenders in their ranks. As a result, not many Indian defenders were presented an opportunity to shine bright. Apart from Gourav Bora of Chennai City, Farhan Ganie is one who has impressed throughout the season. Usually, as a central defender, Ganie is deployed as a defensive midfielder by coach David Robertson. Real Kashmir are the best team in this season’s I-League and credit should go to Ganie for putting all his efforts on the field. He is surely the one player who would attract offers from ISL clubs.
#2 Phrangki Buam (Shillong Lajong)
Playing with an all-Indian team, most the academy graduates, there was not much to write for Shillong Lajong. A club which has given talented foreigners in the past, their decision should be hailed. Among the forwards, Phrangki Buam has scored five goals in the campaign. His position, shooting ability from distance and the hard work should earn him an ISL contract.
Having age by his side (he turned 18 only last December), Buam should be great choice for some ISL clubs like NorthEast United or Bengaluru FC, who concentrates on young talents. In a recent interview, Buam had said, “Before the I-League kicked off I had set a target for myself that is to score as many goals as possible on my debut season and I am glad that it happened. Although the team has not been getting results in the past matches my main motive is to continue to score many more goals and help my team finish the season in a good position.”
#1 Naorem Mahesh Singh (Shillong Lajong)
It was his debut match in the I-League and Naorem Mahesh Singh had made headlines with his brilliant strike against Aizawl FC. His curling effort from outside the box produced early ‘goal of the season’ contender. He scored again in the match, to earn a win for his side. However, coach Alisan Kharsintiew did not field him in every match. But whenever Mahesh took the field, he tried to do something impactful.
For a boy who idolises Jackichand Singh, the next season could fulfil his dream if FC Goa acquire him. He has all the ability to play in an ISL side and one can be sure the youngster would only develop himself with better infrastructure and coaching.
