Back "Home"

It's really amusing how life will take us right up there and escalate our happiness so very much and then in one swift ninja move, cuts you up and brings you down.
Now you would be thinking that ive got injured or been in an accident.

Not really . In fact, my flight back to India from Germany was excellent and extremely smooth. But the sad thing here is, I'm back "home." And whichever way I look at it, im not happy.

To be honest here, I felt right at home at DFI. The everyday routine, the football, the pitches, the food, the environment, no traffic, the coaches, the players, basically, a footballers life. And i was lucky enough to have lived it for a month and I am eternally grateful to my parents and Eric Sir. DFI, Germany will always be "home", regardless of where I go, or what I pursue because living a footballers life is something else. It's beautiful.

I landed and decided to test myself against my fellow countrymen. So i headed straight for practice, and wow. Like really, wow. I stood out, and that too, quite a lot. My game just had this extra piece of magic which i guess I really needed to compete at the highest level of Mumbai's football scene.

Now that I look at it. "Home" isn't the place where you have lived forever. It's where you are most comfortable and in love with.

"Home" is Deutsches Fussbal Internat, Bad Aibling, Germany.

DFI- Making My Mark.

First and foremost. Hope you have a brilliant 2016 ahead!

Germany seems like a distant memory now. It has been 6 months since I landed in India. And boy oh boy, do I miss it.

My Schedule. Find my name.

Carrying on from where I left off, my second week was much better because I had got adjusted to the surroundings, the climate and the physicality. I had finally started playing at a decent level. Not good, not satisfactory but decent. I remember this one training session with the U-23's where I played really well. I bossed the center of the park. I was going in for challenges, I was running constantly and making quick incisive passes. Even though I was being pushed around and thrown on the ground, I got back up and went for more. I had this hunger in me. This hunger to do well, to do my parents proud even though they didn't know what i was doing, to give it your all.

As I entered the third week, the coaches started noticing me and rightfully so. I was playing well and enjoying my football. Our bulletin board which had our schedule informed us that we would be playing a match in the next few days. India vs Germany. At first I thought it would be only us Indians against the U-23's. Later I found out that the German team was filled with coaches and the U-18's. Fortunately, our "India" team consisted of U-23 players from SA, China, Croatia, Peru, Russia and Germany.

What a sight!

The dressing room! Aaaahhh!

Before the game, we had visited the home of Bayern Munich, Germany and 1860 Munich., The Allianz Arena. The first stadium i went to didn't disappoint me. It was truly stunning. Right from the outside to the museum inside. The European Cups, Bundesliga shields and the DFB Pokals were just a mere 30 Cm from
me. Only glass separated us. My hopes of lifting them later in my life still lingers. The ground was brilliant,
 i really don't have words to describe how classy it was. To all the Bayern supporters, it is a must that you visit the home of the Bavarians at least once in your life. extend your bucket list.

Life Goals!

Have to watch a match here.

Moving back to matchday, there was a proper dressing room meeting with full kits and a team list and formations. Sadly, I was keeping the bench warm. I did feel a little embarrassed as the rest of my fellow Indians were playing. The first half was played, the score was
2-2.

Haslreiter sir then brought me on at half time. Surprisingly at left back. I had never played the position before. Next thing you know, I got the ball and I made a run from our defensive half to the final third and had a shot on goal. The solo run didn't pay off, but it boosted my confidence a lot, especially when the fellow foreigners started appreciating my effort. I went on to have two more shots on goal, one which nearly went in. In the end, I wasn't tired. I could have played a lot more, this fire had ignited. A little too late in the month, but nevertheless.

I had hit my peak form.