Under the much experienced Bimal Ghosh’s guidance and playing for the Mumbai Tigers, city boy T P Rehenesh will be eyeing for a spot on the national side while training with a goal for stunning performance this season. Last year he had signed a contract with Mumbai Tigers FC, the new club all set for their debut in the I-League first division this season, after leaving ONGC. Meghalaya-based Rangdajied United had also approached him, but Mumbai’s coach Bimal Ghosh, a former player on the Indian national team, managed to convince the goalkeeper to make a move to Mumbai instead. “He was very encouraging and has a good knowledge about each player’s talents. The offer to join Mumbai club came during the last ILeague season. I have signed up with them for a one year deal,” said Rehenesh, now in Mumbai. During his school days, Rehenesh joined the Universal Soccer Club in the city whilst under coach Deepak and then made his way to the Chirag United squad, formerly Viva Kerala team in the national football league. Inspiration to the game came from his grand father, a local football player. “My grandfather, Swami, a goal keeper in the local team, had inspired me much. He used to bring his jersey home after the matches. This had influenced me a lot and an interest for the game sprung in my mind during childhood days itself,” added Rehenesh. 21-year old Rehenesh, a native of Puthiyangadi, had taken goal keeping seriously after he was selected by SAI Kozhikode centre. Later, he was selected to the state subjunior and junior teams. However, his professional football career began with Viva Kerala. He came to the spotlight during his stint with ONGC Mumbai, during the 2012-13 season. The player even made it to the list of top three custodians in the I-League at the end of the season. Hence, it was no surprise when a clutch of clubs battled for signing him up in the next campaign. “My ultimate aim is to find a place on the national squad,” he said, adding that I M Vijayan, Baichung Bhutia and Subrata Pal were his favourites as they had influenced him a lot. Besides Rehenesh, central midfielder N P Pradeep is the only Malayali counterpart on the team. Though he has a hectic schedule ahead of the ILeague matches, which will commence from September, he misses Kozhikode and his family. “The life in Mumbai metro city is entirely different from Kozhikode,” said the player who is concentrated on the ongoing conditioning camp for the crucial I-League season.