ISL 2020-21: Ranking signings from the A-League (Top 7)
After the success brought to ATK by the strike duo of Roy Krishna and David Williams, the Indian Super League clubs have gone into a frenzy and are signing players from the A-League like they have won the lottery.
A total of 14 players have been brought from Australia to the league by the ISL clubs with Chennaiyin FC the only club not to sign an A-League player in the off-season.
We started by having a look at the bottom 7 of the 14 imports from the A-League. Now, let’s have a look at the top 7 of the 14 players making the journey from A-League to the Indian Super League.
#7 James Donachie (FC Goa)
Photo: Twitter
James Donachie has spent almost the entirety of his career in the A-League playing for Brisbane Roar FC, Melbourne Victory FC, and Newcastle Jets FC except spending a single season in South Korea.
The 26-year old centre-back has already been part of five different AFC Champions League campaigns and is the perfect signing for FC Goa as they prepare for their debut in the prestigious tournament.
#6 Bradden Inman (ATK Mohun Bagan FC)
Brad Inman spent seven years in League One before making the switch to Brisbane Roar FC ahead of the 2019-20 season and scored 4 goals and provided 6 assists in 24 matches.
The 28-year old attacking midfielder is enjoying the prime years of his career and with strikers like Roy Krishna and David Williams ahead of him, he could be a pivotal player in the team.
#5 Matti Steinmann (SC East Bengal)
The German midfielder is adept at stopping attacks and initiating attacks as well and is the perfect man to place in the centre of the midfield in any team around the world.
Robbie Fowler has been instrumental in signing players from the A-League for the latest entrant in the ISL and the former Hamburger SV midfielder is probably the most important of the trio that made the way from Australia to SC East Bengal.
#4 Kristian Opseth (Bengaluru FC)
Photo: A-League
The 6 feet 2 inches centre-forward spent the entirety of his career in his homeland Norway before moving to Adelaide United before the start of the 2019-20 season.
The Bengaluru FC striker scored 6 goals and provided a couple of assists in 21 matches during his debut A-League season with the club as the Adelaide-based club missed out on qualifying for the finals series by a single point.
Opseth will be playing with the best of Indian attacking talent at his new club with skipper and club legend Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, and Lallianzuala Chhangte.
#3 Gary Hooper (Kerala Blasters)
Hooper has been signed from Wellington Pheonix after a good debut season in the A-League scoring 8 goals and providing 5 assists in just 1100 minutes.
Before migrating to Australia, the Englishman was playing back home in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday. He has 42 goal contributions in the last 85 games during his last four seasons at the club.
The 32-year old striker would be looking ahead to link with the likes of Sahal Abdul Samad, Facundo Pereyra, and Sergio Cidoncha at his new club.
#2 Steven Taylor (Odisha FC)
Photo: Twitter
After spending more than a decade at Newcastle United, the English centre-back played in the MLS and the A-League before joining the Indian Super League.
Taylor played for Wellington Pheonix in the 2018-19 and the 2019-20 season and helped the club reach the ‘finals’ stage in both seasons.
Odisha FC would be hoping that the leadership from the 34-year old would translate into solidity at the back in the 2020-21 ISL season.
#1 Adam le Fondre (Mumbai City FC)
Photo: Twitter
Adam le Fondre missed out on the ‘Golden Boot’ in the 2019-20 season of the A-League by a whisker but there is no reason why he can’t win the same prize here in India.
The 33-year old striker lifted the A-League finals trophy for two consecutive seasons with Sydney FC and was named in the ‘Team of the Season’ in the latter season.
The English striker scored 39 goals in 57 A-League appearances and is expected to light up the Indian Super League with goals in the upcoming season.
