All matches can be seen on Internet at
http://www.tvchannelsfree.com/watch/3100/Alriyadiah-saudi-Sport-Tv2.html
AFC U16 Championship Time Schedule
4 Oct 2008 18:30 IST
SYRIA - INDONESIA MHSK Stadium
4 Oct 2008 14:30 IST
KOREA REPUBLIC - INDIA MHSK Stadium
6 Oct 2008 14:30 IST
INDONESIA - KOREA REPUBLIC MHSK Stadium
6 Oct 2008 18:30 IST
INDIA - SYRIA MHSK Stadium
8 Oct 2008 19:30 IST
SYRIA - KOREA REPUBLIC Pakhtakor Stadium
8 Oct 2008 19:30 IST
INDIA - INDONESIA MHSK Stadium
Cheer for INDIA
01 October 2008
Shunshuke nakamura JAPAN
Shunsuke Nakamura The man from Japan
Legendary:Nakamura
NAKAMURA SHOW1
$~*Nakamura: Journey of a Hero*~$
NAKAMURA SKILLS
Nakamura The Genius
Football dreams presents Shunsuke Nakamura in (by JNakamura)
Shunsuke Nakamura Fantastic Play - 4min
At age group level, India can match anyone
Novy Kapadia
Precocious teenager K. Thoi Singh became the youngest player to score in a Durand Cup final when he notched up the winning goal for Mahindra United against Churchill Brothers in the 121st edition of the tournament. Manipur’s Thoi is a junior international and according to club coach Derek Pereira has the temperament and speed to play for the national team in the near future.
Another talented youngster, Malswamfela of Mizoram, scored a brace as India U-16 held Manchester United U-16 to a 3-3 draw during their visit to England. Mizoram’s Lalrindika also scored in this match.. The confidence gained from such a result should help India in their bid to qualify for the sub-junior Fifa World Cup to be held next year. To achieve this stupendous feat, India have to reach the semi finals of the Asian U-16 championships scheduled for next month.
Manipur and Mizoram have become the catchment areas for junior talent in Indian football.
There was further evidence of this in the line up of Churchill Brothers, runners-up in the recent Durand final. In their starting XI, there were five from the North-east, defenders Govin Singh and Gourmangi Singh and midfielder Jogeshwar Singh (all from Manipur) and Robert Lalthlamuana and Khentang Paite (both Mizoram). Substitute midfielder Chitrasen Chandam Singh was also from Manipur.
Durand semi-finalists Sporting Clube de Goa, also had five from the North East in their first XI.
When they played Churchill Brothers in the semi final there were at one time 11 players in all from the region on the field. Sporting Clube de Goa’s striker Thoudam Joychandra Singh impressed with his scintillating hat-trick against Tata Football Academy in the quarter-final league. The 23-year old Joychandra Singh, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan was groomed at the Sports Authority of India’s Imphal centre. Bisheshwar Singh also from Manipur excelled in midfield for Sporting Clube de Goa with his exemplary work-rate.
Three of the five most promising players who were rewarded in the 121st Osian’s Durand tournament were also from the North-East, Paite (Churchill Brothers), midfielder Z. Gordon(Army XI) and striker Subash Singh (Air India). Army XI had eight players from the North East in their playing XI. The All India Football Federation, which intends to start national academies in both Goa and Haryana should start a centre in Manipur, Meghalaya or Mizoram, to tap the latent talent in the region.
An Indian football team beating current European champions Spain would be considered a figment of the imagination. But it happened in Paris last week. India’s U-12 years champion team Mohun Bagan upset Spain’s champion team 1-0. Later Bagan beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 but lost by solitary goals to Poland and Italy. Mohun Bagan finished a creditable 12th out of 40 countries in the U12 Danone Cup in Paris. They lost to the Czech Republic in sudden death in the pre-quarter finals but impressed with their skill and game sense.
Evidently, at the age-group level, Indian footballers can cope with the best in the world.
NewsSource:Howarah.org
Precocious teenager K. Thoi Singh became the youngest player to score in a Durand Cup final when he notched up the winning goal for Mahindra United against Churchill Brothers in the 121st edition of the tournament. Manipur’s Thoi is a junior international and according to club coach Derek Pereira has the temperament and speed to play for the national team in the near future.
Another talented youngster, Malswamfela of Mizoram, scored a brace as India U-16 held Manchester United U-16 to a 3-3 draw during their visit to England. Mizoram’s Lalrindika also scored in this match.. The confidence gained from such a result should help India in their bid to qualify for the sub-junior Fifa World Cup to be held next year. To achieve this stupendous feat, India have to reach the semi finals of the Asian U-16 championships scheduled for next month.
Manipur and Mizoram have become the catchment areas for junior talent in Indian football.
There was further evidence of this in the line up of Churchill Brothers, runners-up in the recent Durand final. In their starting XI, there were five from the North-east, defenders Govin Singh and Gourmangi Singh and midfielder Jogeshwar Singh (all from Manipur) and Robert Lalthlamuana and Khentang Paite (both Mizoram). Substitute midfielder Chitrasen Chandam Singh was also from Manipur.
Durand semi-finalists Sporting Clube de Goa, also had five from the North East in their first XI.
When they played Churchill Brothers in the semi final there were at one time 11 players in all from the region on the field. Sporting Clube de Goa’s striker Thoudam Joychandra Singh impressed with his scintillating hat-trick against Tata Football Academy in the quarter-final league. The 23-year old Joychandra Singh, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan was groomed at the Sports Authority of India’s Imphal centre. Bisheshwar Singh also from Manipur excelled in midfield for Sporting Clube de Goa with his exemplary work-rate.
Three of the five most promising players who were rewarded in the 121st Osian’s Durand tournament were also from the North-East, Paite (Churchill Brothers), midfielder Z. Gordon(Army XI) and striker Subash Singh (Air India). Army XI had eight players from the North East in their playing XI. The All India Football Federation, which intends to start national academies in both Goa and Haryana should start a centre in Manipur, Meghalaya or Mizoram, to tap the latent talent in the region.
An Indian football team beating current European champions Spain would be considered a figment of the imagination. But it happened in Paris last week. India’s U-12 years champion team Mohun Bagan upset Spain’s champion team 1-0. Later Bagan beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 but lost by solitary goals to Poland and Italy. Mohun Bagan finished a creditable 12th out of 40 countries in the U12 Danone Cup in Paris. They lost to the Czech Republic in sudden death in the pre-quarter finals but impressed with their skill and game sense.
Evidently, at the age-group level, Indian footballers can cope with the best in the world.
NewsSource:Howarah.org
Under-16 boys have progressed a lot under Toal: Bose
NEW DELHI: The Indian youth football team (U-16) will be competing in the final round of Asian Championships for the very first time.
Over the last one year, the team, under the guidance of technical director Colin Toal, performed really well in the qualifiers to earn a ticked to the main round to be played in Tashkent from October 4.
The team, which has been clubbed with Korea, Indonesia, Syria in Group B, will leave for the Uzbeksitan capital on Wednesday.
The team's display against Saudi Arabia and Lebanon deserves special mention as also their recent performance against Manchester United's youth team who were held to a 3-3 draw.
TOI spoke to former India captain and U-16 goalkeeping coach of the team, Tanumay Bose, on the team's prospects.
Excerpts:
Can we expect some impressive results in the Asian Championship?
Well, it is a continuous programme of learning where winning or losing is not so important. But we still hope for a good result. The team has developed into a confident unit under Colin Toal. If we continue with our programme, we can expect improvement in our status in Asia.
Describe the Manchester experience during the team's England tour.
The tour was of immense importance for the boys. They played against the likes of Everton and Manchester United youth teams. They have the best youth development schemes in the world. The experience will surely help the boys in Tashkent.
The tour must have also helped the Indian coaches ?
Our coaching staff too has learnt a lot after watching the British teams. How they prepare, their style, how they develop skills. I want to convey my thanks to AIFF for organising such tours. Last year we travelled to Germany and this year we toured the US. From these tours, we got some pictures of the European and American styles.
So the boys are shaping up well for the future?
Definitely. Out of the total matches we played during the last one year including the qualifiers in Saudi Arabia, we lost only once (against Everton FC) in 2008. Since the senior team has qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup, some of these boys might break into the senior squad by the time competition begins.
Who are the standout players in this squad?
I can't pinpoint a particular player since the method that we've adopted under Toal is different. It is total team game, not dependent on any individual.
India's road to AFC final round:
Drew with Iraq 2-2; Beat Sri Lanka 6-0, Beat Lebanon 3-0; Beat Saudi Arabia 3-0; Beat Bhutan 4-0.
Source:Timesofindia.com
Over the last one year, the team, under the guidance of technical director Colin Toal, performed really well in the qualifiers to earn a ticked to the main round to be played in Tashkent from October 4.
The team, which has been clubbed with Korea, Indonesia, Syria in Group B, will leave for the Uzbeksitan capital on Wednesday.
The team's display against Saudi Arabia and Lebanon deserves special mention as also their recent performance against Manchester United's youth team who were held to a 3-3 draw.
TOI spoke to former India captain and U-16 goalkeeping coach of the team, Tanumay Bose, on the team's prospects.
Excerpts:
Can we expect some impressive results in the Asian Championship?
Well, it is a continuous programme of learning where winning or losing is not so important. But we still hope for a good result. The team has developed into a confident unit under Colin Toal. If we continue with our programme, we can expect improvement in our status in Asia.
Describe the Manchester experience during the team's England tour.
The tour was of immense importance for the boys. They played against the likes of Everton and Manchester United youth teams. They have the best youth development schemes in the world. The experience will surely help the boys in Tashkent.
The tour must have also helped the Indian coaches ?
Our coaching staff too has learnt a lot after watching the British teams. How they prepare, their style, how they develop skills. I want to convey my thanks to AIFF for organising such tours. Last year we travelled to Germany and this year we toured the US. From these tours, we got some pictures of the European and American styles.
So the boys are shaping up well for the future?
Definitely. Out of the total matches we played during the last one year including the qualifiers in Saudi Arabia, we lost only once (against Everton FC) in 2008. Since the senior team has qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup, some of these boys might break into the senior squad by the time competition begins.
Who are the standout players in this squad?
I can't pinpoint a particular player since the method that we've adopted under Toal is different. It is total team game, not dependent on any individual.
India's road to AFC final round:
Drew with Iraq 2-2; Beat Sri Lanka 6-0, Beat Lebanon 3-0; Beat Saudi Arabia 3-0; Beat Bhutan 4-0.
Source:Timesofindia.com
No dearth of sponsors in Indian football now
Novy Kapadia
It never rains, but pours. For years, Indian football lacked big money and adequate corporate sponsorship. Hence junior football teams of the country did not get enough regular competitive tournaments to hone their skills. This malaise seems to be partially rectified as corporate sponsorship is pouring in and within the next 40 days there are five important age-group football tournaments, both at home and abroad.
There is also now no dearth of sponsorship. All the Premier League clubs in Kolkata have sponsors. Even clubs in Goa, Mumbai and Delhi are managing to procure corporate sponsorship. Bharti Telecom has promised to create a Rs 100 crore academy, with world class amenities to develop talent. However, the venture has not taken off as the impasse about the promised land in Goa still continues due to ownership problems with the local population. The All India Football Federation must get proactive about providing infrastructure and tournament schedules, in order to have sustained corporate support.
India’s U-16 team will take part in the Asian Championships final rounds early next month. India have entered the final rounds of this tournament thrice before in 1996, 2002 and 2004. But for the first time, the U-16 team picked up valuable international exposure before a major competition. The team traveled and played in the US and in England against Manchester United and Everton. This is possible because of the generous sponsorship by Bharti Telecom, which financed the trip to England so that the players could get the best possible practice before taking part in the final rounds of the Asian Championships.
The Mohun Bagan U-12 team, are India’s first ever representative at the Danone Nations Cup being held in Paris. The legendary Zinedine Zidane is the ambassador of this tournament, in which 40 nations, from all the continents participate. The Danone Nations Cup sponsored by a health food giant started in 2000 but India are participating for the first time. Bagan won an all-India U-12 tournament, sponsored by Yakult Danone in Delhi to qualify for the final rounds in Paris.
The Tata Football Academy is organising an U-19 I-League at Jamshedpur from September 7 to 19. The U-19 teams of all the 12 I-League clubs along with TFA and Chandigarh Football Academy will participate in this competition. TFA has said that they will host this important tournament for the next three years. Such an initiative, the AIFF hopes, will compel the clubs to develop junior talent and not just pay lip service to this concept.
From September 25 onwards, Mohun Bagan will host an international age-group tournament at their Durgapur academy. The best eight Indian teams, along with some South-East Asian nations will participate. Bagan will make this an annual feature to provide international competition to talented teenagers in the country. The Subroto Mukherjee Cup for schools in Delhi has got a record sponsorship of over Rs 1 crore.
Source:Howara.org
It never rains, but pours. For years, Indian football lacked big money and adequate corporate sponsorship. Hence junior football teams of the country did not get enough regular competitive tournaments to hone their skills. This malaise seems to be partially rectified as corporate sponsorship is pouring in and within the next 40 days there are five important age-group football tournaments, both at home and abroad.
There is also now no dearth of sponsorship. All the Premier League clubs in Kolkata have sponsors. Even clubs in Goa, Mumbai and Delhi are managing to procure corporate sponsorship. Bharti Telecom has promised to create a Rs 100 crore academy, with world class amenities to develop talent. However, the venture has not taken off as the impasse about the promised land in Goa still continues due to ownership problems with the local population. The All India Football Federation must get proactive about providing infrastructure and tournament schedules, in order to have sustained corporate support.
India’s U-16 team will take part in the Asian Championships final rounds early next month. India have entered the final rounds of this tournament thrice before in 1996, 2002 and 2004. But for the first time, the U-16 team picked up valuable international exposure before a major competition. The team traveled and played in the US and in England against Manchester United and Everton. This is possible because of the generous sponsorship by Bharti Telecom, which financed the trip to England so that the players could get the best possible practice before taking part in the final rounds of the Asian Championships.
The Mohun Bagan U-12 team, are India’s first ever representative at the Danone Nations Cup being held in Paris. The legendary Zinedine Zidane is the ambassador of this tournament, in which 40 nations, from all the continents participate. The Danone Nations Cup sponsored by a health food giant started in 2000 but India are participating for the first time. Bagan won an all-India U-12 tournament, sponsored by Yakult Danone in Delhi to qualify for the final rounds in Paris.
The Tata Football Academy is organising an U-19 I-League at Jamshedpur from September 7 to 19. The U-19 teams of all the 12 I-League clubs along with TFA and Chandigarh Football Academy will participate in this competition. TFA has said that they will host this important tournament for the next three years. Such an initiative, the AIFF hopes, will compel the clubs to develop junior talent and not just pay lip service to this concept.
From September 25 onwards, Mohun Bagan will host an international age-group tournament at their Durgapur academy. The best eight Indian teams, along with some South-East Asian nations will participate. Bagan will make this an annual feature to provide international competition to talented teenagers in the country. The Subroto Mukherjee Cup for schools in Delhi has got a record sponsorship of over Rs 1 crore.
Source:Howara.org
SA trio off to play in India
Taj Mahal, Bollywood and Sachin Tendulkar are names everyone associates with India.
Few if any would have heard of the Bhangra Boys, the Indian national soccer team currently 151 on the Fifa ranking. However, local soccerites could be hearing a lot about them in future.
On Saturday, two young players from Port Elizabeth, Kagan Assam and Anele ‘Bullet’ Mxoli will be jetting out to join Faria Strikers, a development team in Goa.
They will be joined by Nathaniel van Graan from Cape Town.
The trio have each signed a one-year contract – which is renewable for 3 – 5 years.
The South Africans will be living in a ‘player’s village’ in Goa. The village has its own gym, pool and training facilities. They will be training twice per day with the team and will also be taking part in tournaments throughout India. They will have their own chef, transport with a delegated driver, sponsored leisure wear, and playing gear.
Faria Strikers will be coached by South African Wallace Walker, who has joined the club as director of coaching.
Wallace will guide the team in the Goa FA First Division League and other all India major invitational tournaments.
The three players were recruited by Walker, who spotted them when he was assisting St Georges. They will be among five foreign players permitted to play in the league.
Assam is currently a third year Sport Management Student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. He started his junior football career with Saints Football Club and represented the Northern Areas Soccer Board since he was nine years old until he left to play for Callies in the PE FA district at the age of 17. He has been playing for Callies for the past five years and also played for NMMU and Fairview Rovers (Vodacom League), as well as St Georges (Castle League).
Mxoli is a product of the now defunct UPE/FCK Soccer School of Excellence.
Strikers is owned by Faria Sports Management which has ambitious plans for soccer in the former Portuguese state.
The club plans to concentrate on youngsters and has launched an innovative youth development programme to unearth talent in the State. They have adopted three schools to give impetus to sports in other disciplines. A football academy, with gymnasium and spa facilities for youngsters, is in the pipeline.
Soccer has made tremendous strides in India with national association entering into an agreement with Brazil. India will assist the Brazilians with cricket, while they will assist the Indians with soccer.
Both Assam and Mxoli are filled with trepidation as they prepare for the unknown, but both insist it is a chance of a lifetime to further their football careers.
Source:Kickoff.com
Few if any would have heard of the Bhangra Boys, the Indian national soccer team currently 151 on the Fifa ranking. However, local soccerites could be hearing a lot about them in future.
On Saturday, two young players from Port Elizabeth, Kagan Assam and Anele ‘Bullet’ Mxoli will be jetting out to join Faria Strikers, a development team in Goa.
They will be joined by Nathaniel van Graan from Cape Town.
The trio have each signed a one-year contract – which is renewable for 3 – 5 years.
The South Africans will be living in a ‘player’s village’ in Goa. The village has its own gym, pool and training facilities. They will be training twice per day with the team and will also be taking part in tournaments throughout India. They will have their own chef, transport with a delegated driver, sponsored leisure wear, and playing gear.
Faria Strikers will be coached by South African Wallace Walker, who has joined the club as director of coaching.
Wallace will guide the team in the Goa FA First Division League and other all India major invitational tournaments.
The three players were recruited by Walker, who spotted them when he was assisting St Georges. They will be among five foreign players permitted to play in the league.
Assam is currently a third year Sport Management Student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. He started his junior football career with Saints Football Club and represented the Northern Areas Soccer Board since he was nine years old until he left to play for Callies in the PE FA district at the age of 17. He has been playing for Callies for the past five years and also played for NMMU and Fairview Rovers (Vodacom League), as well as St Georges (Castle League).
Mxoli is a product of the now defunct UPE/FCK Soccer School of Excellence.
Strikers is owned by Faria Sports Management which has ambitious plans for soccer in the former Portuguese state.
The club plans to concentrate on youngsters and has launched an innovative youth development programme to unearth talent in the State. They have adopted three schools to give impetus to sports in other disciplines. A football academy, with gymnasium and spa facilities for youngsters, is in the pipeline.
Soccer has made tremendous strides in India with national association entering into an agreement with Brazil. India will assist the Brazilians with cricket, while they will assist the Indians with soccer.
Both Assam and Mxoli are filled with trepidation as they prepare for the unknown, but both insist it is a chance of a lifetime to further their football careers.
Source:Kickoff.com
Toal hopes to create history
New Delhi: In the next three weeks, Colin Joseph Toal and his wards in the national under-16 team will have a chance to create history in Indian football.
On Wednesday, the team will fly out to Uzbekistan to play the final rounds of the Asian championships. A place among the first three teams in that tournament will guarantee India a berth in the next under-17 World Cup in Nigeria in 2009.
Toal, the technical director of the team for the past one year, did not rule out India’s chances of making the semi-finals and said his team was capable of beating any team in the world.
“At the under-16 level, no team should be judged on the basis of the Fifa rankings of their senior squad,” Toal said from the team’s training centre in Goa. “In our group, we are pitted against South Korea, Syria and Indonesia and I believe we can beat all of them.”
India are in Group B and will play South Korea in the opener on October 4, followed by Syria (October 6) and Indonesia (October 8).
The first two teams in the group will qualify for the quarter finals to be played on October 12.
In the qualifiers last year, India had an incredible run and scored 18 goals in five matches that included a 2-2 draw against mighty Iraq and identical 3-0 wins over Lebanon and hosts Saudi Arabia.
Toal said he was not too excited about the prospect of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time.
Source:TelegraphIndia
On Wednesday, the team will fly out to Uzbekistan to play the final rounds of the Asian championships. A place among the first three teams in that tournament will guarantee India a berth in the next under-17 World Cup in Nigeria in 2009.
Toal, the technical director of the team for the past one year, did not rule out India’s chances of making the semi-finals and said his team was capable of beating any team in the world.
“At the under-16 level, no team should be judged on the basis of the Fifa rankings of their senior squad,” Toal said from the team’s training centre in Goa. “In our group, we are pitted against South Korea, Syria and Indonesia and I believe we can beat all of them.”
India are in Group B and will play South Korea in the opener on October 4, followed by Syria (October 6) and Indonesia (October 8).
The first two teams in the group will qualify for the quarter finals to be played on October 12.
In the qualifiers last year, India had an incredible run and scored 18 goals in five matches that included a 2-2 draw against mighty Iraq and identical 3-0 wins over Lebanon and hosts Saudi Arabia.
Toal said he was not too excited about the prospect of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time.
Source:TelegraphIndia
We Do Have a Future in Football: Vijayan
abu dhabi — It was the early 70s and this reporter’s dad, like many others from the football-crazy town of Trichur, was still enjoying the ‘beautiful game.’ Quite naturally, the three sons too followed in his footsteps later on. There were mini football games in the living room.
Former Indian captain I.M. Vijayan believes football does have a future in India despite the popularity of cricket.
It was all about ball control, dribbles and tackles. Sometimes, the ‘matches’ turned volatile, the after effects of which were smashed furniture. World Cup matches were watched on the telly at unearthly hours.
Back then, dad told us about this little boy who used to sell sodas at the Trichur Municipal Stadium. He said the boy made use of the money earned to watch matches at the stadium, apart from helping his poor family. He said that his passion for football was unmatched, so much so that, he used to sit and watch with keenness, if anybody was playing ball. Dad remembered, once when he was playing football, the boy watched the game with rapt attention.
It has been close to four decades since and lots of things have happened. Dad is no more and things have moved on. And as far as the little boy goes, he’s 40-years-old now, and has left an inedible mark on Indian football’s landscape. He is Inivalappil Mani Vijayan, better known as IM Vijayan or ‘Vijaya,’ Vijayetta (brother Vijay) in Kerala and ‘Bijoyan’ for his fans back in Kolkata where he paraded his wares for giant clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.
It has been the typical rags-to-riches journey for the man who transformed Indian football and wrote his name into the book of legends.
And with Trichur being the cultural capital of Kerala, it didn’t come as a surprise that the ‘Black Pearl of Indian football’ made his foray into acting.
Looking slimmer, athletic and good enough to make a comeback, Vijayan, showed no airs, nor attitude. He was still the same Vijayan, dad has told us about. Sitting in a plush apartment in Abu Dhabi, the humbleness was unmistakable. He was still connected to his roots.
The ‘fox in the box’ spoke on a variety of topics.
Excerpts:
Indian football still a poor cousin…
Cricket is still the popular game. Though we have the National Football League, we get to watch only a few matches live. And it doesn’t help that most of them, who played football, and even kids, have turned their attention to cricket because of better TV coverage.
Kerala, once a powerhouse…
In Kerala, we used to have a lot of tournaments before. Now, we have very few tournaments.
We only have the National Football League and the Durand Cup to look forward to now. So, there are not many opportunities for the players to shine.
Indian or foreign coaches…
We do have some very good Indian coaches. Also, there are lots of foreign coaches who are good. Ultimately, it should benefit Indian football. Debating about having an Indian or foreign coach makes no sense. Though I haven’t worked with the present coach Bob Houghton, I have heard that he is a fine coach.
We have the coaches but the problem lies at the player level. Some senior players are not ready to undergo strenuous sessions. Also, there are other interferences.
Date in the UAE…
I still remember that match we played in the UAE and I have fond memories. It was at Al Ain. We had a lot of Malayalis and Indian supporters at one section of the stadium. It was good to see so many Indians here supporting us. Funnily, UAE’s standard of football has gone up and our standard has come down.
Where is the money…
Money is there in Indian football. Without sponsorship itself, there is money as the public pays to watch. But nobody knows where the money is going. The players don’t get it. If there is money, boys will take up football.
Future of Indian football…
We do have a future in football. We can think about the World Cup but at first, we need to get going at the grass-root level.
We should set up academies and nurture boys from the age of 12. We should send them on exposure trips.
Foreign players…
Foreign players playing in our clubs is good but these clubs are not getting the best. Only a few like Barretto are good. Instead of learning from them, they are learning from us.
Best moment…
It was winning the Arjuna award. Winning the highest honour gave a sense of satisfaction.
Future Vijayans…
I just did the C Licence in coaching. I had set up an academy. We had a match between Mohan Lal XI and Mammoty XI which generated a lot of funds.
We used that to train young boys at camps over a five-year period.
But we don’t have the money now and no sponsorship as well. It is shut for the time being.
Vijayan, the star…
I had been to a function where film maker Jayaraj was also present. He offered me a role of Shantham. Earlier, a documentary was made on me titled Kaala Hiran. After that, acted in Aakashathile Paravakal and Quotation. I acted in a Tamil movie called Thimiru (he played the villain). My latest film is Gulmohar.
Former Indian captain I.M. Vijayan believes football does have a future in India despite the popularity of cricket.
It was all about ball control, dribbles and tackles. Sometimes, the ‘matches’ turned volatile, the after effects of which were smashed furniture. World Cup matches were watched on the telly at unearthly hours.
Back then, dad told us about this little boy who used to sell sodas at the Trichur Municipal Stadium. He said the boy made use of the money earned to watch matches at the stadium, apart from helping his poor family. He said that his passion for football was unmatched, so much so that, he used to sit and watch with keenness, if anybody was playing ball. Dad remembered, once when he was playing football, the boy watched the game with rapt attention.
It has been close to four decades since and lots of things have happened. Dad is no more and things have moved on. And as far as the little boy goes, he’s 40-years-old now, and has left an inedible mark on Indian football’s landscape. He is Inivalappil Mani Vijayan, better known as IM Vijayan or ‘Vijaya,’ Vijayetta (brother Vijay) in Kerala and ‘Bijoyan’ for his fans back in Kolkata where he paraded his wares for giant clubs Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.
It has been the typical rags-to-riches journey for the man who transformed Indian football and wrote his name into the book of legends.
And with Trichur being the cultural capital of Kerala, it didn’t come as a surprise that the ‘Black Pearl of Indian football’ made his foray into acting.
Looking slimmer, athletic and good enough to make a comeback, Vijayan, showed no airs, nor attitude. He was still the same Vijayan, dad has told us about. Sitting in a plush apartment in Abu Dhabi, the humbleness was unmistakable. He was still connected to his roots.
The ‘fox in the box’ spoke on a variety of topics.
Excerpts:
Indian football still a poor cousin…
Cricket is still the popular game. Though we have the National Football League, we get to watch only a few matches live. And it doesn’t help that most of them, who played football, and even kids, have turned their attention to cricket because of better TV coverage.
Kerala, once a powerhouse…
In Kerala, we used to have a lot of tournaments before. Now, we have very few tournaments.
We only have the National Football League and the Durand Cup to look forward to now. So, there are not many opportunities for the players to shine.
Indian or foreign coaches…
We do have some very good Indian coaches. Also, there are lots of foreign coaches who are good. Ultimately, it should benefit Indian football. Debating about having an Indian or foreign coach makes no sense. Though I haven’t worked with the present coach Bob Houghton, I have heard that he is a fine coach.
We have the coaches but the problem lies at the player level. Some senior players are not ready to undergo strenuous sessions. Also, there are other interferences.
Date in the UAE…
I still remember that match we played in the UAE and I have fond memories. It was at Al Ain. We had a lot of Malayalis and Indian supporters at one section of the stadium. It was good to see so many Indians here supporting us. Funnily, UAE’s standard of football has gone up and our standard has come down.
Where is the money…
Money is there in Indian football. Without sponsorship itself, there is money as the public pays to watch. But nobody knows where the money is going. The players don’t get it. If there is money, boys will take up football.
Future of Indian football…
We do have a future in football. We can think about the World Cup but at first, we need to get going at the grass-root level.
We should set up academies and nurture boys from the age of 12. We should send them on exposure trips.
Foreign players…
Foreign players playing in our clubs is good but these clubs are not getting the best. Only a few like Barretto are good. Instead of learning from them, they are learning from us.
Best moment…
It was winning the Arjuna award. Winning the highest honour gave a sense of satisfaction.
Future Vijayans…
I just did the C Licence in coaching. I had set up an academy. We had a match between Mohan Lal XI and Mammoty XI which generated a lot of funds.
We used that to train young boys at camps over a five-year period.
But we don’t have the money now and no sponsorship as well. It is shut for the time being.
Vijayan, the star…
I had been to a function where film maker Jayaraj was also present. He offered me a role of Shantham. Earlier, a documentary was made on me titled Kaala Hiran. After that, acted in Aakashathile Paravakal and Quotation. I acted in a Tamil movie called Thimiru (he played the villain). My latest film is Gulmohar.
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