ISL - INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE - NEWS

  

Indian Super League: Chennaiyin FC rope in Brazilians 

Augusto and Mailson

The Southern club continued their player recruitments, adding two Brazilians to already three in their roster...

Marco Materazzi's side announced the signing of midfielder Raphael Augusto on loan and central defender Mailson for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Raphael who joined Brazil giants Fluminense at the youth levels in 2006, has been a journeyman throughout his career with loan spells all over the world, including MLS's DC United and Polish giants, Legia Warsaw in 2013-14.

The 24 year old said that he was looking to come to India, after his spells in USA and Poland and expressed his desire to play under gaffer, Materazzi.

“I am very excited to play for Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League.  I enjoyed my experience in USA and Poland and now this venture in India will not only give me the chance to show my quality but also learn a lot by playing under Marco Materazzi. I know there will be a lot of competition for places in midfield as there are plenty of good Indian midfielders in the team also but I am really looking forward to the challenge and I hope to make Chennaiyin FC successful,” he stressed.

Compared to Augusto, Mailson had spent most of his career in the lower echelons of Brazil, besides a Portugese sojourn with second division club Portimonense.

The 27 year old led from the back and saw his team Tombense win the Brazilian Serie D in 2014. He then changed over to Serie C side Tupi FC but was released at the end of the season. 

“I would like to thank Chennaiyin FC for giving me the opportunity to share the dressing room with legends like Marco Materazzi and Elano. With so many Brazilians playing in the ISL last year, I have heard very positively about the league especially the great support in the stadiums. Chennaiyin FC was one of the best teams last year with Elano in fantastic form. I am determined to perform at my very best and help Chennaiyin FC win the title this time,” said the defender, wishing to play alongside Elano.

Chennaiyin's Italian manager welcomed both the new recruits and said they would only strengthen the side's desire to win the championship this season.

 “We are very happy to have signed Raphael Augusto and Mailson. They are two players with not only immense quality but also a lot of potential and I am glad that they will get to show their ability for us Chennnaiyin FC in this year’s ISL. Augusto is a great young prospect who can have a big influence in midfield. Technically and physically he is at a very good level. Mailson can be a towering presence at the back and at 27 he is still very young for a centre back and thus will only get better playing with the likes of Mendy and Eder Monteiro. Both players will strengthen their respective positions in our team,” he concluded.

ISL Report: Zaccardo turns down Pune City offer

The veteran Italian defender, currently with AC Milan, asked for a fee that the ISL franchise couldn't stump up, with all interest now ended.

Cristian Zaccardo, the AC Milan and World Cup 2006 winning defender, has turned his back on offers from the Indian Super League (ISL), more specifically the Deccan franchise of FC Pune City, according to reports from Bel Paese.

Zaccardo, 33, as had been reported by Goal, was under consideration by the Orange and Purple franchise, who had reportedly offered him a $250,000 contract for four months of the tournament. The former Parma and Palermo defender was revealed to have turned down the offer because of the remuneration, as he  wanted more. 

Now, reports claim that his actual asking price was actually $400,000 for the duration of the tournament, something which the franchise baulked at. With no intention of renewing their offer on the table, the move for the Italian defender whose contract at the Rossoneri ends in 2016, to grace the ISL has hit a dead-end. 

FC Pune City have made exemplary strides in other departments of the squad, with the additions of Tuncay Sanli to an already star-studded line-up alongside Adrian Mutu, Didier Zokora and Yendrick Ruiz. 

The franchise finished sixth in the table last season, and seek an excellent season with their acquisitons of India's Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Jackichand Singh alongside the aforementioned stars.  

Salgaocar: 'Goan players are the best in the country'

The co-owner of FC Goa was positive that ISL clubs would turnover profits in the years to come...

Dattaraj Salgaocar, co-owner of the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise FC Goa, has spoken favourably about having an extended ISL in the country, than one which lasts just three months, whilst also exclaiming that the team's management would do all to prevent a departure of Zico from the coaching role which is entrusted to him as the Blues head into the second season of the tournament.

"We hope the format is extended and the ISL becomes a longer competition. We would welcome that," iterated a thoughtful Salgaocar, to The Times of India, believing he represented the majority of ISL stakeholders' view regarding the duration of the tourney.

He further added, with respect to fine-tuning revenue and expenses, "We would be fine with a longer competition. With an extended format, the revenue and sponsorship will increase. There will be more people engaged with the competition and plenty more will watch these matches."

Questioned on the ability of franchises to make a profit in the venture, eventually, Salgaocar countered by stating its football's popularity in the Indian sub-continent that the ISL was designed to proliferate and they would, by virtue of this aim, generate the required in-flow.

"We hope to ultimately make profits. The main objective, though, has always been to develop football in the best manner possible and get the crowd back to the stadiums. We were delighted that the ISL was the fourth-best attended league in its first year itself. It speaks well for how well the league has been packaged and marketed, besides, of course, the quality of the competition," he stated. 

With Goa's Fatorda stadium set to host the final of the ISL come December, it was impressed on Salgaocar if FC Goa's need to win the competition was at its zenith, to which he replied, "We are honoured to have the final here. It's a tribute to Goan fans. For us, and I quote Zico here again, 'the fear of losing should never take away the desire of winning'. Every game carries pressure but we have to handle it and rise to the top. Our fans will, as always, want us to win the tournament and we will do that."

With regards to Zico and his presence at the franchise, the Salgaocar scion added, "We have asked Zico to be there with us for a longer term. Let this season get over and then we can think of how to take the discussion forward. We are, and will continue to be, guided by him. Even if he cannot be with us in the future, we will be happy to continue with his philosophy, ideas and thoughts."

Asked about the pronounced presence of Goan players in the franchise, Salgaocar commented, "Goan players are the best in the country. Out of 160 players, we have almost 30 who are Goans, and all of them are outstanding. We had chosen some of our players like Narayan (Das), Debabrata (Roy) and Pronay (Halder) and so we were left with limited choices. I wish there were more Goan players in the domestic draft."

"We have signed Goan players based on talent and I am sure the connection with our fans will be tremendous," concluded Salgaocar.