My purpose is to scout for budding footballers, make them world-beaters: IM Vijayan

Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Come elections, whether or not state or Parliament, the identify of soccer star IM Vijayan will begin doing the rounds in Kerala as a possible candidate. This has been a routine prevalence lately and 2021 isn’t any totally different. According to the political grapevine, UDF is toying with the concept of fielding him in central or northern Kerala.

However, in a shock transfer, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday advised his identify as head of the Kerala Police Football Academy. Here, IM Vijayan opens as much as TNIE on his future plans and aspirations whereas scotching rumours of a doable foray into politics.

Congrats on being named as director of Kerala Police Football Academy. Will it lastly finish hypothesis relating to your initiation into electoral politics?Thank you. Kerala Police Football Academy has been within the making for the previous few months. But the announcement relating to my appointment got here as an actual shock. I can promise heyday for the Kerala Police as there isn’t a paucity of gifted footballers within the state. My political initiation used to turn into a speaking  level within the run-up to the elections within the final couple of years and the brand new function has nothing to do with it. I’ve 5 extra years of  service left and can like to finish my authorities service first.  

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it had been stated that UDF toyed with the concept of fielding you from  Alathur  and that you simply backed out after formal talks. Any fact in that?

Yes, however I by no means backed out. Rather, the supply was politely declined. Not solely Congress, I get feelers from different fronts to contest on their ticket. This time too, I bought feelers from all three fronts. But I’ll like to finish my authorities service and imagine as director of the academy I can do lots for the youthful technology by honing their abilities with the assistance of veterans. 

So meaning it is going to be some time earlier than the state will get to see your famed free kicks and overhead kicks in politics. If they (political events) are desperately eager on fielding me, they will ship me to the Rajya Sabha like they did within the case of Sachin Tendulkar and actor Rekha (chuckles). 

What is your subsequent precedence and recreation plan? I’ll concentrate on recruiting kids from the state to the police academy. My ambition is to supply keep, meals and education to those kids together with imparting footballing abilities. With authorities backing, this may be achieved. Harnessing the plentiful expertise accessible within the state and offering budding footballers the appropriate alternatives on the proper time is the important thing. 

It should be identified that then Kerala Police group coach E M Sreedharan and former DGP M Ok Joseph had recruited me to the Kerala Police squad after watching my footballing abilities. M Ok Joseph had fondly referred to me as a ‘diamond in the garbage’. So together with inspiring a technology of footballers, my ambition is to scout for budding footballers and prepare them into world-beaters.