Kerala Blasters sign striker Haokip for third ISL season
New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Kerala Blasters FC announced on Thursday the signing of striker Thongkhosiem Haokip, popularly known as Semboi, for the upcoming third edition of the tournament.
The talented 22-year-old striker, who had a fabulous run last season scoring four goals in six appearances for FC Goa, will now don the yellow jersey of Kerala Blasters.
Haokip started his career with the Pune FC youth academy where he became the first academy player to net a hat-trick while representing the club in the U-20 I-League. His ability to score hat-tricks can be seen from his performance in the 2014-15 season of the I-League where he scored three times within 15 minutes against Shillong Lajong.
He had finished that season as the highest Indian scorer with seven goals in 18 matches. He scored another hat-trick in the last ISL season, becoming the first Indian player to score a hat-trick both in the ISL and the I-League.
“I am excited to be part of Kerala Blasters and hope to justify the faith put in me by the coach and the management. I am looking forward to meet and train with my new team-mates and coach Steve Coppell,” Haokip said in a release.
“We welcome the young ever smiling Haokip into the Kerala Blasters family. We were impressed with his performances last season for FC Goa and hope he continues his form into this year. The coaching staffs have earmarked him as one for the future,” Viren D’Silva, chief executive officer of Kerala Blasters, said.