Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle lauded NorthEast United’s Alaaeddine Ajaraie and admitted his team’s recruitment flaws after a 0-3 loss in their ISL 2024-25 match on Sunday.
The Moroccan struck once and assisted twice as NorthEast United qualified for the knockouts for the first time since 2021.
“First and foremost, I knew they started with the things that were important (attack). We need to be better defensively, and we haven’t been. And that’s the truth of the matter,” Coyle said, commending NorthEast for its transfers.
“To get a player like Ajaraei, who’s a difference-maker, anybody in the league would crave having a (striker who can score) 21 goals,” he added.
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Ajarie broke the record of 18 goals by Bartholomew Ogbeche and Ferran Corominas, the most by a player in a single ISL season, in his maiden campaign in India. He scored twice in the Durand Cup last year, helping NorthEast United win the title, its first-ever trophy.
“You can probably strike him as somebody who creates and works hard for his team. I think he’s been a revelation this year. That’s the type of player you need. That’s, again, that’s on us to go and find them,” Coyle added.
The Marina Machans signed 15 players this season, with the most expensive one being Lukas Brambilla (Rs 2.6 crore), a potential replacement of their midfield talisman Rafael Crivellaro, who left the club after his contract expired last year.
FILE PHOTO: Rafael Crivellaro of Chennaiyin FC in action during Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season.
| Photo Credit:
FSDL /ISL Media
FILE PHOTO: Rafael Crivellaro of Chennaiyin FC in action during Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season.
| Photo Credit:
FSDL /ISL Media
Brambilla, however, has not burst onto the scene as explosively as his compatriot.
Crivellaro had 15 goal contributions (7G, 8A) in his first ISL season, compared to Brambilla’s seven (3G, 4A). The Brazilian contributed 13 goals (6G, 7A) at 35 years of age last season, helping the club reach the playoffs after three years.
Coyle also cited the example of Greg Stewart during his time at Jamshedpur FC, stressing the importance of the attacking midfielder position. The former Rangers man scored and assisted 10 goals each as the club won its maiden and only silverware in 2022 — the ISL League Winners Shield.
“That’s the type you need to find to add for Chennaiyin. We’ve had it before, we had Rafa (Crivellaro). That’s what we need to find going forward,” Coyle quipped.
However, the head coach lauded youngsters Maheson Tongbram Singh (20), an I-League winner with Punjab FC, who made his debut on Sunday, and Jiteshwor Singh (23), I-League’s Emerging Player of the Season in 2022, who played eight matches in the league campaign.
“We know we’ve got some good young players that can come through. Maheson certainly has got the ability. It wasn’t an ideal situation to put him on three, (with Chennaiyin) down with 10 men,” Coyle said.
“Jiteshwor, obviously, I do want him to stay here. I think he wants to stay. So, that’s something we’re getting very close to. That’s the type of boys, you know, we want to keep.”
