Indian frontman Jeje Lalpekhlua praised Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) clubs for their efforts towards helping maintain financial stability of their injured players. The forward missed the entirety of last season after suffering a knee injury and thanked Chennaiyin FC for their support during his recovery.

"We run a family and have other commitments too. I could not play for one year but the money was coming on time. I have to thank the club there. That really helped my recovery. We give everything to the club and I feel we deserve to be looked after," Jeje told ISL Media.

Jeje represented Chennaiyin FC in the first five Hero ISL seasons, scoring 23 goals in 69 appearances for the Marina Machans. Fondly known as the ‘Mizo Sniper’, the Indian striker feels that clubs value their players much more nowadays, especially during their recuperation.

"It is very difficult for a player both mentally and physically when you are injured. The club and the players have to work together. The clubs have now started valuing the players much more. There have been times when players failed to get support from their clubs when injured and this becomes very difficult for the player," he said.

Having been a part of India’s club setup since the age of 18, Jeje has seen an upward curve in the professionalism in Indian football, and he feels that such support is important when it comes to helping players grow.

"I think nowadays Indian football has changed a lot. Things have been getting better day by day and I hope this gets better. In the Hero ISL, clubs support players way better when you are injured or face any difficult situation. This is very important for both clubs and the players to grow."