CFC co-owner Abhishek all praise for Blasters’ Iain Hume

“He is a true gentleman and a great ambassador for ISL, whichever team he may be a part of. I was flattered by a gesture of his during Season 2 when he walked up to our dressing room to motivate our lads after slumping to the bottom of the league standings. It shows immense sportsmanship spirit from a player of such high calibre,” eulogised the Bollywood star.

Speaking on the ‘South Indian derby’ between Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters FC, Junior Bachchan said, “It is not just a game, it is an emotion. I expect it to be a competitive fixture. Rivalry and banter are good for the sport but it must stay on the pitch and remain only until the final whistle.”

Abhishek complimented the enthusiasts of derby rivals CFC and KBFC for having backed the teams through its thick and thin. “Both sets of fans are fantastic and we look forward to welcome the away fans at the Marina Arena on Friday. We have immense love and respect for what they have done over the years,” Bachchan expressed his adulation for them.  

The 41-year-old was impressed with the attendance at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kerala. Commenting on it, he said, “It has some of the best fans in the ISL and the atmosphere is just vibrant. Such things will only help in the betterment of Indian football. Having been around the world, Nehru Stadium in Kochi is one of the most intimidating stadiums to be a part of.”

He remained optimistic about the local lads replacing the marquee players of the league. “A marquee (player) will obviously galvanise the fans. But one horizon we want to conquer is our local and Indian talents coming through the ranks. They could well be as worthy as a marquee player in the coming years. We have three to four members of the present squad who are capable of getting there,” said the actor-director. 

Commenting on roping in seasoned campaigner Elano Blumer as the marquee player for Season 1, he added “When I was given a chance to pick, I went ahead with Elano. At that point of time, my decision was criticised by a lot of pundits in the country. But he proved it wrong by claiming the ‘Golden Boot’ during that edition and helped us claim the title in the subsequent year. He went on to signify so much of what Chennaiyin FC stood for.”