Ace footballer-turned-actor regrets not playing for India under a foreign coach
Ace footballer-turned-actor regrets not playing for India under a foreign coach
Inivalappil Mani Vijayan has achieved almost everything that an Indian footballer can think of fame, fortune and recognition. But the highest paid footballer in India in the 1990s is a touch disappointed because he had hung his boots by the time current India coach Bob Houghton took charge.
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"I feel extremely sad that I had to retire. I wish I had a chance to play under Bob," Vijayan told MiD DAY yesterday on the sidelines of a function to announce the Sahara Indian Sports Awards for which he was a jury member.
"I am very proud of India's performance in the recent past. Consecutive Nehru Cup titles clearly shows improvement in Indian football," added Vijayan, who represented the victorious Indian team in the 1999 South Asian Football Federation Cup and scored the fastest international goal during the tournament against Bhutan.
The mercurial forward scored just 12 seconds into the match.
But it hasn't been an easy ride for Vijayan. He began his life in a poor environment, selling bottles of soda in the Thrissur Municipal Stadium to feed his family.
His passion for football saw him soar to great heights. He was adjudged India's Best Footballer of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 1999.
Post retirement, he has also pursued his other passion by acting in three feature films. One of them, Santham, won the national award for the Best Film.
But an acting career hasn't pulled Vijayan away from the beautiful game. He is now focussed on churning out quality footballers through his football school. Besides, he is currently earning his coaching license, having already completed a Level C course.
"There are a lot of football camps being set up these days. Initially, there was not so much money. But nowadays, people can choose football as a career," Vijayan signed off, hoping for better days for Indian footballers.
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