Real-life rules that I’ve been able to replicate<\/strong><\/h3>\nEach side can only field\u00a0five<\/strong> foreign players on the pitch at any time.<\/p>\nAll away kits have been added, meaning each team\u00a0should<\/em> have the right colours!<\/p>\nReal-life rules that I’ve NOT been able to replicate<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe Draft System:\u00a0<\/strong>In the real world, each ISL side can choose two of their Indian players to retain only, and then everyone else is released. A draft system (again as per MLS) comes into play and each team in order of bottom to top then gets to pick what they consider to be the best available Indian players. Unfortunately, drafts in FM are hard-coded and I can’t recreate this.<\/p>\nContinental Qualification:\u00a0<\/strong>This season in the real world is the first season where the winner of the ISL would qualify for the secondary Asian continental competition, the AFC Cup. The ISL is officially now a “joint first division” in the eyes of the AFC along with the I-League. It’s impossible to recreate this in FM18 so the ISL is placed as the top division with the I-League being Division Two (which is basically what it is in the real world anyway). However, this means the ISL winner goes into the qualifying rounds for the AFC Champions League and the three other playoff teams go into the AFC Cup along with the Federation Cup (the Indian FA Cup) winner.<\/p>\nOther things I’ve added which are relatively close to being real<\/strong><\/h3>\nTransfer window:\u00a0<\/strong>The ISL has a transfer window that replicates the European transfer window – namely the summer and January. This means all ISL transfer business has to be done before the season starts and then you get a month in the mid-season break to improve matters if needs be.<\/p>\nPrize funds:\u00a0<\/strong>The winner of the ISL regular season gets approx \u20ac5m and then the prize pot goes down per place. The overall winner of the ISL (wins the playoff final) receives an extra \u20ac10m approx.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
TV Money:\u00a0<\/strong>Each ISL club receives approx \u20ac5m as part of the Star Sports TV coverage.<\/p>\nAcademy sides:\u00a0<\/strong>Each ISL side is likely to have an Academy side\/B team playing in I-League 2 next season. I’ve not placed them in I-League 2 this time, but you do have an Academy setup.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPAST WINNERS<\/strong><\/h3>\nAtletico de Kolkata won the first ever ISL trophy back in 2014. In their first three seasons, ATK were co-owned by Atletico Madrid but that agreement came to an end this summer and the club rebranded to ATK.<\/p>\n
Chennaiyin FC won the second ever ISL before ATK regained their title last season, beating Kerala Blasters (twice runners-up) on penalties.<\/p>\n
\nA WHISTLESTOP TOUR OF EACH CLUB<\/strong><\/h3>\nATK:\u00a0<\/strong>Now coached by Teddy Sheringham, ATK have made a terrible start to the ISL this season. Robbie Keane is their big name player, but he has been injured. If you are a fan of old Finnish goalkeepers, then you’ll be delighted to see Jussi Jaaskelainen in the squad. ATK’s best Indian player is Euegenson Lyngdoh though Robin Singh would tell you it is him. They play in India’s biggest stadium.<\/p>\nKerala Blasters:\u00a0<\/strong>Co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar, Kerala have lost in the final twice. They are now coached by ex-United man Rene Meulensteen and can call upon ex-United stars Dimitar Berbatov and Wes Brown. They also have the ISL’s record scorer in Iain Hume who returned to Kerala this summer.<\/p>\nDelhi Dynamos:\u00a0<\/strong>The club from the capital city. Can you fight off the December pollution and do well? Delhi have finished bottom in the first four ISL’s I have played in my own save. The good news is that they have one of India’s rising stars in Lallianzuala and Romeo Fernandes is supposed to be decent too. They are coached by Miguel Angel Portugal.<\/p>\nBengaluru FC:\u00a0<\/strong>These boys were one of the best sides in the I-League before moving into the ISL this season. They have India’s greatest ever player available to them in Sunil Chhetri and target man Miku is a decent player. Albert Roca is the gaffer.<\/p>\nMumbai City FC:\u00a0<\/strong>It is difficult for me to be impartial about Mumbai having managed them for four seasons so far on FM18. Everton Santos, Thiago Santos and Gerson are a strong Brazilian contingent for the Islanders.<\/p>\nJamshedpur FC:\u00a0<\/strong>These boys are managed by Steve Coppell and his assistant Wally Downes. They have ex-Reading man Andre Bikey in their squad and are a very solid option. Kervens Belfort of Haiti is a star and Indian Mehtab Hossain is an excellent midfield enforcer.<\/p>\nChennaiyin FC:\u00a0<\/strong>Who remembers ex-Aston Villa manager John Gregory? Well, he is still managing out here in India. There are no real star names in Chennai but they are a strong squad. Ex-Brighton right-back Inigo Calderon is there and in Indian Jeje they have a proper poacher.<\/p>\nFC Goa:\u00a0<\/strong>Can you be the person to replace Zico? Brazil’s darling managed Goa for the first three seasons but never won the ISL. However, his stylish football is in the club’s DNA and if you want to build an entertaining squad then this is the team for you. Manu Lanzarote and Adrian Colunga are a potent Spanish striking duo and Mandar Rao Desai was the first Indian ISL scorer this season.<\/p>\nFC Pune City:\u00a0<\/strong>They have one of the smaller grounds in the ISL and it is always a tough place to go. Ex-La Masia graduate Marcos Tebar makes their midfield tick and Uruguayan striker Alfaro guarantees goals in the game.<\/p>\nNorthEast United:\u00a0<\/strong>NorthEast are the only ISL team never to have made it to the play-off stages (not counting the two new teams for this season). Borges and Nazary are two of the better Indian players and in Odair Fortes they have a real crowd pleaser. They are coached by Joao de Deus.<\/p>\n
\nWHO TO PICK<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs ever, it depends on what you want from your save but I’ve picked my three favourite narratives for you to go for.<\/p>\n
#1 Kerala Blasters<\/strong><\/h3>\nThey may well have Berba, Hume and Brown but the team with the best ISL fans are predicted to finish 8th at the start of the game. They have twice been the bridesmaid so can you be the boss to lead them to their first ever ISL title?<\/p>\n
#2 FC Goa<\/strong><\/h3>\nZico is a legend in India, even if he didn’t win the title. Can you take on the legacy that he left and rebuild the club to become a contender?<\/p>\n