After enjoying a successful outing for East Bengal in 2013, Andrew Barisic, who has played in Germany, Indonesia, China and down under in the Australian A-League over the years, is all set to make a high profile return to the sub-continent. The 28-year-old Australian striker has been signed up for the Sachin Tendulkar-owned Kerala Blasters FC that will compete in the upcoming Hero Indian Super League (ISL).Barisic has fond memories of his time here with the red & golds and his previous experience has made him optimistic about Indian football. The striker agreed with FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s oft-cited description of India as a footballing “sleeping giant”. Barisic is expecting the ISL to provide impetus for improving football in the country, saying that the “way forward” for Indian football is developing the “right grassroots and infrastructure” which the ISL is going to do.Recalling his previous stint in India, Barisic is confident that fans will “get behind” the new league and help football’s popularity increase. “I was involved in the Kolkata derby, which is a huge thing. There were hundreds of thousands of fans there,” the striker told Australian broadcaster SBS ahead of his departure to India for the ISL. He added that his experience of that match gives him belief football can “take off” in India the way other sports have.Barisic is excited about the opportunity of playing in the ISL, especially given the calibre of the marquee players who have joined the league. Signings like Alessandro del Piero, who has also played in Australia for two seasons, are part of “what’s drawing me back to India,” Barisic said. High-profile players choosing to play in the ISL gives Barisic the confidence that the league is “something that could evolve into something very big”.The striker is especially looking forward to linking up with his club’s marquee player, David James. James will double up as manager for Kerala Blasters FC, and Barisic is eagerly anticipating the “great experience” of learning from the former England, Liverpool and Portsmouth goalkeeper.Barisic wasn't too concerned about the packed schedule for the ISL, emphasizing the need for fitness levels to be high to cope with the short breaks between matches. The Australian’s season will start on October 15, when the Kerala Blasters FC travel to Guwahati to take on NorthEast United FC.
