In the three-part series, delving into the footballing culture and tradition of the eight pillars of the Hero Indian Super League, we previously covered the traditional powerhouses (Kolkata and Goa in part one) and Indian football’s cradles (Kerala and the north-east in part two).While the titans of old need to be preserved and strengthened, the prerequisite to any evolution demands the coming of new heroes to the fore. With Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Chennai, the ISL has managed exactly that.While all four cities have had their varied levels of engagement with the game in the past, the new-found love for the beautiful game only captivated the masses, owing to the urban youth warming up to the European leagues. With the inaugural season of the ISL, the affection went up quite a few notches.Here’s a look at the ‘Young Turks’ of football in the country in the last part of our series.MumbaiThe City of Dreams entails almost every culture and tradition in the country. It is the hot pot of diversity in every sense. And in this manner, it has never fallen short when it comes to sport.It has produced sporting legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar - but to name a few. Then how can it fall short when it comes to football! Mumbai has a quaint, yet rich football history.One of the premium football tournaments of yesteryear, the Rovers Cup, was started by British football enthusiasts in erstwhile Bombay (Mumbai’s previous name) in 1891.The city was also once host to the likes of Mahindra United, who were one of the most dominant teams in the country from 2005-2008. Air India used to be another big team from the city. Mumbai FC are the current representative of the city in the I-League. The city franchise is called Mumbai City FC and is co-owned by Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh.Mumbai City FC had a less-than-favourable inaugural season as they finished in the bottom four. They look towards 2015 with a new vigour, with Nicolas Anelka making a comeback this season as the marquee player-cum-coach, along with the likes of André Moritz, Pavel Čmovš, Subrata Paul, and so on. Also, India captain Sunil Chhetri should be an interesting addition to their mix this season.DelhiUnlike many of the cities in the ISL, Delhi hasn’t really produced a club that has done well at the national level but there is no dearth of football history in the city. The Durand Cup is the most important aspect of Delhi’s football folklore. It is the world’s third oldest competition and Asia’s oldest. Delhi has been home to some big tournaments since 1941, with the Ambedkar Stadium as the venue for the city’s footballing heroes to impress. Some of the top clubs and top players of the country have participated in the Durand Cup, with occasional appearances from foreign clubs as well.But Delhi football’s history is not only limited to Durand Cup. Some of India’s best moments in international football have come in Delhi, like the gold medal in the inaugural Asian Games in 1951, the quarter-final appearance in the 1982 edition and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup triumph, which booked India’s place in the Asian Cup for the first time in almost three decades.Delhi was also the venue when the Nehru Cup was revived after a decade in 2007. Three times the Nehru Cup has taken place in Delhi and on all three occasions India were the champions. Indian football might lack a big following in many parts of the country but that isn’t the case in Delhi, a proof of which came during the 2007 and 2009 Nehru Cups when India played in front of capacity crowds at the Ambedkar Stadium.Former India coach Bob Houghton described Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium as a fortress because of the fanatic support the team commanded there and the same passion has been exhibited even when the national team plays at the newly-renovated Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.Delhi Dynamos, the Delhi ISL franchise, owned by India’s leading cable TV distribution company Den Networks, has done a lot to promote the sport in the capital. This year, with big names like Roberto Carlos, Florent Malouda and John Arne Riise coming on board, the ‘Lions’ will look to improve on their last year’s performance.PuneThe city of Pune is a rapidly growing one in all aspects such as business, housing and infrastructure. In a few years, it might even evolve into a metropolis. Like most cities in India, Pune too hosts its own domestic league.However, of late, they have been producing some impeccable talents through their domestic teams. DSK Shivajians and Deccan Eleven are two of their most prominent sides. However, the biggest club to come out of the Queen of Deccan has been Pune FC, and the Red Lizards have been the pioneers among the new generation of football clubs in the country. With a rapidly increasing fan base in the city, Pune promises to be one of the biggest breeding grounds for Indian talent. And therefore it is no surprise that Pune was also one of the eight franchise cities of the Indian Super League. The franchise ownership belongs to the Wadhawan Group, Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan and Italian Serie A side Fiorentina. FC Pune City look to better their 2014 performance with the inclusion of some world-class renowned players of the sport, like Adrian Mutu, Didier Zokora and Tuncay Sanli. With ISL auction top draws Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Jackichand Singh they can look beyond their sixth position standing from last season. ChennaiChennai was a late entrant to the ISL family but is perhaps the city which has endeared itself the most to football fans during the course of the inaugural season. Tamil Nadu’s love for football to date has been mostly confined to the suburbs and villages while the main focus has always been cricket.Syed Sabir Pasha is definitely the most notable football player to have come out of the southern state and was the mainstay of the Indian national football team from 1993-2001. He is now the head coach of the AIFF elite academy. Kalia Kulothungan is the other notable name to have emerged from the state.Recently, Dharmaraj Ravanan have been turning some heads with superb performances both in the I-League and the ISL. The defender was one of the most consistent players for FC Pune City last season.Chennaiyin FC is the city’s very own ISL franchise, co-owned by Abhishek Bachchan, MS Dhoni and Vita Dani. The support and popularity the team has received from the city and the state has been overwhelming and the football fever has definitely gripped the state in a big way.While the inaugural season of the ISL has reached almost every nook and corner of the country, and the long-term goal is to cover the entire nation under the ISL programme, the eight fulcrums — old and new, will continue to play a vital role in the progress of football in the country.
