CHENNAI: S Prakadeswaran's year so far has been filled with pleasant surprises. From being called up to the senior team when he was on the verge of signing for Bengaluru-based Agniputhra FC, to seeing his number ‘52’ light up on the substitution board, the teenage forward has been making a mark, whenever given the chance.
But his journey to the top-level football is inspiring. Born at a house with a thatched roof in Brislee Nagar settlement near Otteri, Prakadeswaran's first tryst with football came in the narrow lanes of the area. His father Sakthivel, a rehabilitation worker-turned security guard, played football at a recreational level. He explained how playing in festival tournaments got him enraptured by the game. "There used to be an empty space in the area. There, we set the goalposts and install the floodlights. I played matches without boots. Although the teams I played for did not win anything, I won a lot of individual awards. They used to hand out stockings, shoes and jerseys for the award winner," he explained.
As he grew up, the ISL was gaining traction after the inaugural season in 2014. Prakadeswaran revealed how he and his cousins managed to get a glimpse of Chennaiyin. "It was difficult to get tickets. Me and my cousins tried to convince our elders to get us tickets. We travel by bus to the stadium on our own, watch matches and return home the same way," he added.
That same club that he religiously supported first identified him in 2017. "The youth coaches Ramakrishnan (U13) and Lakshmanan (U15) sir spotted me and got me into the academy after I excelled in a selection match." Then, the following year, he set his eyes on joining the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) sports hostel in Neyveli. He revealed how his parents, despite difficulties, were supportive of sending him to Neyveli. "I really wanted to go there. My brother Kamleshwaran was studying there. We trained under D Johnson there in the hostel. While studying there for four years, I was also in Chennaiyin's U13 team. I had to travel back for matches and return to the hostel frequently," he revealed.
As he continued to shuttle between cities and rise through the ranks, his commitment to his cause of being a professional finally bore fruit. After making his debut as a substitute in Chennaiyin's 1-2 defeat to Inter Kashi at home on April 7, he scored his first goal in this level against Jamshedpur. The two-time winners lost 4-1.
"In the home match against SC Delhi, I kept shooting it with lots of power, which either did not trouble the keeper or was blocked by the defender. As I took up extra training before the match against Jamshedpur, Clifford (Miranda) sir saw me shooting and helped me with tweaking. Instead of going for glory, he told me to cut inside and make space," he said.
Prakadeswaran did just that to score his first goal. Receiving the ball on the right wing just outside the box, his first touch helped him deceive the defender, make space and curl it into the top right corner of goal.
With that goal, Prakadeswaran gained more prominence in the team he grew up watching. Apart from wanting to grow and make inroads into the national team, the teenager wants more like him from his area to take up football. "I'm the only professional from the settlement. But I'm also happy to see so many children joining local clubs on my advice. Whenever I go back there, I keep hearing people say that I have put Brislee Nagar on the map. Before this, football was prominent only in Vyasarpadi but now it's slowly changing," he said.
Coaching is also something that people are taking up in his area. "They are now pursuing ‘D’ and ‘C’ level licenses and are training kids. I hope they turn pro," he said.
