Coach Zico reasoned that the Brazilian players have made the cut on account of their ability and not because they hail from his country. The Spaniard however cautioned that to make it happen they would need best from each and every player of the team.
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Brazilian legend Zico, who was instrumental in recommending the pre-season tour for the team so that his boys could achieve high match performance levels, had high praise for the facilities available at Dubai Sports City.
Zico, though, will not miss any of them.
The departure of Andre dos Santos, who topped the player ratings in the ISL previous year, has not attracted as much commentary as the departure of Pinheiro, who showed remarkable composure in defence and midfield, and Jan Seda, victor of the Golden Glove.
“I wanted many of my foreign players to return but we could not get their services”, said Zico.
Of the eight marquee players in the ISL, three are Brazilian – Lucio, Elano Blumer from the Chennai side, and Roberto Carlos, the player-coach of the Delhi Dynamos. But it is the powerful “banana-shot” freekick he scored against France in 1997 that remained etched in the fan’s memory.
Among the domestic players, all eyes will be on Romeo Fernandes, the first Indian to play for a top-flight Brazilian club. The first was about that one particular freekick.
Top players and managers in the glitzy Indian Super League (ISL) believe the tournament’s duration should be extended to really reap its benefits. Early planning has also ensured Clubs having 20-25 days pre-season overseas camps; thus not only allowing time for their respective teammates to get to know and train together but also given an opportunity to more than 75 Indian youngsters to experience different footballing culture across globe. “But the way the league has started and going on, if it carries on like this I hope a time will come when ISL will be able to challenge other leagues in the world”, Zico said. “It has brought Indian football to the knowledge of the world“, he said at a media event here ahead of the second season beginning October 3.
“The league is for only three months”.
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India’s national team captain Sunil Chhetri too echoed the same sentiments adding that he would prefer just one league.
