Mumbai: Defender Anas Edathodika and midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh emerged as the costliest picks for an identical Rs 1.10 crore in the Indian Super League (ISL) domestic players’ draft here Sunday.
Edathodika was picked up by new outfit Jamshedpur FC while, Eugeneson was snapped up by two-time champions ATK.
Other top picks among the 134 players chosen were goalkeeper Subrata Paul, who was chosen by Jamshedpur for Rs 87 lakh, and right-back Pritam Kotal, grabbed by Delhi Dynamos for Rs 75 lakh.
“He was our No. 1 pick. He also scores goals and should be valuable,” legendary England footballer Teddy Sheringham, who has been appointed ATK coach for the season, told reporters when asked about Lyngdoh.
Incidentally, ATK’s technical director Ashley Westwood was the coach of ISL debutants Bengaluru FC in the I-League with Lyngdoh in their ranks. ATK also picked up India striker Robin Singh for Rs 65 lakh, enabling a reunion with Westwood, under whom he played for Bengaluru FC in the I League.
Steve Coppell, Jamshedpur FC’s head coach, said, “Picking Indian players were our priority. A decision on choosing foreign players will be taken soon. We have some foreign players in the mind. We picked up some terrific and solid players from the pick. Now our job is to cement the team.”
Jamshedpur also picked up Mehtab Hussain, who last year had played a pivotal role for Kerala Blasters. “He is very much the heart of the team. Definitely, I am very pleased to have got him,” Coppell stated.
Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) chairperson Nita Ambani stated that ISL is inspiring youth to take up football as a career.
“It is going to be an exciting new journey with 10 teams, a longer season, kicking off this November. Both in terms of number of matches moving up from 61 to 95, and the duration from two-and-a-half months to five months, it will be a better tournament,” stated Ambani.
Top buys
Jamshedpur FC: Anas Edathodika (Rs 1.10 crore), Subrata Paul (Rs 87 lakh).
Delhi Dynamos FC: Pritam Kotal (Rs 75 lakh), Albino Gomes (Rs 50 lakh), Seityasen Singh (Rs 50 lakh), Romeo Fernandes (Rs 50 lakh).
FC Pune City: Lalchung Moya (Rs 45 lakh), Keen Louis (Rs 40 lakh), Baljit Sahani (Rs 37 lakh).
Kerala Blasters: Rino Anto (63 lakh), Jackichand Singh (Rs 55 lakh).
North East United FC: Lalrindika Ralte (Rs 50 lakh), Hali Charan Narzary (Rs 45 lakh).
FC Goa: Narayan Das (Rs 58 lakh), Pranoy Halder (58 lakh).
ATK: Eugeneson Lyngdoh (Rs 1.10 crore), Robin Singh (Rs 65 lakh).
Bengaluru FC: Lenny Rodrigues (Rs 60 lakh), Harmanjot Khabra (Rs 53 lakh).
Chennaiyin FC: Thoi Singh (Rs 57 lakh), Bikramjit Singh (Rs 53 lakh), Dhanachandana Singh (Rs 50 lakh).
Mumbai City FC: Balwant Singh (Rs 65 lakh), Arindam Bhattacharya (Rs 64 lakh).
