Dream debut for Nikhil Poojary

The city’s promising footballer, Nikhil Poojary is hell-bent on making his name permanent in the Indian football team after he debuted for Stephen Constantine’s side against Mauritius in the trination series in August. Poojary also traveled with the team that emerged victorious against Macau earlier this week. 

The 21-year old admits he was surprised when Constantine called him up for the camp. “Things happened so fast in the last 30 days, it was totally unexpected,” says an overwhelmed NIkhil, who replaced the well-known winger Jackichand Singh at half-time. The Nerul lad will be playing his second season for I-League club East Bengal FC. Making only a few appearances last season, the winger is determined to make the cut to the first team after his international debut.

Nikhil explains, “I was excited when I was selected in the 23-man squad. I thought that the coach will bring me in when the game was in the final stages but instead I replaced Jacky at half-time and the game was tied 1-1. It came like a responsibility and we eventually scored a late winner. It was lovely playing at home, in my own city, I was like a dream.”

With a tall body structure and swift movements with the ball, Nikhil is one of the youngest members of the squad. His game has earned him acclaim from many pundits of the game. City based I-League club Mumbai FC selected the attacking midfielder when he was 15 and he quickly climbed up to the senior team playing alongside Jayesh Rane and co. “I was the player-of-the-match in the Nike Manchester Cup and that is where I started making a name in Mumbai,” says Nikhil.

As he looks back on the challenges that he faced in his journey to get a breakthrough, it becomes apparent that it has been anything but a dream run. While he did well in the junior team, he recalls that he waited for a long period to make it to the senior team, after which he was frustrated and he left Mumbai. "I waited for 1-2 years to make it in the senior team of Mumbai FC but I could not make it. I left for Kolkata without any train reservation, sleeping on the stations. The coach (Khalid Jameel at that time) told me that I should move out of my comfort zone so I made this move. For many days, I did not have any place to stay and no friends there, it was a totally new place,” he recalls. “Then I got selected for Mohammedan SC in West Bengal, slept in their dressing rooms, traveled with the fans, but the pay was too low, so I didn't take it up."

"After playing for the first few games for East Bengal FC, I was troubled by an injury. Frustrated, I decided to quit and sit at home and focus on my studies. But then I thought I should give it one last try. I returned from the injury, played for the club. After this, selectors at East Bengal FC told me to give the trials,” he recalls.

Nikhil comes from a lower middle class family and his father is a restaurant manager in Navi Mumbai. He asserts that playing football has helped his family financially.

Asked about his selection in the senior squad, he says, “The coach (Constantine) is very strict. He is keen on getting young players in the team whenever he can. When the camp started in Mumbai for the tri-nation cup, I noticed him watching me play in the training. After my debut, he motivated me and other debutants to not stop here and go on to try playing in bigger leagues. He gave us the example of Gurpreet (who plays in the Norweigian League) and try to enter the European Leagues. I am glad to be a part of the team with such a smart manager. I will try to stay in the top ranks and give my best.” 

The I-League is scheduled to begin after the conclusion of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. While the fate of Mumbai FC’s participation remains hanging, Nikhil calls it bad news for the young players of the city. “We had a few clubs earlier in Mumbai but now how will the aspiring footballers get a stage to move higher?” questions Nikhil.

In the off-season period, Nikhil trains with the coach of his school, St Augustine. He admits that it was at school where he learned the most about the game. The school has always performed well in the inter-school tournaments clinching many trophies but its record has suffered after the coaches changed.

Nikhil calls himself a “worshipper” of football legend Diego Maradona. He confesses he always tries to copy his game whenever he can on and off the pitch.