Subodh Kumar has returned to his alma mater in Jamshedpur all prepared - in boots and shorts to be precise.
The midfielder from Kingfisher East Bengal FC is looking forward to dribble on the lush greens of Tata Football Academy once again after half a decade, albeit in a friendly with current cadets.
The international player, who was on the rolls of the elite soccer academy until 2010, drove into the steel city from Ranchi in a gleaming SUV on Wednesday morning to attend the inaugural ceremony of Jamshedpur Sporting Association's (JSA) football league, one of the popular sports fixtures of the eastern zone.
"I am glad to be back where I learnt the finer nuances of the game. I miss my days at TFA (the Tata academy) and have come prepared with my boots to play with the cadets tomorrow (Thursday)," Subodh, a native of Hundur village in Kanke block of Ranchi, told The Telegraph.
A key player in the JSA league during his stint as a TFA cadet in 2006-10, Subodh will be watching the event here after quite sometime. "I remember playing the league as a junior cadet in 2006. In fact, the entire TFA outfit comprised juniors, as our seniors were abroad for an exposure-cum-training trip. Our mentor P. Vijay Kumar was also fielded in one of the matches. I must say we played good football against teams having senior players. It was a great learning experience," he recalled.
On what fascinated him most at the academy, Subodh said he loved the pakodas during his stay. "They were mouth-watering. I used to snack on them two-three days a week. The infrastructure at TFA is also very good. I realised that after I graduated from here and went to play outside Jamshedpur."
A promising talent in the midfield, Subodh is known for taking precise free-kicks. After spending a season with Indian Arrows, he joined Kingfisher East Bengal.
"I learnt to play attacking football at this cradle. There was a time when I was afraid to tackle opponents during matches in Ranchi. I overcame that fear after being inducted here. Injuries didn't bother me again and I was able to focus on the game better. I will always be indebted to the academy."
Charles Borromeo, the head of Tata Steel sports, said the midfielder's presence would pep up cadets playing in the JSA league. "Two more of our former cadets - Raju Gaekwad and Harmonjot Singh - were also supposed to come. But, they had other commitments to keep. We are happy that Subodh made it. He will inspire the youngsters."
Should TFA hire former cadets as visiting mentors? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
