Let's talk Manipur's football

Rameshchandra Ningthoujam *

NEROCA FC practising for Durand cup in 3rd week of July 2016 :: Pix Courtesy- Tiken Thockchom

The 128th edition of Durand Cup Trophy 2016, the third oldest in the world and the oldest in Asia, has just concluded at New Delhi Ambedkar Stadium and a team from Manipur – NEROCA FC [1] participated for the first time, in which the participation itself has become a history in Manipur's football. Apart from just participation and to all the Manipuri football loving fan's delight, NEROCA FC has achieved a great feat by winning the Runner's up trophy. Congratulation to the NEROCA FC! Hope this team and many other teams from Manipur shine in its future endeavours too.

In fact, Football in Manipur was first introduced by the colonial British officers during the fag end of the nineteenth century C.E. It was at Manung Kangjeibung, which was also known as Paltan ground i.e. within the Kangla Fort that the British Indian Sepoys played football for the first time in Manipur (Lokeshwor, N/A). The then Maharaja of Manipur – Sir Churachand Singh K.C.S.I, C.B.E. [2] who was known for promoting modern sports in Manipur including "Polo" became the patron of this beautiful game – football.

Then, it was Rev. William Pettigrew; the then teacher of the present Johnstone Higher Secondary School in Imphal introduced this game to his students in 1899. Thereafter, a football team of Johnstone School was formed at the turn of the century. A second football team was also created, which was known as "Maharaja Team" under the patronage of his highness, Sir Churachand Singh K.C.S.I., C.B.E.

Another football club came up in 1920 and that was named as the "Manipur Town Club". That club (Manipur Town Club) was the brainchild of Shri Phoni Mukerjee, a Bengali settler in Imphal, Manipur. Various football tournaments, such as, Nine Cup, Jabar Memorial tournament, Under Five Feet tournament, among the other tournaments were organised by the Manipur Town Club during 1935 to 1941. What is worth mentioning here is that it was under the banner of this club (Manipur Town Club) that many football tournaments were organised in Manipur, particularly at Kalimai (or Kali-ma) ground (the current 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles ground in Imphal).

With Shri Mukerjee's initiatives, a football team representing Manipur had participated in the Bidhumukhi knockout Tournament that was organised at Lumding, Assam in 1933, in which Manipur football team came back with the Winner's Trophy. It is reported that the entire expenditure to participate the said tournament was borne by the Maharaja Churachand Singh [3].

Sir Churachand Singh K.C.S.I., C.B.E. Memorial Football Tournament also popularly known as "C.C. Meet" that has become one of the major football extravaganzas of India's north-eastern region have a special place in the annals of Manipur's football. The then king of Manipur, Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh donated a gold plated Shield in 1950 to organised a football tournament in memory of his late father - Maharaja of Manipur Sir Churachand Singh, K.C.S.I., C.B.E. The All Manipur Sports Association (AMSA) took an important role to organise the event successful. Various teams from Bengal, Assam, and other neighbouring states were also invited. In fact, it was in 1975 that popular teams from Kolkata (Calcutta) like Mohun Bagan, among other teams, took part in the said tournament.

Gradually, as a result of the growing interest in football, The All Manipur Football Association (AMFA) was formed in 1973 and become an affiliated unit of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). It has been organizing various tournaments ranging from National to District level tournaments. The prestigious C.C. Meet football tournament has now came under AMFA since the 1970s. Manipur has also successfully organized the 58th National Championship Football Tournament popularly known as "Santosh Trophy" in 2002, in which Manipur became the winner of that edition.

It is not only AMFA or AMSA, credit must also be given to the numbers of local clubs in Manipur that have been taking active role to popularize this beautiful game. Local clubs, such as, TRAU-Kwakeithel, NACO-Nambul Mapal, SSU-Singjamei, USA-Khurai, NISA-Thangmeiband, ESU-Wankhei, NEROCA-Laipham Khunou, among other clubs can be mentioned here for promoting and keeping the spirit of football alive. These local clubs are the launching pad for our local talents.

The popularity of football among the Manipuri people is immense and still growing. Today many local clubs are mushrooming in and around the valley districts as well as in the hill districts of Manipur. Unfortunately, most of these clubs are still running in a traditional method. In fact, professionalism, either in physical resource or economic resource management is largely absent in most of the local club's management. For instance, signing of football players for a long-term contract, instituting football academy, etc. is not visible in most of the clubs in Manipur.

Further, what most of these clubs does is that they will assign players only for a season and released or retain in the next season as free agent. This is highly unsustainable for a club because it will have no returns of income from selling any player though they (players) are bought costing nearly 100,000 (one lakh) or more than 100,000 (one lakh) Indian Rupees.

On the other hand, economic resources of these clubs are highly dependent on local philanthropists, including local MLAs, or government employees or who are potential candidates in the election. But for how long these philanthropists will fund is a question of mystery. Therefore, a very strong resource management strategy is required for the sustainability of the clubs that includes incomes from selling players, income from match ticket sale, income from kit sale, etc.

Manipur needs a top-division professional football club. It is due to the absence of top-division club, most of the talented local footballers from the state have to look for bigger and better divisions i.e. to the other Indian states. Somotai Shaiza, Khangembam Ratan, Kh. Balin, Guanbir Singh, Mutum Bijen Singh, P. Renedy Singh, to name a few, were among the first ones who have to leave Manipur in search of better and bigger football leagues. Of course, exodus of these local talents is not bad in itself, but this exodus occurred due to the absence of professional clubs in Manipur.

In fact, the current international footballer from Manipur, Mr. Jackychand had opined in the Times of India that he wanted to play either Indian Super League (ISL) or I-League for one of the clubs from Manipur if Manipur has professional football clubs, that Manipur is lacking currently, and he have to look for bigger clubs i.e. in other Indian states.

Of course, local club like NEROCA that was established in 1965 has changed to professional football club very recently with the aim and objectives to participate in the I-League (2nd Division) 2015-16, and now managed by a Private Limited Company, called NEROCA Football Club Pvt. Ltd. bearing Company Identification Number U92412MN2015PTC008432. This initiation from NEROCA FC management group is a very good move and highly appreciative. Yet, Manipur still need more professional clubs like NEROCA FC.

No doubt, it is understandable that local clubs cannot be compared with the big clubs like Mohun Bagan or East Bengal's or any other European style of management, but it is always better to start as a business model for the sustainability of the clubs and for the popularity of the game. In addition, there is huge potential market for football business because most of the people of Manipur eat football, sleep football, pray football and runs football into their blood.

Today, some of the local clubs including NEROCA FC, TRAU, NISA, among other teams in Manipur has also began to employ foreign players either to strengthen the squad or to have an attractive game. It has obviously attracted football-loving fans for sure, but what is interesting here is that people have a serious doubt whether hiring foreign players has improved football technique or give attractive football to Manipur.

In fact, the tactical and the style of football in Manipur become more attractive than before is by far the doubt of many of the football experts too. The paradox is that the numbers of football fan has apparently reduced to a few in many of the major football tournaments in Manipur.

Accordingly, Mr. P. Rennedy Singh, one of the finest players that has ever produced by Manipur once resented in one of the social networking sites (Instagram and Manipur Football Players' Facebook page dated 13 May 2016) saying, "what happen to Manipur football lovers. Neroca fc is playing one of the most important match in the Manipur football history n hardly any people watching the match. Sad !! I league second division final round", the Match was played between NEROCA FC, Imphal against Gangtok Himalayan SC, Sikkim at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium. Further, Mr. Novy Kapadia, one of the football experts in India has also commented when NEROCA FC didn't field any foreign player during the 128th Durand Cup semi final against DSK Shivajian, Pune, saying that hiring average foreign players does not help in anyway.

I do buy Mr. Kapadia's argument because we spend huge amount of money to obtain the service of an average or below-average foreign players. Instead a two or three local player can be employed with the money we spend on the average players and thus will help in the economy of Manipur. No doubt, management team may be of the idea that bring in foreign players may attract the crowd.

But this has also already proved wrong when there were hardly few spectators during the match between NEROCA FC and Gangtok Himalayan SC. In fact, Athletic Bilbao Club (Athletic Club de Bilbao), Spain, which is one of the top division football clubs in La Liga (Spanish League) is functioning on the same ideology by hiring only the local players i.e. only the Basque born players. This club have never been relegated from the top division La Liga although they employ only local players. Accordingly, any of the clubs in Manipur may also organise in the way Athletic Bilbao organised because there is no dearth of talented players in Manipur. It may help Manipur's football; it will obviously help Manipur's economy.

Footnotes:
[1] North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (NEROCA) was first established in 1965. It has changed to NEROCA FC Imphal very recently with the aim and objectives to participate in the I-League (2nd Division) 2015-16, which is supposed to be done as per the norms of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Now, the club is managed by a Private Limited Company, NEROCA Football Club Pvt. Ltd. bearing Company Identification Number U92412MN2015PTC008432.

[2] K.C.S.I., C.B.E. stands for Knight Commander Star of India, Commander of British Empire.

[3] Lokeshwor, S. S. (N/A, N/A N/A). Sports movement in Manipur. Retrieved September 9, 2016 from E-pao: http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Sports_and_Manipur.sports_movement

Author's Biography:
Ningthoujam is a PhD from International and Intercultural Study Program, Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao, Spain. European Commission sponsored his (fulltime) PhD program under Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Lot Window 13 scholarship program. He has published articles and commentaries in international as well as national academic journals, books, and local newspapers. He was also an active footballer and played various tournaments, including national (Subroto Cup 2002-03) and state level tournaments, representing various local football club like CITIZENS Club, Soibam Leikai; USA, Khurai (loan 2006); NESU, Khurai; among other popular clubs in Manipur. You may reach him via rameshningthoujam(AT)gmail(DOT)com .