The Mental Aspect.

Life's hard eh?

Ive been through a lot over the years. Disappointment after disappointment. Defeat after defeat. But something has always kept me going.

Every single time i have not won a game or someone has had the better off me, it hurts. I myself feel that I'm not good enough to compete. Every time that I'm not selected, i doubt myself, i feel that i don't deserve to be there, i feel that i have wasted my Dad and Mums hard earned money on nothing. Quite frankly, i feel i suck. But something from inside keeps me going.

     

This something is your mental strength. 

As a footballer trying to make the cut as a pro, setbacks are a must. But should you let these setbacks actually set you back? The thing that drives me after every thing i haven't achieved is the dream i have of one day competing at the highest level possible. The biggest barrier you have to cross is your own mental barrier that you cannot do it. Once you leap, climb or crawl over this humongous hurdle, then you can start looking forward.

Every morning, i wake up and think about what i want to achieve in life. Setting s goal and working towards it helps in keeping you dedicated and determined to reach it. Taking disappointments in the right sense and using that loss to your advantage helps in your mental aspect.

Once you develop such kinds of mental strength that you can achieve whatever you want, you will achieve it. Because to be the best, you have to visualise the dream and the work towards it. On your journey to the top, you will make mistakes. Its alright to make mistakes because it shows that you're trying, because it is through mistakes that you learn.

So do NOT give up, no matter what. Keep pushing, fight through all the pain, fight through the bad days and only then will you earn the best days! 

Never stop working hard, because with hard work and mental strength, nothing can stop you!

Rise and Grind.

Bajaj Allianz Camp 2013

Hindustan times. Page 25. An article regarding Bayern Munich and selections. Boing! My antennas went up. Right away i followed the instructions and messaged the given number. And exactly a month later, I'm standing at the Mssa grounds in between a few thousand. Registration done and play time was on call.

Luckily i found a few friends of mine, the Kumar brothers and a few of my school mates. It was like God was keeping an eye on me constantly when i was placed with my friends in the same team. I was comfortable and my game showed for it. The Kumar brothers and I qualified for the next round.

Again, I was with Praful on the same side. We were combining really well. Someone crossed the ball in, with one touch Praful changed direction and BAM! Bottom corner. Praful was in for the final round. Later on i was fouled at the 30 yard line. A war of words broke out regarding who will take the free kick. With my mouth, there was only one winner. I placed the ball with love.  Caressed it. Hehe. Aiming for the top corner i took my stride and sweetly struck the ball. It didn't reach the intended target but it lay perfectly in the bottom corner. The keeper didn't even attempt to save. What luck! I too made it into the final round along with the Kumar brothers.

The final round was scary. Alex Ambrose was the chief selector. And my match was in the end. The final game. Everyone played extremely well. I really don't remember what happened in the match. But all i know was that i gave my 500%. God repaid my hard work with a spot in the top 26 out of 1200. We were divided into two teams. A and B. I was placed in Mumbai-A. Mumbai-A was the dream team. We were unstoppable. We headed for Pune later that month. The whole squad gelled really well. All smooth flow.

We were supposed to play the Pune A & B sides as well as the Mumbai-B in a round robin style tournament. The top 2 teams would play in the final. The best player would be selected to fly to Germany to train in Bayerns world class academy! 

We all gave our all. I captained and even assisted a few goals playing in the centre of the park! We played the best football Pune has seen. We killed each side. Praful, Melroy and I were on the shortlist for the best player. But in the last match, Melroy suffered from cramp, Praful's game deteriorated and so did mine. In a matter of minutes my dream of going to Germany shattered.

Nevertheless, my team did well as we took home the trophy back to Mumbai! Each player got a cash award of Rs. 5000, a personal trophy, a shirt, a medal, a football and a ride back home with memories that i can never forget. And it is true, there is a higher power. I worked my socks off and God helped me get selected for Pune FC U-17!

I didn't get selected, i didn't maintain my game throughout, but hey, look at the positives. I made my mark in Pune, i made a whole lot of friends, i improved my game and i crossed another hurdle in my journey.