New Delhi: Among the crests of the 2013\/14 Airtel I-League, the biggest hurrah has been the flurry of goals scored by Indian Players, a fact that has been alien to the Country\u2019s top draw competition ever since Raman Vijayan scored 10 goals to Cheema Okorie\u2019s 9 goals to become the top-scorer way back in the 1997\/98 National Football League (NFL) Season.<\/p>\n
But it seems India and Bengaluru FC Captain Sunil Chhetri is hell-bent on bucking the trend this time. The All India Football Federation Player of the Year, the highest scorer in the Airtel I-League at the moment with 13 goals to his name (as on March 27, 2014) is on the cusp of becoming the first Indian in the I-League era to finish as the highest scorer in a single edition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be the happiest person if Sunil finishes as the top scorer, and by the look of things I am sure he will,\u201d Raman Vijayan told www.the-aiff.com.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings are slowly improving as far as Indian Strikers as far as the Airtel I-League is concerned. A couple of years ago it was all about the Ranti Martins and the Odafa Okolies. Our Strikers used to warm the benches more often than not. But it\u2019s heartening to see the trend changing slowly,\u201d added the former India International.<\/p>\n
The top-five Indian goal-getters which include Sunil (13), Balwant (9), Boithang Haokip (5), Sabeeth Sathyan (4) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (4) have altogether already scored 35 goals compared to last season\u2019s tally of 30.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to see the mentality changing. Indian Coaches now looking to strike a balance and not build it around one \u2018so called marquee Player.\u2019 The overdependence on Odafa and Ranti has reduced considerably and it\u2019s a very positive sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the same time we need more Indian Strikers starting for their respective Clubs. We are heading in the right direction and I hope to see more Players like Balwant in the coming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commenting on the Churchill Brothers\u2019 talisman who broke made his International debut against Bangladesh in Goa, Vijayan said: \u201cI watched Balwant play in the Federation Cup. I was really impressed. This lad has a lot of potential and is a perfect foil for Sunil in the National Team.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the record, Chhetri, also an Arjuna Awardee, has already equalled the record of most goals scored by an Indian in a single season since the inception of the I-League in 2007.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the highest-ever Indian Goalscorer in International Football is on the verge of eclipsing Indian Football icon Bhaichung Bhutia\u2019s record of most number of goals by an Indian in a single edition of the National Football League (NFL) or I-League. Bhutia had scored 14 goals for JCT in the inaugural edition of NFL back in 1996-97 Season and Chhetri has four games up his sleeve to net two and better that longstanding feat.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Sunil Chhetri \u2013 13 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Balwant Singh \u2013 9 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Boithang Haokip \u2013 5 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 T Lalnunpuia \u2013 5 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Gilbert Oliveira \u2013 5 goals FOREIGN RECRUITS (as on March 27, 2014)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00b7 Darryl Duffy \u2013 11 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Josimar \u2013 10 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Cornell Glen \u2013 9 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Ranti Martins \u2013 8 goals<\/p>\n \u00b7 Eric Brown \u2013 8 goals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New Delhi: Among the crests of the 2013\/14 Airtel I-League, the biggest hurrah has been the flurry of goals scored by Indian Players, a fact that has been alien to the Country\u2019s top draw competition ever since Raman Vijayan scored 10 goals to Cheema Okorie\u2019s 9 goals to become the top-scorer way back in the 1997\/98 National Football League (NFL) Season.<\/p>\n But it seems India and Bengaluru FC Captain Sunil Chhetri is hell-bent on bucking the trend this time. The All India Football Federation Player of the Year, the highest scorer in the Airtel I-League at the moment with 13 goals to his name (as on March 27, 2014) is on the cusp of becoming the first Indian in the I-League era to finish as the highest scorer in a single edition.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be the happiest person if Sunil finishes as the top scorer, and by the look of things I am sure he will,\u201d Raman Vijayan told www.the-aiff.com.<\/p>\n \u201cThings are slowly improving as far as Indian Strikers as far as the Airtel I-League is concerned. A couple of years ago it was all about the Ranti Martins and the Odafa Okolies. Our Strikers used to warm the benches more often than not. But it\u2019s heartening to see the trend changing slowly,\u201d added the former India International.<\/p>\n The top-five Indian goal-getters which include Sunil (13), Balwant (9), Boithang Haokip (5), Sabeeth Sathyan (4) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (4) have altogether already scored 35 goals compared to last season\u2019s tally of 30.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-isn-front-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n
TOP INDIAN GOALSCORERS IN THE AIRTEL I-LEAGUE 2013\/14 (as on March 27, 2014)<\/strong><\/p>\n
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