Kolkata: Injuries seems to have no end for ATK as Indian stars Jayesh Rane and Ashutosh Mehra now suffered major injuries, days after marquee signing and captain Robbie Keane returned home after suffering an Achilles tendon in the last pre-season match in Dubai.
Both the players won the I-League with Aizawl last season and made promising starts in the pre-season matches, but now will be out with injury as ATK suffered a major jolt to their title aspirations days before the start of the fourth edition of the Indian Super League. Rane met with an injury during the training session on Tuesday, while Mehra is out for over three weeks, after suffering an injury on Sunday, confirmed Sportskeeda.
Midfielder Carl Baker is also reportedly injured and teamamte Connor Thomas had informed that he (Baker) had a scan and will see a specialist, regarding his injury.
Irish legend Robbie Keane will be out for three weeks and is expected to return for the fourth match against Chennaiyin FC.
However, injury woes is nothing new for ATK. Marquee signing and injuries seem to go hand in hand, for the defending champions. Luis Garcia could not play a few matches in the first season owing to an injury, Hélder Postiga of Portugal missed out an entire season in the second edition of the tournament, came back next season and again missed few matches and now Robbie Keane.
The extension of Jayesh Rane’s injury is still uncertain as the franchise is yet to confirm on the matter.
One of the most successful sides in the short history of the ISL, with two titles in three seasons, ATK has undergone an overwhelming change in it’s structure, right from ownership to coaches. Moving away from the Spanish mantra that won them the titles in the previous seasons, Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham has been appointed as the head coach. A thoroughly out and out British, the Champions League winner has imparted his touch to the team, a British model.
The English way of playing football has not been so successful in the cash-rich League so far, but with the strong squad that ATK possess and given all injured players return early ‘Amra Team Kolkata’ can surely be a title contender this season.