Indian Super League a Solid Foundation for Young, Local Footballers: Sachin Tendulkar

After initial doubts and skepticism, Indian Super League - the franchise-based football tournament - has done exceedingly well so far in its inaugural season. With each passing game, the level of play has been on the rise, giving local players much-needed exposure in a highly-competitive setup. (Points Table)

In an interview with Times of India, Kerala Blasters co-owner and cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar echoed similar thoughts. (ISL can take India to World Cup one day:  Hans Mulder)

"You need a solid foundation to express your talent. I think the ISL is doing just that for Indian players. This league should help aspiring footballers to achieve their dream. I have no doubt that the ISL is going to get bigger and it will get tougher for players as the standards will rise. But that's exactly what a player wants," Tendulkar said. (India need to make the best out of ISL: Zico)

Critics of the league have often pointed out that the ISL is all about the experienced foreign players like Nicolas Anelka, Alessandro Del Piero, Luis Garcia and very little about the domestic talent. Tendulkar, however, cited the example of the Indian Premier League and said that the Indian youngsters in ISL will only stand to gain from the experience of playing with - and against - some of best international stars of the sport.

"I can tell you that the youngsters improved when they got an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the big names in international cricket when the IPL began. It improved their game and gave them confidence. The same is happening to the Indian footballers now through the ISL. With time, they will only get better," he said.

Amid growing fears that the crowd interest will eventually fade away, the league has attracted over a million fans to the stadium. The average attendance for ISL is behind only three highly-reputed and long-standing European leagues namely, English Premier League (England), La Liga (Spain) and Bundesliga (Germany).

"I am overwhelmed (by crowd response) but not surprised. I knew football is big here and people are passionate about the sport. It reflects when the entire stadium is supporting the team and (players are) made to feel special. But that feeling is something that can't be taken for granted and we have to play well to get that support consistently. But I would like to thank everyone for the support and love they have extended to Blasters," Tendullar added.

With Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Atletico de Kolkata and FC Pune City currently occupying the first four spots respectively in the points table, the tournament is heading into the business end of the season, which ends on December 20. The Blasters are currently placed fifth.