The Forgotten Talent | Chiraag Paul



How many times has it happened that a player with great potential isn’t even known by his own countrymen? Let’s take a few minutes to look into the mixed fortunes of one such player, who never got what he deserved.
It isnt everyday that a footballer with the talent and potential to become world class is born in India. Being a country known for its cricket craze more than anything else, India completely ignores the other sports (including hockey, even though it is the national game!). Not many football gems are found in India even with a population of 1.21 billion. The main reason here is the attention afforded to cricket, and the discouragement of other sports. There are only 2 players of Indian descent who are known globally – Baichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri. 












Let us look at the story of what might have been for Chiraag.




From Kolkata, India came a talent named Chiraag Paul. He studied in Calcutta International School and played Football for East Bengal FC in Kolkata. It was here that he realized his dream of a career in Football. It wasn't altogether unexpected when he went for trials at Birmingham City Football Club. His talent was getting recognized at a greater stage than he could have ever imagined.
“Further to our meeting (on October 20) at Birmingham City Football Club, we would like to invite you to attend a trial for the South Birmingham College and Birmingham City Football Club Football Development School
-Louise Macey, Football Development School manager” (Excerpts from the letter to Chiraag Paul, as reported by The Telegraph.)
The club’s ‘Football in the Community’ wing, which has an alliance with South Birmingham College for a comprehensive football and education programme, had organized a mandatory academic course for him to go along with the soccer training that would groom him to achieve the ultimate goal of EPL action. The South Birmingham College offered Chiraag a full scholarship for the duration of the course (two years) to pursue the BTEC National Diploma in Sports Studies. He became the first Asian with full, unconditional scholarship to study and train in England!
Unfortunately for him, when everything was going in his way, he picked up a career threatening injury. He thought he would never heal completely and had eventually given up all hope. However, under the supervision of Kolkata-based orthopedic surgeon Vikas Kapoor, who performed an arthroscopic surgery on the troublesome ankle, and Chennai-based sports medicine specialist P. Kannan, Chiraag recovered completely. Â It was almost 9 months since Chiraag last played football when he started training again.
Soon, he got contract offers from EPL giants Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspurs FC. He also got an offer from second tier English club Nottingham Forest FC. Chiraag decided to pick Football over Fame as he decided to sign for Nottingham Forest, because he thought it would be difficult for him to get first team action at Chelsea or Tottenham. The striker signed a £1,500-a-week contract with the Championship side.
But his 2nd Lifeline towards Glory never kicked off. He couldn’t get a Work Permit because of a rule in UK, as India was not ranked in top 70 in FIFA Rankings. Later, he joined a University in UK and decided to get his graduation there and then think about his football career. Now aged 23 and graduated from the University (where he played to be in touch with the game), he wants to play for India. That is his only dream now. But sadly, even after making headlines not once but twice, he still hasan't been called up by the Indian national team.
And the talented lad is now just a name you read on blogs.





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Thursday

The Forgotten Talent | Chiraag Paul



How many times has it happened that a player with great potential isn’t even known by his own countrymen? Let’s take a few minutes to look into the mixed fortunes of one such player, who never got what he deserved.
It isnt everyday that a footballer with the talent and potential to become world class is born in India. Being a country known for its cricket craze more than anything else, India completely ignores the other sports (including hockey, even though it is the national game!). Not many football gems are found in India even with a population of 1.21 billion. The main reason here is the attention afforded to cricket, and the discouragement of other sports. There are only 2 players of Indian descent who are known globally – Baichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri. 












Let us look at the story of what might have been for Chiraag.




From Kolkata, India came a talent named Chiraag Paul. He studied in Calcutta International School and played Football for East Bengal FC in Kolkata. It was here that he realized his dream of a career in Football. It wasn't altogether unexpected when he went for trials at Birmingham City Football Club. His talent was getting recognized at a greater stage than he could have ever imagined.
“Further to our meeting (on October 20) at Birmingham City Football Club, we would like to invite you to attend a trial for the South Birmingham College and Birmingham City Football Club Football Development School
-Louise Macey, Football Development School manager” (Excerpts from the letter to Chiraag Paul, as reported by The Telegraph.)
The club’s ‘Football in the Community’ wing, which has an alliance with South Birmingham College for a comprehensive football and education programme, had organized a mandatory academic course for him to go along with the soccer training that would groom him to achieve the ultimate goal of EPL action. The South Birmingham College offered Chiraag a full scholarship for the duration of the course (two years) to pursue the BTEC National Diploma in Sports Studies. He became the first Asian with full, unconditional scholarship to study and train in England!
Unfortunately for him, when everything was going in his way, he picked up a career threatening injury. He thought he would never heal completely and had eventually given up all hope. However, under the supervision of Kolkata-based orthopedic surgeon Vikas Kapoor, who performed an arthroscopic surgery on the troublesome ankle, and Chennai-based sports medicine specialist P. Kannan, Chiraag recovered completely. Â It was almost 9 months since Chiraag last played football when he started training again.
Soon, he got contract offers from EPL giants Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspurs FC. He also got an offer from second tier English club Nottingham Forest FC. Chiraag decided to pick Football over Fame as he decided to sign for Nottingham Forest, because he thought it would be difficult for him to get first team action at Chelsea or Tottenham. The striker signed a £1,500-a-week contract with the Championship side.
But his 2nd Lifeline towards Glory never kicked off. He couldn’t get a Work Permit because of a rule in UK, as India was not ranked in top 70 in FIFA Rankings. Later, he joined a University in UK and decided to get his graduation there and then think about his football career. Now aged 23 and graduated from the University (where he played to be in touch with the game), he wants to play for India. That is his only dream now. But sadly, even after making headlines not once but twice, he still hasan't been called up by the Indian national team.
And the talented lad is now just a name you read on blogs.





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