ISL 2018: Jackichand Singh signs for FC Goa from Kerala Blasters on two-year deal
Star Indian winger Jackichand Singh has signed for Indian Super League (ISL) season 4 semi-finalists FC Goa on a massive two-year deal. The former Kerala Blasters man is likely to get a huge salary hike on joining the Goan outfit.
Jackichand made 17 appearances for Kerala Blasters this season in which he scored two goals and notched up three assists. However, his team failed to qualify for the playoffs after enduring a difficult start to the season under former coach Rene Meulensteen. It was only after David James' appointment as the head coach in January that the Kochi-based club made a turn-around but in the end, it was not going to be enough.
The 25-year-old Manipur-born midfielder started off his career at Royal Wahingdoh. He helped the club gain promotion to the I-League first division in 2014. In his very first season in the top flight, Jackichand impressed one and all with his exhilarating pace and scintillating dribbling. Although Wahingdoh finished third, he went on to win the Player of the Season award.
He played for FC Pune City in ISL 2015, where he scored one of the fastest goals the league has seen over the years against ATK. The next year, he joined Mumbai City FC but he was largely under-utilised before moving to Kerala ahead of this season.
And now, Jackichand will be playing for FC Goa for the next two seasons. The move comes after former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov had openly criticised James for his style of football even as the Blasters' handed a two-year contract extension to the Englishman.
Although they finished sixth in the Indian Super League last season, Jackichand was one of the regulars in the Kerala Blasters side last season, under both their managers, Rene Meulensteen and David James.