Eddie Mungai

I got a chance to catch a few minutes of SC East Bengal’s game a few weeks ago against Northeast United FC, a match that ended in a 2-0 loss to the SC East Bengal. This was my first time watching an ISL match. Frankly, it did not take me that long to realize SC East Bengal’s subpar attacking ability. Their manager, the legendary Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler, looked exasperated after some refereeing decisions went against his team. That game was their third consecutive loss and their third game without scoring. Currently, after six games played, they have yet to win a game, scoring only three goals. They need help. But where would some goalscoring reinforcements come from?

Then I saw this tweet:

The news Nigerian junior international Bright Enobakhare (who formerly played his club football at Wolves and AIK Athens) joining the team is very promising. It’s also very good for ISL. He is only 22 years old, in a league where it is not uncommon for foreign players in their 30’s (and 40’s) to come out of retirement and join a team (Freddie Ljungberg, Alessandro Nesta, and Roberto Carlos to name a few). Enobakhare is currently the youngest foreigner in the league, which obviously makes him the youngest African in the league.

It certainly is a strange transfer as the tweet suggests. Out of the 55 Africans that have transferred to the ISL since its inaugural season in 2014/15, only five (excluding Enobakhare) were under the age of 23. A league often dubbed as a “retirement league” for foreign players, this acquisition is dispelling that notion. If Enobakhare succeeds in ISL and ends up moving to a “bigger”club (not necessarily a European club, but a club that is competitive in their domestic league and in international competitions) his signing could be a testament to the league’s ability in developing young African footballers (and young foreign footballers in general).

I have never heard of Bright Enobakhare before this tweet, but I will be sure to keep a close eye on him. Hopefully he succeeds and sparks an influx of young African players to ISL. His acquisition could, in the short term, get Robbie Fowler’s side to win games. In the long run, Enobakhare’s move to SC East Bengal could potentially serve as a pivotal moment in elevating the Indian Super League’s status in world football.

Is that too much pressure on Enobakhare? Possibly. But he should know that many, including myself, are rooting for him to succeed.

I’ll close with this quote from Fiji striker Roy Krishna on the potential of ISL:

“The league is improving every year in terms of competitiveness and quality of foreigners, not just big names anymore. I think this league will be of world standard in the coming days.”