ICF haven’t been able to win the Chennai Football Association senior division league in the last five seasons but they scooped the TFA Shield, an all-India tournament, after beating a vastly superior Kerala Police in the final on Sunday. It is indeed ironic that a struggling team in the city league has won a national-level event.

The cornerstone of ICF’s success was their goalkeeper V.P. Sathish Kumar. Unflappable, dependable, rock-solid, the experienced custodian carried the team on his back all the way to the title.

Sathish bailed out ICF in a semifinal shootout against AG’s Office before repelling unceasing wave of attacks Kerala Police launched in the title match. In the earlier rounds, too, the goalie maintained his customary high standard. The TFA Shield is Sathish’s first title with ICF.

ICF coach P. Thulasi has no doubts on the recipe for his team’s success. “We rode on the excellence of Sathish.

He was simply outstanding. I would never forget a fingertip save he pulled off against AG’s Office in the semi-final to deny a certain goal. I have no words to describe his importance to our team. Sathish is an asset and we are lucky to have him with ICF,” he said.

The decision of Sathish to join ICF three years ago surprised many pundits. Having won a slew of honours with Goan giants Dempo including three national league titles and represented India at senior level, the goalkeeper had chosen to go a few steps down in his resplendent career. It was like leaving the Premier League for a nondescript provincial league in England.

He was fighting fit and his reflexes showed no signs of dimming. But Sathish stuck to his decision, which was influenced by some personal issues.

Trading the thrill of playing in the I-League for the security of a government job with a district league team is never easy.

Sathish said he sometimes yearns for action in the country’s top tournament, even though he isn’t rankled by playing in a decidedly less glamorous league. His uncompromising work ethic and passion for the game has helped him remain in great shape.

Even today he gets calls from top teams to check on his availability for the I-League. Sathish may have left the I-League three years ago but few have forgotten his undoubted quality while he donned Dempo’s colours.

“There is no difference in my preparation whether I turn out for Dempo or ICF because a football match is a football match.

I always intend to give my best. As a goalkeeper, I’m duty bound to help my team win. I just focus on my job irrespective of the importance of the match or the quality of opposition,” he said.

The ever-modest Sathish brushed aside suggestions that his professionalism and devotion to work make him a role model for young players of all teams, not only ICF, in Chennai. “I just do my duty,” he said.

Thulasi, however, has a different opinion. “There is so much to learn from Sathish. One must see him warm up for a practice session, burning with intensity and focus. Sathish never does anything half-heartedly,” he said.

Thulasi said Sathish has few peers in one-on-one confrontations. “It is virtually impossible for our frontline strikers to beat Sathish one-on-one in training sessions.

The goalie is so supreme that he regularly leads the ICF bench to wins over our first-choice team in practice matches. Sathish is an inspiration to his team-mates,” he added.