KOCHI: With his fiery pace, close control of the ball and shot accuracy, Niranjan Anish is a force to reckon with on the football ground. To further bolster his knowledge of the game, the 18-year-old secured the D-licence certificate recently, thus making him one of India’s youngest football coaches.
The licence, presented by the All India Football Federation, was granted to him following an evaluation, which included two practical tests and a theory examination, at Mohali, Punjab. With this qualification, Niranjan can train young kids and also assist other coaches.
In a conversation with TNIE, Niranjan credits the thriving football scene in his hometown, Vypeen, for this success, for instilling in him a love for the game.
“We have many grounds and tournaments in our place. There are a lot of avenues for young kids to learn the game. I began learning football at the age of nine, with our local club Seven Arrows,” he says.
However, despite his best attempts, he was not able to break into the Seven Arrows’ squad.
“Then, I was playing or hoping to play as a forward, a much-fought-over position. I tried many things to get selected, but nothing seemed to work,” he recalls.
Then, on the suggestion of coach Sreejith, Niranjan decided to don the role of a goalkeeper, a position which not many were keen to play. “This change got me my first opportunity,” he says.
The following season, Seven Arrows were unbeaten in the Sept Fest, a tournament which usually sees the participation of over 50 teams from across the state. For his part, Niranjan was adjudged the best goalkeeper in the U-12 category. “This was a turning point, no doubt,” he says.
Indeed, this success won him a place in five residential academies, including the Sports Council. But he chose Chelambra NNMHS in Malappuram. However, since the team failed to qualify for the Subroto Cup, Niranjan moved to Gokulam Academy.
There, during a game, Niranjan suffered two broken fingers, prompting him to reconsider playing as a goalkeeper. But soon, another greater tragedy struck — the demise of his father, Anish Raghavan. The youngster, now both mentally and physically wounded, decided to return home.
Now, the dream would have died here had it not been for the prodding of his near and dear ones to resume training.
“My family — mother and brother — were very encouraging. They pushed me forward, and so did my friends. So, I decided to give it another go,” Niranjan recalls.
But the lad knew that it could not be a repeat of what he had already done.
“I wanted to become a forward, a striker. So I moved to Punjab, where I trained at the Minerva Academy. This was my ‘graduation’,” he says.
Though he had come here to train, Niranjan soon found himself pulled into the coaching scene. “I was very inspired by chief coach Yan Lo (of Minerva and Delhi teams), the youngest head coach in the country. I wanted to take up coaching too as I knew innately that knowing the intricacies could also help me play better. Hence, the D-licence certificate,” Niranjan says.
After obtaining the certificate, he also did a month-long internship with Minerva FC. Though the team had hoped that he would stay longer, Niranjan decided to make the long way home to train young kids in Vypeen.
“I wanted to give back to the community that made me who I am today. That said, my big dream still is to become a football player. For the Kerala Blasters, and hopefully, one day, for Indian national team as well,” Niranjan smiles.
With the emergence of new leagues like Super League Kerala, the youth is very optimistic about his chances.