Mumbai City FC finished Season 1 of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) second from the bottom, but the signs were encouraging for the seasons to come. In a recent interview, team co-owner Ranbir Kapoor spoke candidly about the previous season and his plans for the upcoming one.Kapoor accepted that in retrospect a lot of things went wrong for his club in 2014. “It was the first season and looking back, we learnt a lot. Nobody knew what to expect from the league and we made several mistakes. The hiring of the coach at a late stage was definitely one of them. Injuries we faced ISL through the season didn't help us either.”When asked about his plans for Season 2, he said that there are plans in place and a few announcements on the horizon. “We have identified our marquee player. We will also be announcing our manager before the end of the month. We are out in the market for our international players and have some great options to present to the fans. Our core technical team remains the same which means we have a degree of continuity and also the opportunity to not repeat the mistakes we made last year. For us, the only way is upwards.”And right enough, Nicolas Anelka was announced as the marquee player for Mumbai City FC this week. The prolific French striker, whose résumé boasts of clubs like Chelsea and Juventus amongst others, was excited to be back for another stint with the team. Kapoor, of course, wholeheartedly echoed the sentiment. “I am really happy to have Nicolas back for Mumbai City FC. The fact is, that he played really well for us last year, and while the plan this year is to build a smart and strong squad, it is important to retain some continuity from last season, and Nicolas plays a major role in that plan. I am really excited to have Nicolas back, and I am sure, the fans will be as well”,” he said.Kapoor also said that he is in it for the long haul when it comes to Mumbai City FC, and football in India as a whole. “Football has always been a fierce passion and owning a club has been a lifelong dream. For now I have got my hands full with Mumbai City FC and my ambition for the club over the next five years is to make it the most professionally run club in Asia. Having said that, I am willing to step in and contribute towards the growth of football in any which way needed because the growth of the football ecosystem goes hand in hand with the growth of Mumbai City FC.”Mumbai City FC kick-start their ISL 2015 campaign at home on October 5th against FC Pune City. Full schedule here.All quotes above taken from Ranbir Kapoor’s interview with The Times of India.
