Nerijus Valskis: Thapa, Chhangte are among the best Indian talent

The Lithuanian is on the cusp of winning the golden boot and the ISL title all in his debut season.

Nerijus Valskis is as straight-forward as they come! The Lithuanian has been a testament to his side's remarkable turnaround in fortunes this season and has made his debut campaign one to remember. Valskis, currently, is just one goal away from clinching the Golden Boot in a race that has been defined by ups and downs. He's now looking to mark the season not just with the personal accolade, but also with the ISL title post the final on Saturday.

Ahead of the big game, Khel Now took the opportunity to put the striker on the spot with some questions and he got most of them on target, in keeping with his prolific form in front of goal.

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But, it was not all smooth sailing for the Chennaiyin forward, as he had a tough initiation into the ISL with poor personal and team form. Particularly for a striker, it meant a lack of self-confidence that pushed him and the Marina Machans into an abyss. The team failed to even register a goal in their first four games under former head coach John Gregory.

Nerijus Valskis recollects the events that unfolded in the first half of the season, despite not losing perspective on the future. "Yes, it has been a roller-coaster of a season without a doubt. But, you have to understand that the team had a lot of new players and everyone had to get used to each other. Such things take time on most occasions. Yet, we didn’t lose our composure or will. We had the belief in ourselves and in hindsight, we can comfortably say that it has been a memorable turnaround. "

"Now, we have thankfully been on the way up and are in the final. We must not rest on our laurels, go ahead and win the final and make it a season to remember," he added.

Valskis is the perfect embodiment of his side's early form and resurgence as the striker found form and became the centre-piece of goalscoring action. The forward attributed the sudden change in his goalscoring mojo and his team's uplift in form and consistency to the freedom provided by new coach Owen Coyle.

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He answered, "Owen Coyle and assistant coach Sandy Stewart have done a remarkable job since coming in, I must say. They have come in and reinstated the positivity and desire within the squad."

"The intensity in training has gone up by several notches, that has been evident in our performances in the matches. There is a real sense of togetherness, desire and ambition within the squad. More than anything else, he has helped everyone regain their belief as individuals and as a group."

"The new coach came in and kept reiterating to us not be worried about making mistakes. He has helped remove the fear of failure. His style of play is also more attacking and direct. That tweak in our mindset and approach has also been key. We have taken our chances well, shown maturity and composure in front of goal," remembered Nerijus Valskis.

The confidence that Coyle has shown in the team is evident in the freedom with which the Marina Machans play. It has seen them pick up more points than any other side since the former Bolton Wanderers and Wigan manager took charge.

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But, that will only matter if Chennaiyin win the grand finale, a battle that would see either side win their third ISL title in six seasons. Nerijus Valskis sounds ready for the big occasion despite acknowledging the quality that ATK possess.

Speaking about the game, Valskis stated, "I am expecting an extremely tough encounter. Both teams want to win their third ISL title and it surely will be a very good game of football. Whatever results we have in the past don’t matter."

"A final will be a completely different encounter and we have to be at our very best from the word go. The previous result has no bearing on the final. If you ask me, we must forget about that. This will be a completely different setting and we have to be switched on from the first whistle to the last in order to win against a very good ATK side."

Nerijus Valskis also recognized the quality of his striking counterparts Roy Krishna and David Williams and expects the showpiece to be the toughest game this campaign. However, he's keen to keep his focus on playing to the best that he and the team can. The prolific forward is counting on the experience that he has gathered during the crucial moments in the season to stand him in good stead.

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The 32-year old quoted, "Football is a combination of psychological and physical prowess. We have to be strong mentally and back ourselves physically on the pitch. We have shown great mentality in many games playing under pressure. That has been pivotal in our run to reach the final. Especially, the way we managed matches like the away game against Mumbai City FC and the second leg against FC Goa, when we played under great pressure from the opponent."

The result of the final notwithstanding, it can't be argued that Valskis has enjoyed a wonderful season for Chennaiyin FC with 14 goals and six assists in 19 matches so far. He has scored double the goals as compared to any other Chennaiyin player and is second in the assists charts behind Rafael Crivellaro (8). Numbers like these have kept him in contention for the Golden Boot and have given him reason to celebrate this term.

"Of course, I can’t deny that. It provides an added motivation, but the primary objective is to help the team win, whether I score or not. In the process, if I end up winning the Golden Boot, then it will be a nice bonus to have," said Valskis sounding diplomatic.

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He also held the Indian players in very high regard, especially Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte, who have been cornerstones in Chennaiyin's revival in quality and form. Nerijus Valskis predicts a very bright future for the talented young guns.

"Both of them are among the best Indian talent and very important to our team. They have great natural ability, coupled with hard work and a fantastic attitude. They're among the humblest people I have met. The way they are going, they are destined for great things. But, they must take care of themselves and keep improving every season."

Before leaving him to rev up for the grand finale, we tested him one more time and asked him to divulge his world football 5-a-side team.

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