A few days back when I was flipping through the channels. I happened to catch a sound bite of Bhaichung Bhutia which I thought was another promotional he was attending but a few seconds later the anchor confirmed that Bhaichung has decided to quit International football. Initially I could not believe it but as I looked back into his career for the last year or so I could find some logic in his decision. Although as his fan I had wanted him to play till eternity but Bhaichung is also human and the nagging injury got the better of him and we have to respect his decision. He has created a big void which will be difficult to fill.
Bhaichung Bhutia as we all know was born in a small hamlet called Tinkitam in South Sikkim, this place does not even have a decent playing field. After spending his initial years in Tinkitam Bhaichung joined a boarding school called St Xaviers in Pakyoung where his football career started taking shape and he was selected by the Sports Authority of India and admitted in Tashi Namgyal Academy a premier Public School of Sikkim, I am also an alumni of this school and it was here where I saw Bhaichung Bhutia for the first time way back in the year 1991 when I was in standard one. It’s been so many years now and my memory is vague but I remember Bhaichung playing for the school team. Then in 1992 Tashi Namgyal Academy played in the Subrato Cup and reached the quarter finals and Bhaichung bagged the Best player of the tournament award which showed he was destined for greatness. He was called for the India under-16 camp got selected but had to withdraw due to some personal reasons. This was a setback but Bhaichung came back stronger and gave a wonderful performance in the All India Governor’s Gold Cup in the same year and was spotted by Bhaskar Ganguly who took him to East Bengal and the rest they say is history.
He spent sixteen years with the National team, winning the AFC Challenge Cup 2008 which gave India a chance to play in the Asian Cup 2011.On the personal front Bhaichung has 109 appearances for India scoring 43 goals. He also helped India win the Nehru Cup in 2007 and 09 and has four SAAF Cup winners medal in his trophy cabinet.
Well I wonder what else to write as so much has already been written and said about this footballing legend of our times who has singlehandedly given Indian football a new direction and hope. Now Bhaichung plans to dedicate himself fully towards his own creation, United Sikkim Football Club and also keep playing for the team. Bhaichung has truly been an inspiration to a generation of footballers and I am sure he will keep doing so in future as well. Many are saying that this is an end but I say this is a beginning of another chapter in Bhaichung Bhutia’s amazing life!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Future Star!
It’s been a very longtime since Kalimpong gave birth to a footballer of national repute. After Pem Dorjee and Jerry Basi the supply chain of players seemed to have dried up. There can be many factors for this, let me not get into that but focus on the positive side of Kalimpong football. The beautiful game thrives in this beautiful hill town and over two months of my stay here I have seen many talented young players. One of those is certain Asif Ahmed Ansari, a young and very talented goalkeeper. Asif was born and brought up in Kalimpong and used to love playing cricket when he was a kid. But one day at Mela ground this young boy suddenly turned into a footballer. Asif was playing cricket at the ground just beside a group of school level footballers. The coach was giving instructions to his goalkeepers about diving and at the very moment Asif who was fielding at point took a stunning catch diving full length towards his right. The football coach saw that and called him, Asif went towards him hesitantly the coach instructed him to stand in front of his goalkeepers took a ball and asked Asif to dive and catch it. Asif did what he was told to do and coach patted his back and told his goalkeepers that what they just saw was the perfect way to dive.
After that incident Asif slowly started lining towards football. Got into the school team and Asif the cricketer changed into Asif the footballer, He was in standard seven back then. Though he started playing football bit late, Asif proved to be a quick learner and adjusted to football in no time. Asif liked cricket but football was his calling and later on in life he found out that his grandfather, Badruddin Ahmed was also a very well known goalkeeper of the 1950’s and 60’s,who had even represented the Bhutan National team.He is proud of his Grandfather and is happy today that he choose football over cricket.
When Asif was in standard ten he got a wonderful opportunity as he was selected to attend Mohun Bagan Sail football Academy at Durgapur, but due to the board examination he had to return back to Kalimpong just in three months. Asif was disappointed but learned a lot during that period and also got the compliment which he remembers till date. The head coach at the Academy Jahar Das had told him that if he keeps working hard he will play for the national team one day. Those words still inspires Asif.
Asif also represented his school team, Scottish Universities Mission Institution (SUMI) in the BC Roy Trophy, premier School level tournament of West Bengal; winners of this tournament get direct entry into the Subrato Cup. For three consecutive years Asif went for the BC Roy trophy and in the last year he captained the team.
In the year 2007-08 Asif won consecutive player of the tournament award in the Inter School football tournament. After passing out of school in 2009 Asif started playing for the Kalimpong Football Academy team and his talent was quickly noticed by the Denzong Boys FC. He played for the team in the ONGC Cup which was held in Tripura and after three months Asif got an opportunity to play in the second division I-League qualifiers. He featured in the all the matches and gave some good performances but none of the Big Clubs noticed him so he had to return back to his home town but with age on his side Asif can go a long way.
After coming back to Kalimpong he joined a local team called Apex Football Club this year where most of his team-mates are his good friends. He has helped the team qualify for the finals of the Kalimpong league which is due to take place in a few days time and the 2nd of August Asif by his own admission lived the most memorable day of this life as Apex FC won the prestigious Sahid Cup Football tournament. This was for the first time in the history of this tournament a home side had ended up as winners. Asif had to take two trophies home as he was also awarded the player of the tournament award. He truly deserved that because he had made some outrageous saves in the three matches that the team played.
Asif harbors a dream of playing for one the Big Clubs of the country one day. At the same time he laments that there is no support system for the players in this part of the world but he remains positive and keeps working hard. Asif knows the road ahead is tough and there will be challenges but he believes in trying. So will Asif be able to fill that vacuum of Kalimpong not producing players of national repute? I say yes. Rest the time will tell.
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