Adidas Uprising 2017

​I had just got back from the gym around 8 AM when my mother told me that she had sent me an email. After munching on a heavenly English breakfast, I opened the mail.

The mail contained information regarding Adidas Uprising and fortunately, Bangalore was a venue for football. The last time I had participated in an Adidas Uprising was in 2015 with my own club, Red Phoenix, where we finished a disappointing second. The hurtful memory of finishing second sparked a fire inside me which made me want to win that much more.

I was really glad I was getting to play with few of my former teammates. Our charismatic leader, Jana, my favourite midfield partner, Karan. With Yashu covering defence and Mohit, Rohan, Ani backing us up with Nishant on goal, we knew that we have a very strong side.

'2:45 PM 18th Nov- Nights Watch Vs PCF Field 4 Turf Park, Koramangala' read the fixtures list. We started the game with a bang. Even though it had been a while since all of us played together, it didn't seem that way. The team was in sync. Every player knew what they had to do. We kept the ball, crisp passes, incisive through balls, composed defending, you name it, we did it.

I received the ball just ahead of half line and looked up to spot options. With no success, I carried the ball in my stride and pushed forward. I unleashed a shot after creating enough space. Deflection. Goal! Scenario! 1-0 up and an entire game to play. Karan soon added one more goal and we were cruising. Still, on my high after scoring, I tried another run. Only this time, I was tackled, beaten and next thing you know, it's 2-1. They soon equalised but our strike force in Jana was too much to handle as we eventually won the game 3-2.

Our second match was against a youthful and energetic side. Again, just like that last game, we kept the ball and waited to find space. Which we did, with quite some ease as I scored one and so did Jana. The final scoreline read a comfortable 2-0 victory for Nights Watch. Onto the quarterfinals.

The next round of fixtures took place on the 19th. After a good night's rest, I was raring to go. Our quarterfinals were against a side that we knew we were going to belt. It was just a question of how ruthless we were going to be. A splendid piece of passing led to our first goal. A quick-fire equaliser brought us back to Earth and we now knew we had to step it up. After a few substitutions, the opposition didn't know what hit them. The fresh burst of energy Nishant, Mohit, Rohan and Anirudh were providing was out of this world. Everyone was combining really well and that patience eventually paid off when we scored two more to end the match 3-1.

Turf Park, Koramangala.

Only two matches stood between me and that coveted title. I knew that we had a really great chance of winning the entire tournament. But I didn't want to think more about winning the title and jinxing it, so I carried on concentrating only at the match in hand.

Our opposition had one player from our university team. We had discussed beforehand itself that we cannot afford to give Dominic any space or he will make us pay.

Both the teams looked fit and ready to go. Personally, I felt that the opposition was slightly intimidated by us. We seemed to be oozing out class. We had developed a sense of invisibility during the course of this tournament and I guess we proved to the world that we were the best team that tournament. That match, although a blur, was a really intense match. Intense in the sense, every player of ours had a shot on goal. Attempt after attempt, we started to find more space. One by one, we started converting our chances as well. Soon, the scoreboard read 4-0 and we were well on our way to the finals!

The team we faced in the final seemed to be a team filled with localites who knew the referees who also seemed to be localites. Paying no heed to that prior the match, we got into the field with a lot of confidence. We were the top scoring side of the tournament so far, we had most of the ball possession in every match we had played yet. Statistically, Nights Watch was destined to win Adidas Uprising.

As expected, we dominated proceedings from the start. A ball was played into me by Nishant, I looked up and spotted Karan making a run behind the defenders. I played a lofted through ball which landed perfectly for Karan, who faked a shot and deceived the goalie. The goalie dived and completely missed the ball. The ball I had played from close to my own goal had now turned into a goal for our team. However, almost instantly, we conceded. This shook us. Brushing that aside we pushed for more.

In a swift turn of events, they scored another and took the lead. Slowly, frustration started creeping in. Every player of the Nights Watch was nervous and desperate to win.

Rohan had committed himself to a tackle after which an opposition player kicked him on the thigh in the penalty area. As soon as this happened, I looked at the referee in hope he would blow for a penalty. Which he did! We had a chance to equalise! Jana, Karan and I got together in the middle of the pitch to discuss who would take the penalty. In the meanwhile, the opposition players spoke to the referee. The referee cancelled the penalty and made them continue the game, all while our team was discussing who should take the penalty. Next thing you know, it's 3-1. All of us were shell-shocked. The referee had stopped the game and pointed towards the penalty spot and had now suddenly changed his decision after a word with the opposition players.

Trophy cap will be gold next time.

We were now 3-1 down with very little time to go. Jana and I started making many runs and tried to belt in as many as we could. Sadly, nothing worked and they went on to win the tournament.

I jinxed it didn't I? :P

It was so sad. We knew we were the better side, but we also realized that a tad too much of confidence can also bring you down. The trophy and medal was beautiful, but silver has never been my number one preference, and this was a major let down.
On my way back home on the scooty, my mind was empty. I had nothing going through my head. There was a really gloomy mood when I entered home again that night. I wanted to win Adidas Uprising. I was so close to adding another gold to my collection but sometimes, things don't work out the way you want them to.

At the end of the day, I told myself that I won't rest until I have won this elusive tournament. So next year, whenever Adidas Uprising takes place again, I am going to be part of the winning side. And from the looks of it, the Nights Watch squad will just get better and appreciate in value.

Typical Jana.

I took back a lot with me. A few goals, a few assists, a reality check that we're still not the best we can be, a new sense of urgency to help me become the best and help my team cruise through any tournament.

Now that I look back, on the whole, it was a wonderful experience and I would love to cherish it as the Champions of Adidas Uprising.

In the words of Eric Thomas, "It is not over, until I win!"

My Friends

I had woken up quite early. I prayed to God and asked that he bless my family, dear friends and myself. I looked at my cupboard and decided to look through all the material i had collected over the years. I found this sheet of paper. It had the names of three players. Namely, Shaunak, Anindya and I. I then found many thin sheets with many all of our names on them. Later, I realized that all those thin sheets were ballot papers. They were of the elections for the post of Captain in Red Phoenix Football Club. And then it all started. A flashback into my past of my many friends.

I had the best group in the world a guy could probably ask for. I had become very emotional when i thought about all my friends and how we had been separated. I remember the guys who i had the most fun with. Anirudh, Anindya, Vidur, Shaunak, Jenson, Shashank, Aniket, Amartya, Aayush and many countless more. I had what one could call the best childhood. Filled with ups and downs. Football and friends gave me the perfect childhood.We started playing football in the garage space between two buildings. It was fun. Everyday with your friends, laughing, fighting, playing hide and seek, having the time of our lives. Gradually after uncountable complains from families about the ruckus and damage to the vehicles we created, we were asked to leave the garage space. We then went to Apollo ground.

Apollo ground is a football and hockey field. Vast, green and always crowded. We somehow managed to find someplace in the corner. We used to organize tournaments amongst ourselves. 1 on 1 and penalty tournaments. The dimensions of our field were 30 yards by infinite yards. Based on the results of the penalty and 1 on 1 tournaments, a ranking table used to be made. The guy who topped the table the most was Anindya. I must say, in his heydays he was the best. Fast, strong, respected, amazing shot power and master of juggling the ball on the thigh. After him came Aniket and then Shaunak. Both tall monsters. Shaunak was the best goalie i have ever seen. He has this aura about him. Tall, strong and athletic when needed to be. Aniket was lanky and a stick figure. But his game spoke for itself. He was the dead ball specialist. Jenson was my favourite player. As a right winger he had everything needed and was always my first choice.

 Anirudh and Vidur were my really good friends. They were with me through thick and thin. They both would do anything to get the ball, something i admire a lot. Shashank and I used to have frequent fights but when we needed each other, we were always there. Aayush was my best bud in eighth. We were always in trouble and a visit to the principal was always on the cards. Amartya and I got really close later on during tenth standard. He was a music freak, can sing anything and had a taste for all kinds of music. Gaurang was another heavy metal music freak. By far the best guitarist i have ever seen. And last but not the least, Niranjan. Also known as Dopey. One of the most funny people i have ever met. He would make us laugh even without trying to.

In eighth standard, my friend Aayush and I were called to the principal because we corrected a teacher and then laughed like crazy. She had repetitively misspelled a word many times. We corrected her from time to time. She eventually got very flustered and complained to the principal. Next thing you know, Aayush and I were standing in the principals office trying to spell " parents " out correctly. That didn't go to well.. And to top it off we were trying to control our laughter. We ended up laughing about it almost everyday hence.

I loved playing football with my friends. There was always this assurance that you can do whatever you want and no one can blame you. So one would play seriously or just for fun. I must say, even though we were young we had a HUGE ego and attitude problem. For instance, I was in seventh standard. We used to play football in the volleyball court. Everyday a few seniors would come and chuck us out and start playing. It wasn't right. So one fine day I got the nerve and guts, walked up to a senior named Tanmay and gave him a piece of my mind. Told him you cannot throw us out everyday and a few abuses flew out from here and there. He was so agitated that he picked up from my collar and  banged me against the iron bars. It was upsetting during those days but now it's just a memory which i laugh on.

My many friends and hundreds of memories lit up my childhood. I thank God and all these friends for giving me the chance to have such memories.