Ask any Indian Football Fan which player comes to his/her mind when you say the words - Captain, Leader, Legend, the answer will be unanimous: Sunil Chhetri. For over a decade Sunil Chhetri has been carrying the goal scoring burden for the Blue Tigers but at 36 years of age he is entering the twilight of his career. So, what path lies ahead for Indian Football and who are the players that can step up?
Spearheading India’s attack since his debut in 2005, Sunil Chhetri with his 72 goals in 115 appearances stands second in terms of Active Goalscorers in International Football after Cristiano Ronaldo. However, all good things eventually come to an end and so will Sunil Chhetri’s time as the focal attacking force for the Blue Tigers.
Core Leadership Group key to shouldering Responsibility
Sunil Chhetri is much more important than just his goals. He brings invaluable Leadership on and off the pitch and is a role model for aspiring footballers in the nation. Coach Igor Stimac has on multiple occasions given the captain’s armband to other players like defender Sandesh Jhingan and Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The reasoning behind the rotation of captains could actually prove to be a smart move in hindsight as it enhanced the responsibility on the shoulders of the players and made their opinions heard in the dressing room.
Bright Young Midfielders Ready to step up according to Bhaichung Bhutia
With the emergence of ISL, young midfielders like Sahal Abdul Samad and Anirudh Thapa have been revered by fans and coaches alike .“In terms of scoring, Sahal can come and fit in. He’s playing more as a link-up -- an attacking midfielder. He just needs to start getting confidence by scoring, taking shots. “Once he starts scoring, he can be a great finisher. He can take that position (of Sunil Chhetri). He is one future star for India,” Bhaiching Bhutia said in an Instagram live on the Indian Super League.
However, the major cause of concern is the lack of playing time for Indian strikers in ISL. The owners spend their transfer kitty on signing foreign strikers who have got pedigree in foreign leagues and can fire straight away. Coach Igor Stimac raised his concern regarding the issue and the AIFF and FSDL acted and amended the rule and reduced the number of foreigners from 5 to 4 for the 2021-22 season. But plans for 3+1 rule have been put on hold as per the officials of AIFF.
Replacing Chhetri’s contribution is an uphill task but at the end of the day, Football is a team sport and would require the collective efforts of the team, AIFF and ISL at both the league level and Grassroots alike. Until then, Indian Football fans can relish the thought of Chhetri performing wonders for Indian Football as he has done throughout his long career.
