Indian Super League: Hume - Every team wants to win against Atletico de Kolkata
The former Kerala Blasters striker opines that infrastructure needs to improve for Indian football to develop…
Iain Hume, who won the Hero of the Indian Super League (ISL) award last season, was named the Best Foreign Player of the Year at the Indian Football Awards organized by Football Players Association of India (FPAI) on Sunday.
The Scotland-born Canadian striker who scored five goals for Sachin Tendulkar’s Kerala Blasters which helped them finish the season as runners-up.
“It’s an honour to win this award. I came last year knowing nothing about India but having worked so hard and achieved most goals last season, it’s great to be felicitated by the FPAI and I am back with a new challenge now,” he said.
Hume’s team last season, the Blasters lost to his current side, Atletico de Kolkata in the finals of the very first ISL.
Speaking on his switch this summer, Hume said, “Last season was hard where we made it so far and lost in the last minute literally. But that’s how people get better.
“Coming to the champions, it’s a great opportunity. We won’t be complacent. It is going to be harder this year. Everyone would want to win against ATK. So that should push on and we might end lifting the trophy again.”
Atletico de Kolkata fans have high hopes from Hume this season and would the former Leicester City forward feel the pressure playing in front of one of the largest fan bases in the ISL?
“No pressure for me. If one feels that they feel pressure while playing football, like I have in my career played in front of thousands of fans, then they are playing the wrong sport,” he opined.
“There is no burden and at the end of the day I am trying to better myself. We are the champions. It’s an honour to carry the trophy around,” he added.
Hume was all praise for coach Antonio Habas and mentioned that it took him at least a couple of weeks to adjust to his new team-mates.
“No one team is the same. It took me a couple of weeks to get adjusted. They have got very good players, that’s how they won last year, even the best from I-League. The gaffer is great and his methods are superb. India have very gifted players, many of them have impressed me. Most of them are athletic and technically sound,” said Hume as he looked impressed with his team-mates.
On the future of Indian football as a whole, Hume was of the view that, “Infrastructure is required and that’s what the ISL is striving to do. The younger crop is impressive and has a bright future. Unfortunately, it’s not going to happen overnight. They have to hold on and wait and hopefully they will shine one day.”