ISL: 5 things you should know about NorthEast United FC

Team owner John Abraham with marquee player Joan CapdevilaNorth East United kick-start their ISL campaign on Monday, 13th October at the Indira Gandhi stadium in Guwahati against the Sachin Tendulkar owned franchise, Kerala Blasters. The team seems to be a balanced unit with a blend of youth and experience. Most of the Indian boys are based out of the north-east and a majority of those players come from I-League side Shillong Lajong FC. Under the guidance of Kiwi coach Ricki Herbert, Joan Capdevila and the boys would try their heart out to achieve success in this inaugural Indian Super League.Here are 5 things about the franchise you need to know:

#5 Ricki Herbert - The coach with World Cup experience

NorthEast United FC’s head coach Ricki Herbert is the only coach in the Indian Super League who has the experience of coaching a national team which has participated in the FIFA World Cup. During his stint as the head coach of New Zealand national team, they qualified for FIFA World Cup 2010 and came out undefeated from the tournament, although they couldn’t qualify for the next stage

In Herbert, the franchise have a seasoned coach who possesses both man-management and tactical nuances necessary to bring the best out of the team.