Chennaiyin looks to rediscover its glorious past

CHENNAI: After back-to-back underwhelming campaigns in the top-flight, Chennaiyin FC will be keen to rediscover its glorious past in the Indian Super League 2022-23.

It has been quite a while – about four-and-a-half years – since Chennaiyin last climbed the top of the podium and inscribed its name on the glittering ISL trophy. Pained by recent failures – the club finished a lowly eighth in both the ISL 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons – but holding ambitions to succeed again, two-time victor CFC hit the reset button in the off-season for the second consecutive year.

The ‘Marina Machans’ brought in Thomas Brdaric as the conductor of its orchestra that underwent several personnel changes. In the German’s maiden managerial assignment in India, the Durand Cup 2022, Chennaiyin showed promise en route to the quarter-finals, where it went down fighting to Mumbai City FC.

For CFC to become an irritant to the ISL’s current established order, its squad members will have to bring their ‘A’ game to the park more often than not. Debjit Majumder is likely to be the first-choice shotstopper, but the veteran has not inspired much in recent times.

Senegal’s Fallou Diagne, who plied his trade at KF Vllaznia under Brdaric before making the move to Chennaiyin, and Vafa Hakhamaneshi of Iran could be the regular starters at the base of the backline. The southern side does not possess quality depth in central defence, with Md. Sajid Dhot and Gurmukh Singh being the only other recognised options.

The versatile Narayan Das was employed as a centre-back a few times in the Durand Cup, but there are question marks over whether he can be effective while playing out of his comfort zone in the ISL. Among other full-backs, Aakash Sangwan demonstrated in the Durand Cup that he can be relied upon while Ajith Kumar is yet to hit his straps.

German technician Julius Duker and skipper Anirudh Thapa have forged a mesmerising partnership in midfield, which has been bolstered by the arrival of Nasser El Khayati. ‘Dutch delight’ El Khayati was recruited as a last-minute replacement for the long-serving Rafael Crivellaro, who failed to make it to the 35-member ISL contingent due to fitness issues.

Youngsters Sajal Bag and Jiteshwor Singh have the potential to challenge the big boys for places. For spots in the final third of the field, Brdaric has plenty of options to choose from. Being the overseas recruits, Croatia’s Petar Sliskovic and Ghanian Kwame Karikari would be expected to do the majority of the duties.

CFC is stacked with options in the winger department, with as many as five players possibly challenging for the two wide slots in the starting eleven. With a decent squad at his disposal, can Brdaric do what his predecessors Csaba Laszlo or Bozidar Bandovic could not?

MATCH RESULT: Bengaluru FC 1 (A Costa 86) bt NorthEast United FC 0