BANGALORE: Football fans in Bangalore are an entirely different breed. They just want to enjoy their football whether or not the home team does well. Even if local boys are in opposing camps, they come out to cheer them and make them feel at home rather than play with a sense of guilt, having left their original clubs for greener pastures.
If Goan clubs Salgaocar or Dempo play against a Calcutta club, the venue will see huge turnouts. But if the Goans play against one another in the Fed Cup in Calcutta, the stadium will be empty no matter who is in their line-up. But a Salgaocar-Dempo clash in Bangalore will surely attract a huge crowd. It has happened in the past and will surely continue to do so in future.
Ironically, the same cannot be said of the administrators of the game in the state. They have always marginalised players who left their home clubs to sign for clubs outside the state. Those who served clubs in the state have been given prominence.
Players signing for clubs in Calcutta, Goa or Maharashtra from Bangalore is an age-old phenomenon. Private clubs have never had the financial muscle to support players and jobs in the public sector does not mean big pay packets. Now that jobs have even dried up, it is no wonder players move out. But sadly, the system has been drastically changed for the worse that the flow of players itself has become a trickle. Consequently, clubs outside find it difficult to get the services of good players no matter how much they are willing to pay.
With the once-glamorous ITI closing shop once and for all, it has been left to their arch-rivals HAL to keep Bangalore and Karnataka’s flag flying high. Despite all their efforts, not much of local talent has been unearthed in recent years. And those who were groomed have left for better prospects.
In 2010, HAL’s Satish Jr signed for Mohun Bagan. This year Murali joined him in Calcutta and Xavier Vijaykumar opted to play for Churchill Brothers, Goa.
When the green and maroon came down for the clash against HAL last year, Satish jr was accorded a rousing reception. His fans and and friends erected huge posters at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. They came with drums and bugles to welcome him and when he did come on as a substitute, they gave him the loudest applause which could well be heard a long way from the venue. It might not be different this time too. It could be even better for when Mohun Bagan play HAL, both Satish and Murali will be around for the fans to cheer.
When PUne FC came down, it was the same story with goalkeeper Balaji and Noel Wilson being accorded a huge reception.
The Sunday that just went by was no different at the Bangalore Football Stadium. Churchill Brothers came calling and Xavier was on the substitutes’ list. Coach Manual Gomes brought him on ten minutes after the break and the moment the fans had waited had arrived. Xavier, sporting the No 8 jersey made his appearance and the huge crowd went wild with delight. The player who had given them sublime joy for years at the same venue with his unmistakable ball skills was back to do just that. What if he sported the red shirt instead of the familiar green? His game hadn’t turned red, it was still ‘green’. After all, he wasn’t and was a green horn in more ways than one at the same time.
Xavier wasn’t that impressive apart from managing to slide along a couple of passes. In the HAL team, he was the star. All attention was on him and he felt important. He showed how important he was with some stunning displays. That psychological factor went a logn way in making him the player he was. In the Churchill ranks, he is not the only star. He is among other bigger stars. As such, he has only a subdued role to play and it showed as well. Yet, for his fans it did not matter.
They have set a new and refreshing trend in crowd behaviour. Players in opposite camps are welcomed and not derided for changing their loyalty. Maybe, social scientists or psychologists have a lot of food for thought.
Days were when such players drew loud jeers and sarcastic whistles every time they touched the ball. Ask a certain Kannan who left Bangalore for Calcutta years ago. Ask a certain I M Vijayan or Joe-Paul Ancheri who left Kerala for Calcutta in the mid-1990s.
The crowds were so hostile to them when they played against their home teams that the players heaved a sigh or relief when the long whistle was blown. But football fans in the City have blown away all those disturbing trends and have set a new and refreshing mood at football venues. One hopes others follow suit.
