After a disastrous season, there have been several changes in the ATK setup as they look for the form that made them the team to beat in the first three seasons.

The Kolkata outfit were unable to make their presence felt in the competition, finishing with three different managers by the end of that season. Former Kerala Blasters coach Steve Coppell has been roped in to change the fortunes of the club, which has also gone for a number of experienced players.

ATK’s form ahead of the new season has been been impressive. Striker Kalu Uche, who was a revelation last season with Delhi Dynamos, has seamlessly integrated into the ATK setup. Manuel Lanzarote, who forged an outstanding strike partnership with FC Goa’s Coro last season, has been brought in to captain the club.

Like Lanzarote and Uche, the rest of the foreign players, barring Moroccan Noussair El Maimouni, have previous experience of playing in the league. Experienced forwards Balwant Singh and Jayesh Rane add further depth to the ATK strike-force. But a lot will depend on what the Indian contingent can conjure up.

ATK have a good mix of experienced and young Indian players. Aiborlang Khongjee is a welcome addition to their backline, while Cavin Lobo strengthens their midfield. It will be interesting to see how much game time the highly-rated Komal Thatal gets. The 18-year-old has deft footwork and can surprise opposing defenders.

ATK’s poor form last season also coincided with keeper Debjit Majumder proving to be error-prone between the sticks. It came after stringing some brilliant performances in the 2016 season, where ATK lifted their second title.

Among the other foreign players, Cameroonian Andre Bikey is a powerhouse and can play in defence and attack. John Johnson, who left Bengaluru after a trophy-laden tenure, will also bolster the ATK defence. Coppell’s nous, coupled with some smart business, should see the two-time champions back in the top-four this season.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Debjit Majumder, Arindam Bhattacharya, Avilash Paul

Defenders: Aiborlang Khongjee, Gerson Vieira, John Johnson, Arnab Mondal, Ricky Lallawmawma, Sena Ralte, Andre Bikey, Prabir Das

Midfielders: Hitesh Sharma, Pronay Halder, Sheikh Faiaz, Malsawmzuala, Yumnam Singh, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Komal Thatal, Manuel Lanzarote, Cavin Lobo, Noussair El Maimouni

Strikers: Kalu Uche, Balwant Singh, Everton Santos, Jayesh Rane