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Shillong Lajong were the first club from the NorthEast region of India to rise to prominence in the country. Though Aizawl FC caught most of the attention after their I-League title in 2016, it was Lajong who were the torch-bearers of northeastern football for a large part of the decade.
Lajong, who had produced credible performances all these seasons, decided to play with an all-Indian squad, mainly the academy boys, in this year’s I-League. The move never worked for them as the inexperienced boys were no match against superior teams like Chennai City and East Bengal.
From the third match itself, Lajong were pushed to the bottom place on the table and never recovered from that stage. As of now, they have only 11 points from 19 matches, conceding an astounding 53 goals in the process.
But one should not forget the talented players that Lajong have produced over the years. Sportskeeda lists out seven players who have made a name for themselves:
#7 Samuel Lalmuanpuia
One of the most famous footballers to stay with Shillong Lajong this season is definitely Samuel Lalmuanpuia. He got the captain’s armband in the previous season and became the second youngest leader of any I-League side after Amarjit Singh Kiyam of India Arrows.
Shillong Lajong decided to retain him as the captain of the side this season. Being the leader of a young team, Samuel led from the front and scored three goals for his team and provided an assist in the 18 matches that he played so far.
After spending more than six years at the Chandigarh Football Academy where he learned the tricks of the game, Samuel joined Lajong as a youth team player. He played in the Under-19 I-League for Lajong before moving to the senior side in 2016.
After producing brilliant performances throughout the season, Samuel was awarded the Best Emerging Player’ of I-League last season. Despite several offers from Indian Super League sides, Samuel decided to stay with Lajong.
But as Lajong have now relegated, the player might find a new home in next season but Lajong deserve to take credit for making him a great player.
Also see : Fantasy Premier League , Fantasy Premier League Tips, EPL Transfer News
#6 Redeem Tlang
Hailing from Shillong, Tlang started playing football at the age of seven. In a football-crazy state, it didn’t take much time to get the support of his family. He started representing his school in various age level tournaments, including in the U-14 and U-15 levels.
Tlang joined Lajong in 2009 in their U-17 team. He was only 14 years old but his talent made him a standout player of the squad. He featured in most of the games and had a successful reign, winning many titles and accolades.
Usually a left-back, Tlang has the ability to overlap constantly and provide support the strikers on a regular basis. He shot to fame in 2013 after scoring a hat-trick against local rivals Shillong United. He made his debut in the senior team in October 2014 against Churchill Brothers.
He was included in the ISL team NorthEast United the same year and made his presence felt with some eye-catching performance. He was brought back and played for Lajong for the next three years.
Last year, he made a permanent move to NorthEast United and has so far been a regular member of the team, guiding them into the playoffs for the first time in their history. His ability at attack as well as swift tackles made him a go-to man for NorthEast coach Eelco Schattorie.
#5 Rupert Nongrum
Another product from Shillong Lajong’s youth academy, Rupert has shifted base to local ISL side NorthEast United at the start of the season. But unlike his other teammates, Nongrum has been playing in the ISL for a longer period.
Nongrum joined Lajong’s youth academy in 2010 but even after that, he represented his school Myngken Christian HSS in the Subroto Cup, a pan-India school football tournament. He was eventually included in the U-19 team and played in the U-19 I-League. He went on to participate in the Shillong Premier League as well.
He got his first experience in the ISL when he was acquired for a short-term loan by Delhi Dynamos. He played five matches under Gianluca Zambrotta. He was bought by ATK in the next season and although he went on to play 13 matches for the team, he could not find proper guidance as ATK was ravaged by management problems.
Nongrum signed for NorthEast United but failed to find a place in the first team even for a single time. The crowded midfield left him with no chance but to warm the bench.
#4 Chinglensana Singh
Not to be confused with the Indian hockey player, Chinglensana Singh started playing football at the age of six and immediately fell in love with the game. Hailing from the second largest city of Manipur, Churachandrapur, Chinglensana shifted to Mumbai with his elder brother and sister at the age of 10.
Chinglensana, or simply Sana as he is called by his teammates and coaches, then became the captain of his school Ryan International and got selected for Mahindra United U-15 team. He was a part of the team that won Manchester United Premier Cup in 2010. He shifted to Air India before moving to Tata Football Academy. He has also played for Sheffield United U-18 side.
Sana was roped in by ISL side Delhi Dynamos in 2016 on loan and suddenly he started playing alongside Florent Malouda and Marcos Tebar. After spending one season at Delhi, Sana signed for FC Goa last season and earned praise from coach Sergio Lobera.
Being an ardent follower of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, Sana started replicating the performance by watching YouTube videos of his idol. He played seven matches for FC Goa this season but constant chopping and changing of the squad saw the defender spend some time on the bench as well.
#3 Boithang Haokip
Another famous product of Shillong Lajong youth academy, Boithang Haokip made his senior professional debut way back in 2009-10 I-League. But regular chances were few, so he concentrated on the youth team and delivered some credible performances.
It was not until 2012-13 that he established himself as the regular team player. He played for 22 matches, scoring four times in the process. He was voted “Fan’s Player of the Year” awards at FPAI Indian Football Awards in the same year.
Haokip was loaned to NorthEast United for the 2014-16 seasons. After spending a brief period for Mumbai City, Haokip was signed by Bengaluru FC. Since then, he has become sort of an impact substitute for the team.
Known as “David Beckham of North-East for his excellent free-kick taking skills, Haokip has made seven appearances for Bengaluru this season and scored a goal this season.
#2 Eugeneson Lyngdoh
Though he started his career with Randajied United, it was Shillong Lajong that made him the player he is today. He made his I-League debut with Lajong in the 2012-13 season and became the top-scorer for the club in the tournament, scoring four goals. He was retained by Lajong for one more season before Lyngdoh moved to his former club Rangdajied.
After watching his skills closely, Bengaluru FC signed the youngster in the 2014-15 season and the youngster justified the price by providing some scintillating performances throughout the season. He created history by scoring Bengaluru’s first ever goal in AFC Champions League qualifier against Johor Darul Ta’zim.
When he became the costliest Indian player before the 2017-18 ISL season after ATK signed him for Rs 1.1 crore, no one batted an eyelid. Every football fan by then knew the quality and talent that he possessed. But a Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) injury ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Lyngdoh was retained by ATK but new coach Steve Coppell didn’t have enough ‘courage’ to field him in the first XI, which ruled him out of the Indian squad for the AFC Asian Cup. Lyndoh played only 129 minutes for ATK this season, spread over five matches.
#1 Vishal Kaith
After learning the basics of the game from the AIFF Elite Academy, Vishal Kaith joined Shillong Lajong and it didn’t take much time before making his senior team debut.
In his debut match in the Federation Cup against Salgaocar, Kaith produced an excellent performance and earned the Man of the Match award. He went on to replicate the same performance in the next match against Mohun Bagan, which earned him a second successive MOM award.
At Lajong, it was the then coach Thangboi Singto who transformed Kaith into the goalkeeper he is today. Singto helped develop the skills of the Himachal Pradesh-born player, who had no roots before he started playing football.
Kaith was loaned to Pune City in 2016 but had to warm the bench for the entire season. But after producing some eye-catching performances in the pre-tournament games ahead of the 2017-18 season, the player settled himself and made a few appearances for FC Pune City this season. His performance also earned him a national call-up though he is yet to make his debut in the senior team.
