Quality players, foreigners make transition from I-League to ISL easy: Ayush Chhetri

Panaji: If someone from the I-League, looking to work their way up to the Indian Super League (ISL), needs a dose of inspiration, Ayush Chhetri can be of help.
The midfielder spent a season in the I-League with Aizawl FC and was immediately snared by FC Goa. While many players have struggled to replicate the same form in the two leagues, Ayush has proved to be an exception.
In his first season at FC Goa, he was a regular in central midfield under Carlos Pena, playing 20 matches.
The next season, Ayush lost his starting spot as the club signed experienced domestic midfielders, Rowllin Borges and Raynier Fernandes. He has, however, made a strong comeback this season, with coach Manolo Marquez making him an example of how players can fight for their places, with the right mentality in training.
“It’s good to have competition,” Ayush said during the pre-match media interaction on Thursday. “Both of them were experienced players. I kept training and told the coach that I am ready to play. Finally, I am getting the chance.”
Should Manolo pick the 21-year-old for the clash against Bengaluru FC on Saturday, he will make his 50th appearance for FC Goa, quite something for someone who had to fight several odds when moving from I-League to the ISL.
Manolo has faith in the 21-year-old and has even played him in an unusual attacking midfield role. For a defensive midfielder, the new role would have been a burden, but Ayush has fitted like a glove.
“It was not that difficult because I played before (in that position) during my days in the I-League. It was easy because I understand very well what the coach wants from me when I play in that position,” he said.
A lot of players struggle when they move from the I-League to top-tier ISL, particularly in the early years. For Ayush, it was different.
“In the ISL, there are a lot of quality players and foreigners, so that made it easy for me. In my first season in FC Goa, there were lot of experienced players. They helped me a lot, besides coach Carlos Pena also helped me a lot. Now coach Manolo is pushing me in every training session. I’ve learned a lot,” said Ayush.
In eight matches, Ayush has one assist, though his importance to the side – as evident from Manolo’s words – is much more than that. “For me, it is not important to assist the team and goal. For me, it’s important to help the team get the points,” he said.
For now, Ayush is playing his part.