India football captain Sunil Chhetri was not part of the inaugural season of the home-grown Indian Super League (ISL) much to the dismay of his fans. However, with I-League club Bengaluru FC releasing their players for the ISL auction and player draft, Chhetri was roped in by Mumbai City FC and unsurprisingly, for the highest fee of Rs. 1.20 crore.
For the first time in his career, the talismanic striker and undoubtedly the poster boy of Indian football fans Baichung Bhutia, will be playing for a Mumbai-based club. In a freewheeling chat with IBNLive.com, Chhetri said he is excited to be a part of the league.
"I'm naturally excited to be part of the ISL this time around. For me, as long as I am playing football, I'm a happy man, be it the I-League, the ISL or even a fun five-a-side game with friends," Chhetri said.
Learning from their below-par performance in season 1, Mumbai City FC have been one of the most aggressive buyers before the start of the second season. In addition to the mercurial former France and Chelsea striker, Nicolas Anelka, the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned franchise have signed Haitian defender Frantz Bertin, French striker Frederic Piquionne and Spanish defender Cristian Bustos. On top of that, they have also retained the attacking Brazilian midfielder Andre Moritz.
The addition of Chhetri provides Mumbai with a creative edge apart from a huge fan base. Chhetri, a former Kansas City Wizards and Sporting Lisbon striker, said playing alongside Anelka will be nothing short of an experience.
"Playing alongside Anelka will be nothing short of an experience. He doesn't need me or anyone talking about his stature on the global scene. It's a chance I will learn a lot from. On paper, we have a great team, a nice bunch and mix of experience and youth. We're all going to have to work hard to make sure we aren't only good on paper though!" he said.
In a country that lacks a proper football culture, to be boasting of a league fourth most attended one in the world is an achievement in itself. The ISL can only grow leaps and bounds from here, following a very successful inaugural season that has grabbed the eyeballs of football fans around the world.
Chhetri, who is India's all-time highest goal scorer in international football, said he is relishing the chance to be a part of it.
"The ISL will be a new experience for me and I am relishing the chance to be a part of it. The tournament has created a buzz the world over and to play my part in it is something I am surely looking forward to," said Chhetri, who has scored 50 international goals.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that the success of the ISL has brought back world's interest into Indian football. The presence of international stars, celebrity owners and a competitive schedule has helped reignite Indian football not just within the country but also internationally.
The ISL player action and draft was the first-ever action to come across in Indian football and was well received by both players and fans. The auction also proved to be an important commercial milestone in the careers of Indian footballers.
Apart from Chhetri, Eugeneson Lyngdoh was brought for Rs 1.05 crore. Defender Rino Anto went for Rs 90 lakh (up from Rs 17.50 lakh) and midfielder Thoi Singh was picked up for Rs 86 lakh (up from Rs 39 lakh).
The 31-year-old Chhetri, who has 87 international caps for India, opined that this auction has instilled belief that football can be a lucrative career option.
"Without a doubt! It was live on television and I hope a lot of parents of budding footballers have sat through it. What this auction has done is give belief to parents that football can be a lucrative career going ahead. I'm really pleased for boys like Rino among others, who have worked hard and have been justly rewarded," said the four-time AIFF Player of the Year.
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