Forgotten Legend: Aleng Shimrah (Last Part)
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Ratneshwori Goshwami/Maisnam Bomcha
Imphal, April 03 2013:
"I am pleasantly surprise how Hueiyen Lanpao has brought to limelight past Tangkhul footballers like me who have even forgotten that they were players once" .
Expressing his pleasant surprise at the commendable awareness of Huieyen Lanpao regarding the past footballing skills of the Tangkhuls, Shree Aleng Shimrah wondered whether the present generation of the Tangkhuls know of the talents of their forefathers.
While lamenting the fact that those past glories are now consigned to forgotten history, he expressed his joy on remembering his colleagues and those days gone by.
He said it seemed only recently that he played together with Tondon who is no more today.
The name of Tondon came up frequently who he fondly called Ta Tondon.
He went on narrating that he started his steady career in football in 1962 and continued till 1973.Due to his commitment to football he married late when he was past 40 years.
Around the time he played for Guwahati Town Club, the Nagaland Police Football team was at its peak.
Seven Manipuri players were in the Nagaland Police team.
They were Basanta Kabui, Lung Ngaini, Gopeswor, and Indra among others.
Around 1970 the Manipur Team for the Assam Inter District tournament was led by the former DIG Shree Shyamkishwor and was also accompanied by Shree Mishao, Shree Ramanand and Dr T Ao.
The CM of Nagaland at that time was Chasokiyo.
The Nagaland Police team in those days was so strong that it beat Barpeta District by 15 goals in the first match.
The next day, Guwahati Town Club was to meet the Nagaland team of which Basanta, Lung Ngaini and Gopeshwor were in peak form, in the pre Quarter Finals.
He said, they took the match seriously and had a strategy session the previous night.
The match was won by his team by 4-2 in which he scored two goals in the first half.
That performance was widely acclaimed by the Assamese.
Major Khating who was in the Nagaland Police team managerial staff asked him of his presence in Guwahati to which he replied that he was studying at the Cotton College.
Major Khating whose nephew married Shimrah's elder sister invited him to Nagaland, impressed by his goal scoring performance.
Six to Seven bus loads of Naga fans went back disappointed at the loss.
Accordingly he worked at the Nagaland PWD for some time and later joined the Sports Department of Manipur in 1976, as a coach, on the recommendation of Shree ThangjamModhu on the strength of his stint in the National Team.
After joining as a coach he went on deputation to Patiala for the NIS degree and spent one year there.
At Patiala Shree Thappar who trained them and who was also the Chief Coach of England was surprised on learning of his position as a coach of Manipur without a proper degree.
He tried to satisfy Shree Thappar's curiosity by explaining that he got the appointment on the strength of his international stints as a player.
Being an ex-player himself, he worked hard at Patiala.
After graduating from Patiala he coached the football team of Ibemcha High School in 1979 which became the first Manipuri Subroto Cup winning school of the state.
In 1981 also the school was the joint Winner along with a school from Nagaland.
After becoming the Deputy Director, he still wanted to coach the school for another year to attempt winning a hat trick.
But it was turned down by Shree Modhu who wanted to give others a chance.
Shree Sushilkumar went as the coach and came back without the Cup.
He expressed his immense satisfaction on winning the Subroto Cup which started in 1961 and which no school from Manipur could win before 1979.He attributed his success to his all-out efforts and also to luck being on his side.
Concluded .
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