KOCHI: From the sultry coastline of Vypeen to the frigid peaks of Bhutan ... it’s proving to be an adventure of Himalayan proportions!
Adarsh V J, a young professional footballer from the suburban island, is helping script an unlikely turnaround for Bhutan Premier League (BPL) team Tsirang FC.
The 22-year-old, who joined the club in April on a six-month contract, has bolstered a defensive line that has now kept three successive clean sheets, lifting the club to third place in the 10-team league after seven matches.
“This is a position Tsirang FC has rarely occupied in previous editions of the competition. I’m very happy to have played a part. We hope to continue this good run,” Adarsh told TNIE from Bhutan.
Mirroring this run, the season has also been a step-up for Adarsh. “Many of those I play with are footballers I had only watched on television. Sharing the pitch with them is a dream come true. The football culture here is amazing and teaches me something new every game.”
The stint in Bhutan was sealed while the Vypeen lad was playing in the Tripura football league earlier this year. His speed, accuracy and ball control caught the attention of scouts and shortly after an offer arrived from Tsirang FC.
Adarsh, who has represented Kerala in the Santosh Trophy, saw in it “both an opportunity and a challenge, and took it up.” He reached Bhutan on April 28, just days before the league got under way.
“The move demanded quick adjustments. The higher altitude meant that I had some breathing difficulties during the initial training sessions. But I adapted quickly enough. Also, my position was shifted from my preferred centre back to right back. But if the clean sheets are any indicator, I did well,” Adarsh highlighted.
And it is his extensive training, which began right from childhood, that is helping Adarsh make a mark. “Growing up in Vypeen meant that football was everywhere. After all, we had a lot of open grounds and sports clubs, and local tournaments were part of our everyday life. It also helped that I had a natural inclination for sports,” the youngster said.
He began training at Seven Arrows Club, one of Kochi’s oldest football institutions, before moving to Parappur FC’s residential sports academy in Thrissur. “There, I trained under veteran coach N M Najib, the former Titanium FC player. It was there I learnt the defensive fundamentals, and these I rely on even today.”
Adarsh went on to play in the Youth League and the Kerala Premier League. He was also part of the MG University squad that finished runners-up in the All-India Inter-University Football Championship last season.
He is the only Malayali in this season’s BPL and the second footballer from the state to have played in the competition. “The first player from Kerala to participate in the BPL is, in fact, my friend and mentor Sagar Ali. The Kothamangalam native is the owner of the Kerala Premier League side Inter Kerala FC,” Adarsh said.
The youngster’s performance is drawing a lot of interest from Indian top-tier clubs. Three clubs have reportedly reached out to him with offers. “It’s my dream to play in the I-League or ISL. So, I will pursue that once this contract in Bhutan ends.”