Tamil Nadu have never been a pushover in national football. The state have produced a number of top-class players, coaches and teams over the years.

Simon Sundarraj, Kittu, Gunapandian and Nagesh are some of the biggest names to have emerged from Tamil Nadu.

According to pundits, the late A.D. Parthasarathy was the best coach India never had the fortune of having at the helm of the senior national team. P. Janakiraman, another ICF stalwart, played a key role in the development of youth football in Kerala.

Widely acknowledged as one of the best heading experts in the country, Janakiraman even proved his mettle in the Maldives.

Simon was a member of the Indian team that took part in the 1960 Rome Olympics. Later, he coached Kerala to their maiden Santosh Trophy title.

One of the key players of that triumphant Kerala team was Kaliaperumal, a native of Thanjavur and father of the immensely talented Kulothungan.

Tamil Nadu have supplied a steady stream of players to the national side. Syed Sabir Pasha and Raman Vijayan were the torchbearers in the 90s.

Ooty boy C.S. Sabeeth has established himself in the senior national team now. It is no mean feat for a player who never had any godfather to push him through.

But Tamil Nadu’s record in the Santosh Trophy is far from impressive. Their best record in 65 editions of the national football championship is entering the final once — they lost to Bengal 1-4 in 1972-73.

Tamil Nadu had a golden opportunity to go all the way when they staged the Santosh Trophy in 2009-10 but Goa ousted them in the semifinals despite being the second best team in open play for the majority of the match.

The Santosh Trophy may have lost its sheen as the country’s premier football tournament after the advent of the national league but for a state like Tamil Nadu the event still remains alluring.

If Bengal retain the Santosh Trophy, it will be their 32nd title. Winning the Santosh Trophy is more of a statistic than an achievement for Bengal, the pre-eminent state in Indian football. A win for Tamil Nadu, on other hand, will mean a lot to the sport.

If Tamil Nadu coach Syed Sabir Pasha inspires his team to glory, his name will be etched in the annals of state football forever.

Tamil Nadu have the talent to reach the Promised Land. The recent editions have demonstrated that they are no way inferior to teams such as Bengal, Goa and Punjab.

Tamil Nadu’s biggest problem is the lack of self-belief. As Pasha aptly put it recently, the Tamil Nadu players should dream big.

They shouldn’t be content with turning out for TN in the Santosh Trophy; they should aim at winning the title. It is a realistic ambition.

Ramesh is TN’s talisman

From being a fringe player when Tamil Nadu staged the Santosh Trophy a couple of years ago to the state’s attacking spearhead, M. Ramesh has come a long way.

Tamil Nadu’s fate in the 66th Santosh Trophy, which is under way in Odisha, will depend on the form of the diminutive striker.

His talent was never in doubt but he had demons to slay in front of goal. Ramesh looks a finished article now.

The Customs forward, who can bewitch onlookers with his dribbling and dodging, has rapier thrust these days.

Ramesh was in a league of his own in the CFA senior division league, which concluded last month. His return from the injury table solved all the ills of Customs, the eventual champions.

He terrorised defenders with his pace and direct running. The clinical efficiency of Ramesh made the life of many a goalkeeper miserable.

The striker, known for his humility and ready smile, is the undoubted leader of the current Tamil Nadu squad.

If he finds his groove in the Odisha capital, there could be a new beginning for his team in the Santosh Trophy.