IM Vijayan is still a hit in Chennai

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India have never been world-class in football nor do they threaten to become one in the near future. However, the country has produced a handful of players who, with their undoubted talent, would have walked into decent international sides during their heyday.

These maestros were, perhaps, born in the wrong nation to play the beautiful game. Some of the top names that spring to mind are P.K. Banerjee, Chunni Goswami, I.M. Vijayan, Baichung Bhutia and to an extent Sunil Chettri.

Inivalappil Mani Vijayan was a born fighter. Rising from a humble background — he used to sell beverages on a cycle in his younger days — to becoming a household name in the football fraternity, Vijayan has waged an awe-inspiring winning battle.

The former Indian stalwart, who is in Chennai with the Kerala Police squad for the TFA Shield all-India tournament, rolled back the years when he ran on to the pitch against SAI. Expecting the 43-year-old footballer to recreate the old magic was too much.

But the superstar showed flashes of brilliance that left the SAI players flummoxed. A back-flick assist and then a sublime one-two with his teammate left the crowd asking for more.

When asked how he felt to play in Chennai after many years, Vijayan replied: “I have fond memories of playing in Chennai.

A match against Cameroon is one of the high points of my career. I also remember that Bhutia announced his arrival here while playing for Bengal at the Santosh Trophy in 1995. I always loved playing in Chennai.”

The former Indian skipper was happy with India’s recent showing. “A combination of things needs to be in place in order to find success at the international level.

The foreign camps for the national team these days are a big bonus. There is an injection of cash into football, which is healthy. And finally, media are also doing their bit to promote football in India,” said Vijayan, who runs a football academy in his hometown in Kerala.

The ebony-hued star implored budding footballers to persevere. “Youngsters should keenly follow what the coaches tell them during training sessions.

It will always help them when they are playing matches. And they should always remember that there is no substitute for hard work,” he said.

Vijayan added that the game has evolved a lot from his playing time. “We had many skilful players back then to motivate us.

I used to look up to players such as the unmatched Bengal midfielder Kishanudey and Vikas Pal. After Baichung’s retirement, there is not a single player on the national scene who can inspire today’s generation. As for football, it has become a lot more physical now.

Today a player should be ready to play in any position. He should possess an all-round ability,” he said.

After the opening game, Vijayan was mobbed by a crowd of teenagers who would have still been in their diapers when the footballer was enthralling the Chennai crowd with his masterly moves in the late 90s. But they all know who Vijayan is — such is the popularity of the man.

“My dad is a huge fan of Vijayan. He always tells me that there was no better sight than to see the ball stuck to Vijayan’s feet.

Though I have not seen him play live during his peak, I have watched a couple of videos on YouTube. His goal-scoring ability is mesmerising,” said S. Arumugam, one of the many youngsters who were seeking Vijayan’s autograph after the SAI game.

By the time you are reading this, Vijayan may or may not be in Chennai — it depends on his side’s semi-final result on Thursday. If Kerala Police reach the final, a visit to the Nehru Stadium on Sunday evening may turn out to be memorable.