Securing his spot

"I play football for Kenkre Football Club (Kenkre FC) in Bombay’s elite division,” says 21-year-old Cyrus Jal. "We are playing our next tournament in Orissa in the 2nd Division I-League. The first game is on February 1, 2012 against SESA Goa and I am selected in the squad.” In December, Kenkre FC had been invited to Nagaland to play in the 20th Kohima Royal Gold Cup, the only club from Maharashtra accorded that honor. "My Nagaland trip was really nice, the experience was very different. We played the quarterfinals against the home team but unfortunately lost in penalties after a long 120-minute battle. The stadium was packed with supporters (of the home team). It felt different playing amidst such a huge crowd not quite friendly towards us! The weather was also pretty cold, around four degrees. I had never played a competitive match in a jam-packed stadium and in such weather,” says the young man used to the heat and humidity of Bombay.

Cyrus Jal (alongside and inset): focus on football in the 2nd Division I-League

Passionate about the game, Jal has been a follower of football since he was a child. "I would watch a lot of games as I am a really big fan of Manchester United,” he explains. "In a foot­baller’s life there are many challenges. On field, proving yourself is the biggest hurdle as there is so much competition. The most important thing is to secure your spot in the starting 11. Off field, in order to fulfil my dream of becoming a professional footballer I have to sacrifice much of my social life, go to sleep early in order to wake up fresh to train, which I do six days a week, twice a day.”
As a college student, Jal was also part of the Bombay University team last year. "It was the first time I represented the University as I had picked up serious injuries in the past which kept me off the field for a really long time,” he relates. "Playing at such a top level felt great. The facilities were not that good in Bhopal but Punjab was really nice. There are over 150 teams that take part in the All India Inter University Tournament and only the best 16 fight it out. The competition was so high that every game we played felt like a final. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it past the group stages.”
The momentum picked up late last year with his participation in league matches, against opponents like Central Railway and league leaders Akbar Travels. "I played the semi finals of the Nadkarni Cup held at RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers), Chembur. Unfortunately we lost 1-0 to a very tough rival, Mumbai FC,” Jal describes. "Bombay’s Jazeel Limzerwala was in our team in the 2010-11 season and had come to Jamshedpur with the squad. He isn’t part of the team in the 2011-12 season hence he did not come for the Nagaland tour.”
A resident of Cusrow Baug, Cyrus’ father Hoshang is the secretary of the Cusrow Baug United Sports and Welfare League. "As you are aware, we have a pavilion in the colony known as the Sir Cusrow Wadia Pavilion where we have daily activities of badminton, table tennis and carom. We also have a football and volleyball ground for the children of the Baug. At present, we have badminton coaching conducted by Hufrish Nariman and football training through the Kenkre Football Academy. We have installed floodlights in the main lawns so that the youth of the Baug can play football after sunset,” Hoshang states.
A love for sports runs through the family. Cyrus’ older brother Pashan, who works as senior executive (marketing) with UTV Software Communications, "loves playing badminton and table tennis and is relatively good at it but likes to play as a hobby,” says Hoshang. Younger sister Parinaz, a student of H. R. College is on the college team, having taken part in football and handball at interschool district and state level, he adds. "Cyrus is a good footballer and if given the right opportunities he can be a star,” opines his mother Farida. "I have stopped eating junk food or outside food, no soft drinks either. It takes a lot to be a professional and I am working towards it. Hopefully I can make it big in the future,” asserts Cyrus.