Nicknames rule in TN

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“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” says Juliet in the Bard’s immortal story.

It wouldn’t be a misplaced assu-mption if one were to think that every single person on the planet sports a nickname.

From arguably the greatest footballer Pele (his real name is Edson Arantes do Nascime-nto) to one of the finest batsmen of his era Ricky Ponting (nicknamed Punter), almost every sportsperson has a nickname. The list is endless.

We bring to you the names of the Tamil Nadu football players by which they are known to their relatives and friends.

Even though the quality of the state’s footballers isn’t comparable with the likes of Pele, their nicknames help people enjoy a banter.

Tamil Nadu have done exceptionally well in the ongoing Santosh Trophy in Odisha by reaching the semifinals. Read on for fun, as no malice is intended.

Santha Kumar: Vaal (brat): The experienced player is full of beans. The winger always has some mischievous plan or the other up his sleeve.

K. Sathish: Vellai meen (White fish): The name is given for obvious reasons: his fair complexion.
D. Edison: Pana maram (Palm tree): Once again a no-brainer. The centre-back is the tallest in the TN squad.

Amal Pai: Pani puri. The Goan feasts on the chaat item, which has its origin in Bihar.

S. Karthik: Pazhaya Porulu (Old goods): The winger’s runs on the flanks are productive most of the time. However, his teammates think he’s a second-hand item straight out of Moore Market.

Charles Anandraj: Mutti kallan (Bow legged): He has been a vital cog in TN’s midfield. But his team-mates see the funny side of the playmaker’s thin, long legs, bent outwards.

Suman Raj: Mande (Bald head): The right-back’s receding hairline is at the heart of his pet name.
Nirmal Kumar: Break illada vandi (A vehicle without brakes): The youngster’s runs are so brisk that on many occasions he overshoots the runway.

L. Stegin: Oomeh (Who doesn’t speak). The diminutive midfielder has very little to say.
Rajini Kumar: Udharu (Garrulous): Like a true goalkeeper, he never shuts his mouth. Not even after the game.

M. Murthy: Steel body: As his nickname suggests, the lanky centre-back has a body or the lack of it that counts for nothing.

John Paul: Pambaram (Spinning top): The midfielder has the knack of not staying at one place. He is here, there and everywhere.

N. Dinakaran: Atte kathi (Paper sword): Seemingly harmful but innocuous in reality.

M. Ramesh: Babu kadde biryani (Biryani lover): After every game at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai, this sharp-shooter heads straight to his favourite biryani outlet — Babu kadde.

R. Naveen Kumar: Onnum theriyadha vadiyar (A teacher without knowledge): The centre-back worked as a physical education teacher before joining AGORC.