Letting go Sandesh Jhingan wasn't easy: Simon Grayson

Bengaluru FC ended their ISL campaign last season with a loss in the finals

Bengaluru FC, one of the most consistent sides in Indian football would surely look to hunt down some silverware in the upcoming season. The club has been through some updates from the season prior and would be fighting for an even better season this time.

The three times champions of the Indian Super League are gearing up for their upcoming season which is going to start on 21st of September 2023. The Sunil Chhetri-led side is going to face Kerala Blasters FC in the opening game of the tournament. Coach Simon Grayson alongside the skipper and his teammates addressed about their preparation for the upcoming season during the ISL media day.

Contribution of ISL towards growth of Indian football

Over the years, it has been noticed that ISL has played a huge part in not just popularizing the football culture in India but has also helped in grooming youngsters for the upcoming challenges. 

With the likes of players like Sandesh Jhingan, who made his ISL debut for Kerala Blasters, has later gone on to become a household amongst the football enthusiasts, which proves the kind of culture that ISL provides.

“The youngsters are being groomed nicely, that is why the level of ISL is rising every year. And this season is going to be the most competitive one”, stated by Sunil Chhetri.

“As a coach, it is our duty, not just to improve the standard of game in the club but also to improve it for the country”, added by Bengaluru FC coach Simon Grayson.

Will exit of some top players affect the game of BFC?

No doubt Bengaluru FC is one of the most successful clubs in ISL. But like other teams, they also witnessed some unwanted top name exits like Sandesh Jhingan, Roy Krishna and Udanta Singh.

When asked about their exit, the coach said, “Letting go Sandesh was not an easy task for us, but he got a better offer from FC Goa. But we have some promising young talents in the team who will surely look forward to leave a mark under the guidance of their senior teammates.”  

Ending the last season as a runners-up

Bengaluru FC ended their ISL 2022-23 campaign with a loss in the final against ATK Mohun Bagan. Although the team showed superb composure throughout the tournament, they couldn’t hold on to their best of performances in the final match. 

When asked about the goal of this season, captain Sunil Chhetri replied “We didn’t think of the final match from day one of last season. Now we are only concentrating on our first match.”

“I have told last year, use the disappointment of this season as a motivation for the next” added by coach Grayson.

Sunil Chhetri lifted his game last season

When it comes to football, the first name that echoes amongst Indian fans is Sunil Chhetri. But the Indian legend was benched for several games in last season’s ISL. When he came back to the field, it seemed like Sunil was in a different league. He consistently showed his class and proved why he is the biggest asset for the club.

“Being on the bench was the biggest motivation for me. But during my absence, my team never looked back, they kept on performing to their best of level”, stated by Sunil Chhetri who is eager to make a statement this year also.

How far has football in India developed in the last few years?

No doubt, Indian football is slowly moving forward and is achieving greater heights year after year. The improvement can also be witnessed with their rise in FIFA rankings in the recent past. 

After the introduction of ISL, the enthusiasm for football has also seen a rapid rise in the country. The grassroot programs are helping the clubs to find new talents, who are further trained to improve their skills. 

“In the last few years, I have witnessed a huge improvement in the skills of Indian players”, stated by Javi Hernández.

“Next few years will be flourishing for Indian football, not just at club level but also at international level”, added by Simon Grayson.