Krishnan & Co’s quest to groom Chennai’s Messi

CHENNAI: As the FIFA World Cup continues to keep the world awake with teams’ captivating performances, the Kannigapuram playground in North Chennai is quietly helping young players pen their stories.

A barren land that was a hotspot for anti-social elements, N Krishnan, a football coach, turned it into a place where aspirants in the area want to visit. Now, Chennai Kannigapuram Soccer Academy (CKSA) stands tall with residents of all ages winning accolades and trophies.

Krishnan has been playing on this ground for over 30 years. “Football has been my life since I was a child. My father and uncles, who used to play football all the time, inspired me,” he says. Like millions across the globe, he was mesmerised by Pele and Maradona.

But real life came calling in the form of bills and responsibilities. So, Krishnan secured a job at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) through the sports quota in 1999. He later played for ICF and Railways’ teams, and continues to play till today but not as often. The coach, however, began full-time training children with the academy in 2012.

Those who trained under Krishnan at CKSA have represented youth academies like FC Madras, and leagues like the Bengaluru District Football Association’s (BDFA) Super Division and the Bombay league. His son, KL Mugilan, part of FC Madras, is one of them.

Now, the academy trains young aspiring footballers (aged 5-15 years) who aspire to follow in the footsteps of icons like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Krishnan and kids live in Joseph Street, Kannigapuram, a place well-known in the neighbourhood for its love for football. “Even now, if you enquire about football in this area, people will redirect you to Joseph Street,” he smiles.

For years, the ground was maintained by Krishnan and his friends. “Earlier, there were no toilets. So people would relieve themselves on this ground. We used to clean it up every morning and play there,” he says. “It was also used by people to consume alcohol and pass out. We requested people not to use the ground for defecating, but it took a while for people to get convinced.”

It is only recently that the State government took an interest, renovated the space and built indoor and outdoor stadiums. “However, after building the ground, SDAT wanted to charge an entry fee. We approached the MLA PK Sekarbabu and explained to him how the ground would not exist if it were not for us. Then he made it free entry,” he explains.

While the entry into the playground is free now, you need a membership to access the indoor stadium, as per a tariff list by the SDAT. For football, a monthly membership is priced at Rs 472 per person. For chess it is Rs 118, and accessing the gym costs Rs 525.

Since no other sport, including football, is played and celebrated like cricket, how did the sport survive in the city? The ‘Sevens Format’, predominantly played in Kerala, and now in the city, is one of the key reasons why. “Sevens has 9 players in each team, and there are frequent tournaments between localities. We fund this academy with the prizes and gifts we get from those games,” adds the coach.

The game has been passed on to the children over generations. When Sevens was a big thing, they also began playing Veterans, a football tournament with players aged between 40 and 60 years. What started off with 3 teams in 2012 has more than 100 now.

While the children have picked up the game after seeing other footballers, for many, the love for the game came from their fathers. Vijay Anand A (50), who is one of the veteran players in the area, says this was their way of keeping the sport alive in them.

“I couldn’t continue professionally due to different reasons, but now the Veterans keep me going,” he says. His team, Kathirvedu Recreation Club Veterans, has 15 members. They meet every day at the ground to practice. The oldest member in the team is 53. “I picked up the sport from my father. I couldn’t forsake the love for the game, so I continue to play every day,” smiles Anand, who works in the Electricity Board.

The team also has two people who played in the Santosh Trophy and are now retired. Many players who represent Tamil Nadu at different levels often return to this Veterans format.

While the game is kept alive through many formats, it needs much a lot of assistance and recognition from the State government to help the kids play at a competitive level.

For starters, the renovated ground now is flooded with rain water. “The State government can give us a grass court and provide proper footballs, footwear, and other equipment,” suggests Krishnan. On the ground, there are many who want to be the next Ronaldo and Messi. “I saw the hat-trick by Messi yesterday, and I want to be like him,” says five-year-old Jerome, who picked up the sport three months ago.

Earlier, there were no toilets. So people would relieve themselves on this ground.