ISL 2018: FC Pune City sign ex-Chennaiyin FC defender Keenan Almeida
What's the story?
As reported earlier, former Chennaiyin FC defender Keenan Almeida has signed for FC Pune City for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL), the club announced on Monday.
In case you didn't know...
Keenan Almeida began his professional career at Salgaocar but because he did not get much playing time, the defender joined Sporting Clube de Goa ahead of the 2012-13 season. He got his first taste of the ISL, when he joined FC Goa in 2015. Over the course of two seasons, he went on to play 11 times for the Gaurs.
In between, he enjoined brief stints at Salgaocar FC and Churchill Brothers Chennaiyin FC picked him up in the ISL 2017-18 draft after his contract with FC Goa lapsed.
The heart of the matter
Speaking on signing Almeida, FC Pune City CEO Gaurav Modwel said, “Keenan is a very good player and will bring much-needed versatility to our back line. He has a title-winning run under his belt with his previous club, which means he comes with the right mentality which matters a lot too.”
Almeida, himself, was excited at having joined the club and he said, “The club approached with a definite plan for me, something that I could immediately connect with. Getting good playing time is crucial for any player and that’s what I will be looking forward to with FC Pune City.”
With the likes of Rafa Lopez, Sarthak Golui, Gurtej Singh, Lalchhuanmawia and Sahil Panwar already in the ranks, Keenan Almeida's addition provides the squad with some much-needed versatility.
What's next?
The Stallions are doing some smart business in the transfer market. However, if they want to emulate their last season's performances, they will have to appoint a good coach. After Ranko Popovic left, Marcos Paqueta was named as the head coach but the Brazilian terminated his contract and side for signed for Brazilian club Botafogo.
Do you think Almeida will get enough playing time at Pune City? Have your say in the comments section.