Nominating contenders for the best midfielder of the season was never easy as we saw impressive performances from both foreigners and Indian players in that department.
Of course some of the more experienced outstation players were technically superior but in this season's I-League some of the Indian medios were also not far behind in that department.
Most of the teams preferred to have at least one foreigner in central midfield because of their physical strength and technique. However some clubs like Mahindra, Chirag (first half of the season), Salgaocar (second half of the season) managed to do well despite playing Indians in that position.
There obviously have been more opportunities for Indian players on the wings and some youngsters have really caught the eye while few of the experienced players in that position have also done well.
The one area where Indian midfielders were lagging behind their foreign counter parts in this season also was scoring goals. Once again we saw a lot more quality in the finishing of the foreign medios.
Here we list the nominations for the best Indian midfield players along with the winner.
Nominations: Image not recovered: Sakeer
MP Sakeer (Viva Kerala): Despite being only 23, Sakeer played like a true leader for Viva and that too in his very first I-League campaign. Known for his good range of passing and vision, Sakeer has the potential to be one of the best playmakers of the country. And this season he has shown glimpses of his talent by bagging a number of assists and also playing a crucial role in many other goals. Sakeer also got on the scoresheet thrice and was easily the best young Indian playmaker in the 09-10 I-League.
Francis Fernandes (Salgaocar): The 24 year old winger wasn’t a regular under American coach Tim Hankinson but was an important member in Karim Bencherifa’s Salgaocar. He made some vital contributions for the Goan side in the second half of the season as he created a number of goals and worked his heart out on the right flank. Francis wasn’t the most fashionable wingers in the league but certainly was very effective and we could see and hear a lot more about him next term.
Sushanth Mathew (Mahindra United): The Kerala born player is probably one of the most underrated players in the country as despite his consistency and versatility, he doesn’t find a place in the national team. This season he was outstanding from the middle of the park for Mahindra as he often single handedly dominated the midfield battle. Mathew doesn’t score too many goals but he assists quite a few and plays his role in the build up of many goals too. He is one of the few all action midfielders in the country as his tackling and work rate is up there with the very best foreign medios.
Anthony Pereira (Dempo): If you were ever looking for an Indian player who hardly has an off day, Anthony Pereira is your answer. In almost every match the Indian international would either play one killer ball or put in one super cross that would be decisive. He would have probably like to score a few more goals but the number of assists he ends up with is quite remarkable and his workrate is also praiseworthy. Anothny has once again had a very consistent campaign.
Mehtab Hussain (East Bengal): East Bengal had a terrible I-League campaign but midfielder Mehtab Hussain didn’t do much wrong. The 24 year old is considered to be one of the most reliable midfield players in the country and for the red and gold brigade this term, he was easily their most consistent Indian. He often fought alone in midfield as he lacked support from the rest of the teammates but he never complained and always made it difficult for the opponents. He also assisted in a few goals and bagged a couple of goals which did make a big difference in East Bengal’s final points tally.
**Goal.Com's Vote:
**
Sushanth Mathew – The 27 year old is our choice for his consistency over the course of the season. Sushanth hardly had a bad game for Mahindra and was instrumental in their title challenge, which faded in the last few rounds. He is one of the fittest Indian players you can think of and that showed as he never looked out of shape despite having a long season. It’s a pity that he will not be appearing for Mahindra ever again but he is expected to join East Bengal, which is great news for Kolkata football as one of the best midfielders in the country could be playing regularly there.
Source: Goal.Com India
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Friday 4 June 2010, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.