ISL 2019-20: 5 Players to watch out for
The 2018-19 season of the Indian Super League saw some players which mesmerized the fans with their skills and innate abilities. Be it Manuel Lanzarote's free-kicks, Arnold Issoko's run down the wings, or Miku's knack of scoring goals, the fans were never bereft of high-profile action.
While the aforementioned foreigners will not be taking part in the 2019-20 season of ISL, their replacements have enough firepower to steer their teams to victory. But, it is not only the foreign players which light up the scene in ISL.
Since the inception of the tournament in 2014, a lot of Indian players have also proved their mettle in the big stage. The last season saw the likes of Sahal Abdul Samad, Rahul Bheke, Brandon Fernandes, and Mandar Rao Desai gain their way into the national team setup with their brilliant performances.
Regardless of the nationality, there is no dearth of quality players in the ISL. On that note, here are 5 players to watch out for in ISL 2019-20 season.
#5 Carl McHugh (ATK)
ATK's high-profile movement in the transfer window started with the acquisition of Republic of Ireland defender Carl McHugh. The 26-year-old made the move from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell fresh after making 82 appearances for them spanning over three years.
The ISL has seen a lot of foreign players come to India after a successful career in Europe in their twilight. But, McHugh's case is completely the opposite. He is still in his prime but took the road to India.
McHugh can play in the left-back, centre-back, and the central defensive midfield position.Having represented the Republic of Ireland internationally in age-group tournaments, McHugh was also a part of the Bradford City team that reached the finals of 2013 League Cup, becoming the first fourth-tier team in the last 40 years to do so.
With Indian internationals like Pritam Kotal and Anas Edathodika providing solidarity alongside seasoned veteran John Johnson, ATK's defensive problems look to be sorted with Carl McHugh.