The Fiji international has loved his time in the Indian Super League (ISL), with the fanatical supporters and rich cultural experiences, but wants to return to this part of the world at the end of the current season, which will also allow his 2-year-old daughter Ayeshah to be closer to her extended family.
“When I heard there was a new club and from Auckland, wow,” Krishna told the Herald on Sunday. “New Zealand is very close to me and it’s a great opportunity to come back to the region, to play one more time for the people that followed me very closely.”
“I would love to come back to the place where I started. I just want to play for the community and I still have it in me to come back home and give something for the people and to the league as well, that was my first professional league. Fingers crossed I can but let’s see what the future holds.”
There would be question marks about his age, as Krishna turned 36 in August. That is at the upper limit - especially for strikers - though Krishna is confident he can defy Father Time. And there is evidence, as he has continued to perform at club and international level.
“People think I’m very old but I am still playing every game, I’ve still got my speed, got more knowledge about football,” Krishna said.
He took a long time to break into the professional game, which drove a hunger that ensures he takes no shortcuts. It also means he has less miles on the clock, as he didn’t become a fulltime player until he was 27. He has avoided alcohol for most of his career and is fastidious about preparation.
“You need to look after yourself,“ Krishna said. “What to eat, when to sleep, focusing on the basic things. In football everyone can play but these small things matter a lot in terms of recovery, how you look after your body. I’m not young anymore but I’m still faster than the young players here.”
Krishna is adamant he could still compete in the A-League. He arrived in India in 2019 as hot property, after being awarded the Johnny Warren Medal the previous campaign. He quickly delivered, scoring 15 goals in 21 games for Kolkata-based ATK as they claimed the title.
His productivity continued for the rebranded ATK Mohun Bagan over the next two seasons, with 24 goals and 13 assists in 46 matches. He reached double figures for Bangalore-based Bengaluru (10 goals and six assists in 33 games) before the move to Odisha ahead of the current season.
Roy Krishna celebrates his goal against Melbourne Victory in 2019. Photo / AP
“The ISL has grown very fast. In terms of players, there are a lot of young Australians coming which is a good sign. The league is not easy anymore. When I first came we were beating teams by 4 or 5-nil and now it is very close games. It’s tough here.”
The ISL may not be as competitive as the A-League but it is catching up. In terms of squad values, the A-League ranks eighth in Asia, with the ISL at 12th. About 20 per cent of the players are imports (the A League has 24.5 per cent), including 15 Spanish players, 11 Australians, seven Brazilians and three each from the Netherlands, Japan and France.
It’s busy too. They train most days - sometimes twice a day - and Krishna will face seven games this month.
“This is football - you need to adapt to it,” he said. The heat can be a factor, with India’s geographical spread - “36, 38 sometimes even 39[C]″ - while the fans are intense.
“They are crazy - in a good way,” laughs Krishna. “They love their football.”
Krishna was a popular figure at the Phoenix, collecting 51 goals across 123 games, eclipsing Paul Ifill’s club record of 33. He keeps in touch with former teammates and follows every match.
“It’s on at 10am here or maybe 1 or 2pm, said Krishna. “It’s a perfect time, after training.”
So how would he handle playing against the Phoenix, as part of Auckland’s inaugural squad?
“The Nix is always special to me, my first professional club, gave me the break. But you never know. In terms of football, you need to do what you do because we have potential not just in me coming back but also a green light for the Oceania boys to have a crack in the A-League.”
Aside from what he could contribute on the field, Krishna would tick other boxes. Especially commercially, as his presence would add a few thousand to the gate, such is his idol status among Auckland’s large Fijian community, given his feats for the national team across nearly two decades (35 goals in 50 games, both records).
“That is one of the huge factors, when I heard about the team in Auckland,” Krishna said. “We say it is the second home of Fiji people, especially in the south. If things work out I would love to come back to the region that supported me.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
