Connor Shields, the lone bright spot in Chennaiyin FC's disappointing ISL campaign

The Scottish forward might now be leaving the club, but the mark he left on the league in the 2024-25 season will be remembered for a long time. In a team that struggled to stay afloat, Shields looked like a player operating on a different wavelength. Chennaiyin FC may not have had a season to remember, but Shields certainly did.

For context, Chennaiyin FC finished sixth in the ISL 2023-24 season and made it to the playoffs. In 2024-25, they dropped to 11th. Fewer wins, fewer reasons to smile.

They managed to score 34 goals in the league stage, eight more than they had in the previous league season. That attacking output had a lot to do with Shields working his socks off down the right.

Shields took up an attacking role under head coach Owen Coyle and went on to become an effective creator-in-chief in the league, and the numbers prove it.

He provided a league-high eight assists, more than anyone else in the ISL. He also created 76 chances, which wasn't just the best in the season, but the highest ever recorded by any player in a single ISL campaign. During the 2024-25 campaign, that was 21 more than the next best, Kerala Blasters FC's Adrian Luna, who is no stranger to dominating creativity charts himself.

In a team that was ranked sixth for chances created overall, Shields was the creative core. Chennaiyin FC didn't dominate the ball (they ranked bottom for successful passes completed), but when the ball did reach him, Shields made it count.

It's easy to see how his role change made a difference. In 2023-24, Coyle used Shields in various roles, and he adapted well. His work rate and confidence with the ball allowed him to grow into the side and he even came second only to Rafael Crivellaro for chances created (31) among Chennaiyin FC players. He made 761 touches, completed 29 key passes and was instrumental in transitions.

Fast forward to 2024-25, and Coyle unlocked another dimension in him as a right winger. This gave Shields the freedom to exploit space, get behind defenders, to deliver, and the Scotsman did.

He upped his key passes tally from 29 to 68. His successful dribbles jumped from 10 to 21, and his overall touches rose to 918, the second-highest in the entire Chennaiyin FC squad, in a team that rarely kept the ball. He wasn't just involved, he was central.

The positional shift also added new layers to his game. His crossing, especially from set pieces, was among the most threatening in the league. Defenders knew what was coming, and they just couldn't stop it.

For Coyle, Shields was close to irreplaceable. He played multiple roles across two seasons and thrived in everything. He tracked back, sprayed passes, ran into channels, delivered from dead-ball situations and popped up in key attacking areas.

He also brought something that doesn't show up on stat sheets, which was reliability.

Across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, Chennaiyin FC never lost a game in which Shields scored or assisted. That's the kind of impact coaches dream of, one that would benefit any team.

Even when goals didn't come, his effort rarely dropped, and fans noticed. In a season where things rarely clicked for Chennaiyin FC, the one thing they could bank on was Shields putting in a shift.

Chennaiyin FC will now have to look at replacing someone who topped the assist charts, set a new record for chances created and outshone most attackers in the league; all in a side that finished 11th.

Shields might not have won any silverware, but he did become a player that the club will remember for a long time. One who gave them hope when things were falling apart. One who showed up and stood out.

His departure leaves a creative vacuum that will take some filling. For Chennaiyin FC, the challenge is now to build again. But for a moment, they had one of the best players in the league who gave them everything.