nd<\/sup> in the list of Indian goal scorers and the fisherman\u2019s son aims to finish with minimum 8 goals, as many as last season\u2019s Hero Golden Boot runner Dudu Omagbemi.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s been quite a fairy tale for Rajesh who is on his debut season in the Hero I-League. \u201cLast year, I played for Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy and in local leagues in Bengaluru. To be honest, I was just another struggling Footballer,\u201d he informs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tide seemed to have turned after I scored 4 goals during Karnataka\u2019s South Zone Qualifiers. That\u2019s when people noticed me. I had other offers too. But I preferred to join Gokulam FC,\u201d he states.<\/p>\n
Any specific reason?<\/p>\n
\u201cSimple reason \u2013 I wanted to play for a club from my home state, Kerala. The fans at Gokulam are simply splendid. When you see them turn up in such great numbers, you obviously want to fight for them and earn those victories,\u201d he quips. \u201cEven if you lose a game, they always make sure to raise your spirits so that you can go ahead and do better in the next game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seventh Heaven: From God\u2019s Own Country<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cMy father is a fisherman and it was not easy for him to support me in the early days. He had three more sons to raise, but he always found a way to fund my trips to different tournaments,\u201d said Rajesh.<\/p>\n
Hailing from a fishermen community in the village of Pozhiyoor, Rajesh was exposed to the beautiful game from an early age. He even went on to state that Pozhiyoor is often called \u201cMini Brazil\u201d for the affinity that the locals have towards football.<\/p>\n
Sevens football is a hugely popular version of the game in Kerala, and much like other top stars from the state \u2013 like Anas Edathodika or Ashique Kuruniyan \u2013 Rajesh has also come through the ranks of local football.<\/p>\n
\u201cSevens football matches take place for just 20 minutes, so they are high-intensity affairs. So when you switch to the professional level, you obviously have to work on your stamina,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, this form of football is played on a smaller pitch, so as a forward, you don\u2019t get as much time, and you learn to be quick and more accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Feet firmly on the ground<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile playing sevens football, followed by local leagues in Bengaluru and national tournaments like Santosh Trophy, Rajesh has had to make largescale changes to his game after joining Gokulam.<\/p>\n
Head coach Bino George is well known in the Indian football circuit for setting up his sides in a manner that allows them to play a possession-based game that is entertaining to the fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, we just used to play long balls to the strikers. But after joining Bino Sir\u2019s team, I am starting to learn how to play in a system where the team keeps the ball on the ground and passes it around,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not easy playing this style after playing long balls all your life, but I think I am doing well under this system. I am scoring goals, and that is very important for a striker,\u201d continued Rajesh.<\/p>\n
\u201cBino Sir always comes to me with tips and tells me how to make different adjustments. I\u2019ve learnt quite a lot while playing under him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It has been a general trend in the Hero I-League for foreign recruits to do most of the goal scoring. Even as debates rage as to whether an Indian striker can ever break to the top, the 25-year old S Rajesh from Gokulam FC has been on the job silently catching the rivals unaware, much like his family members […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36529,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world-football-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"rajesh\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/rajesh.jpg\")
It has been a general trend in the Hero I-League for foreign recruits to do most of the goal scoring. Even as debates rage as to whether an Indian striker can ever break to the top, the 25-year old S Rajesh from Gokulam FC has been on the job silently catching the rivals unaware, much like his family members often celebrate a rich catch in the mid sea.<\/p>\n