Star Indian men's football team striker Sunil Chhetri said rubbing shoulders with Mumbai City FC's coach-cum-marquee player Nicolas Anelka while training would help him as well as the other players who will represent the outfit in the second season of the Indian Super League (ISL).
Chhetri, who didn't play in the inaugural edition of the ISL last year, is excited to train with Anelka, who played 69 internationals for France before calling it quits in 2010. The 36-year-old Frenchman played for top European clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City.
"He's a really good player. Just being there in training with him will improve all of us as players. Learning that he's a coach-cum-player now makes you want to hear a lot from him," Chhetri was quoted as saying by Star Network's Let's Football programme on Thursday.
Chhetri, the I-League winner with Bengaluru FC, said, "I keep reminding myself on why I chose to play football -- the fans going crazy, the wins, losses, the effort -- are the reasons that keep pushing me.
"If I forget why I started playing football, then it's probably over for me as a player. It's all about the kids and I want to tell the kids through this medium to enjoy the game," the 31-year-old forward, who has also captained the Indian national team, said.
{{/usCountry}}"If I forget why I started playing football, then it's probably over for me as a player. It's all about the kids and I want to tell the kids through this medium to enjoy the game," the 31-year-old forward, who has also captained the Indian national team, said.
{{/usCountry}}Chhetri, the captain of the Indian football team, said he is impressed with Mumbai City FC's co-owner and Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. "I'm really, really happy signing for Mumbai City FC, I'm really looking forward to it. I had a chat with Ranbir (Kapoor). I was happy he wanted me to play for Mumbai City FC. He's a great guy who I know to be a very different man off-screen," he said.