At the moment, North East Indian football just cannot get enough of its success spree. If Aizawl FC’s history-making I-League win wasn’t enough, Manipur-outfit Neroca have jumped in on the victory bandwagon by sealing the 2nd Division I-League title this week.
Neroca, short for North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association, stitched up their promotion into next season’s I-League with a 4–1 win over Lonestar Kashmir on Monday afternoon, thereby etching their name in Indian football’s history books by becoming the first club from Manipur to qualify for the I-League, India’s top-flight.
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First Aizawl’s win, now Neroca’s ascent. This is a good time to be a fan of North East Indian football and better times are around the corner, according to Neroca’s owner and director, Naoba Thangjam Singh.
In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Singh let out positive vibes in discussing the possibilities that have come up for football in the North East.
“I can assure you that football in North East India is only going to rise. Aizawl and Shillong Lajong have shown their abilities, now it’s Neroca’s turn. There will be more Aizawls, more Nerocas in the near future.”
The story behind the success
Every success has a backstory, and Neroca’s history-making feat had more than one defining plot. Manipur often faces civil unrest and internal politicking that get in the way of the state’s development in tune with the rest of the country.
Road blockades cut off material supplies to the state, rendering the small, hilly state a far from dream setting for a team striving to become the second division champions of India.
Despite that, the Imphal-based team have beaten all odds to take a giant stride into the top division of Indian football.
As Singh explained: “Our main secret was teamwork, hard work on and off the ground, from the officials and the management, and above all, dedication,” Neroca deserve their success not only because of their endeavour on the pitch, but also because of their struggles off it.
“During blockades, petrol prices soared to the point that players were forced to come walking for training. All the dietary plans got disturbed because of a scarcity of eggs, yet the players and the coaching staff managed something at the end of it which is a source of pride,” Singh added.
Neroca’s head coach Gift Raikhan even downplayed those challenges that his team faced, suggesting that protest blockades weren’t a big issue. Instead, braving the weather was.
“Except the weather, everything has been fine. I have got a lot of support from our management and staff, making things easier for me.
“Regarding the blockades, I feel that somehow, somewhere, you need to do your job. The matches have to be played. We see that Nigeria, Ivory Coast don’t have grassy pitches, yet they play good football and compete in the World Cup,” Raikhan added.
A Durand Cup run that sparked Neroca’s rise
Last August, Neroca were among 12 teams competing for the Durand Cup, India’s oldest football tournament. With clubs like Dempo, Aizawl and DSK Shivajians participating, there was barely anyone who had fancied Neroca to go the distance.
“Nobody had any expectations from us in the Durand Cup, even ourselves. We went with a small squad of 20 players, only one foreigner among them. Our teams for I-League 2 and Durand Cup were different,” Singh said.
However, confounding expectations, Neroca went on to reach the final by defeating DSK 3–0 in the semi-final. But there was no happy ending as the Orange Brigade lost the title match on penalties to Army Green. That shootout disappointment planted the seeds of Neroca’s rise that have now seen them bag a place in the I-League.
“As we reached the final, we almost created history for North East football, but we lost the final on penalties. That defeat made us stronger as after we returned, we worked hard on the facets that led to our loss. I think that is one of the reasons why we have won [the 2nd Division I-League title]: because of the painful memory of the Durand Cup; this year, we will be fully prepared,” added Singh.
Neroca are on the cusp of finishing 2nd Division I-League’s final round unbeaten. They have to avoid defeat on May 28th to Southern Samity to end their 2016–17 campaign with only one loss.
That loss came in the preliminary stage against Mohammedan Sporting. A 2–0 defeat in the second game week of the season dampened Neroca’s start, but they learnt from their mistakes in the Mohammedan game and became a better unit for the defeat.
As coach Raikhan explained: “That 2–0 defeat to Mohammedan was the turning point of our season. I think losing that game was an important step for this team as it proved to be a great learning curve,” Neroca’s title win can somewhat be attributed to that late January slip-up at the Barasat Stadium.
What the future holds
Current Indian champions Aizawl also took the same route to top-flight football as Neroca, two years ago. The Redshirts won the 2nd Division title in 2015 and followed up that success with 2017’s I-League win. Neroca, on their part, strive to tread Aizawl’s road and dream of becoming Indian champions sometime in the future.
“As a football team, we have the aim to win all the available trophies. That’s what we aspire. If Aizawl can do it [win the I-League], why not Neroca. If Mizoram and Meghalaya can have I-League teams, why not Manipur. That has been a motivating factor for Neroca,” Singh said.
Not only winning the I-League title is an aspiration, but also competing with the best teams in Asia is what drives Raikhan and his charges.
“What has made my work at Neroca easier is the fact that my dreams and my players’ dreams are similar. The target for us is playing in AFC competitions because it is a great experience.
“Football is a results business. If we play in AFC competitions and win, Indian football stands to benefit. Earlier, we barely competed in AFC competitions, but now, we have Bengaluru and Mohun Bagan who have had good results in Asia, which also shows that Indian football is improving,” added Raikhan.
Indian football has been in a state of flux of late with the structure of the country’s top division league yet to be formulated. Amid the talks of ISL, I-League merger and expansion of ISL, a tiny club from a footballing hub of India is making all the right noises. It is still undecided how many Asian slots India will have next year.
In the thick of all that, Singh urged the powerbrokers of Indian football to consider all aspects before taking a decisive step.
Singh said: “I think that [Indian football’s roadmap] is a mystery for the whole country. The message from us is that whatever AIFF does, please don’t spoil the dreams of many to serve the causes of a few teams.
“Football is not only about finances, it is also about talent. There should be more investment in North East India which will help the national team as well.”
Manipur: the state that deserves a top division team
Manipur has always been the northeastern flag-bearer of Indian football. Stars like Jackichand Singh and Udanta Singh are the latest to emerge from the conveyor belt of talent that is Manipur football, and Neroca’s entry into Indian football’s mainstream stands to benefit both the state and the country.
“It is sad that until now, Manipur has been only a factory of talented football players but without a football team. It was lacking a platform to display the talent. Now that platform is there. I believe there will now be lots and lots of talents from Manipur who will go on to play in the top division, and this is just the beginning,” added Singh.
There is one match still left to play in the league for Neroca, but celebrations are already afoot in Manipur and across India. However, with Indian football’s future uncertain, there is a tinge of bittersweetness to Neroca’s success.
Even head coach Raikhan is unsure about his position, while the club will hope to keep their best players for the I-League bow next season and add seasoned campaigners to aid the transition from the second tier to top level football.
That being said, it is Neroca’s fervent supporters who also deserve praise for the way they have put their weight behind the club. Next season, I-League will be an interesting melting pot of North Eastern football fans with Aizawl, Lajong and Neroca set to represent three different states in the top flight.
As Singh noted: “This championship will be dedicated to every football loving fan from Manipur who dreamt of having a Manipuri team playing in the national league,” Neroca’s ascent to the uppermost echelon of Indian football will bring about a cultural shift in the sport in the country.
Forged by moments of disappointment and feats of inspiration, the football factory of India writes a new chapter in its colourful history, and this is just the start.
