Life that Could Have Been

“Imagine”. This one word has tormented some of my closest friends for the past three years .I’ve used this word in so many places they think Samsung is paying me to promote their products, And the free shirt saying Imagine given by Samsung as one of their “assured” prizes when buying a product didn’t help me pleading not guilty.

Coming back to the point ,I don’t think many people know I started my schooling in Europe.I came back to India in 1996 and have not held a valid passport since.

I would like to stop and take a moment on how my life would have been If I had not migrated back here.

Lets go to the August of 1996 shall we.

Mayur celebrates his 6th birthday with his friends from school.He currently plays as a Defender for an under 10 team which plays Sunday matches.Going toe to toe with boys 3 years older than him coming out victorious in most tackles he is Spotted by an Andrelecht scout at the tender age of 9.

Quite short and skinny for a 9 year old, the coaches are apprehensive of playing me as a centre back.I now play full back making runs along the right.

Now for some ‘fact’ in this tale of fiction-I am the most one footed player to grace God’s once green, now concrete earth..

Getting back to my story

I play as a right back for 4 years at the Belgian club, managing my school work pretty well.At 14 Ajax calls.Ajax known for their world beating youth set up call.They have been watching me for quite some time.I am called to train at Amsterdam that Summer.

I train with guys twice my size and defend against people who dont’t think twice before putting an elbow in my face. Im offered a contract for the Ajax youth team at 16.

Already Scouts at clubs like Real Madrid,Liverpool and AC Milan have heard of this Indian lad.Yes-I have not given up my Indian nationality and visit India every year.
By this time, Sergio Ramos breaks into the Madrid team,knowing him quite well from a couple of games ,I’m not surprised..He was always a prodigy.

It is 2008 ,and one of the Liverpool scouts notices me.Me,being a big Liverpool supporter jump at the sight of a contract put forth by my agent.(Yes,I have an agent also).Without a shadow of a doubt in my mind ,I sign the paper making me the first Indian to play for pool.I get a work permit in a couple of months and Anfield is my new home.

I start to challenge Alvaro Arbeloa for this position at full back.A rash tackled by Joe Cole on Arbeloa means he faces a lay off from first team duty for a couple of months,Having played a couple of league cup games and coming on as a substitute in an FA cup game,The gaffer plays me in the next game away to Wigan.A solid performance at the back makes me the first choice full back for the next couple of months.

I am supposed to start the game against Madrid in February now .

This is what would have happened in my life till now,I wouldn’t like to get ahead of myself ,hence I conclude my semi autobiography here.

For those of you who haven’t called your doctor to stitch up your stomach caused by your rude laughing ,I sincerely thank you for reading the whole thing.I am sure there was a chuckle at a couple of places just trying to be polite,
You can now erupt with laughter.

Now ,You might ask why I chose the right back position. I solemnly feel that this is the most underrated position. The player toils for 90 minutes. Defending and the breaking forward.Linking up with the Right winger and the central mid fielder. Never getting the applause he deserves.A thankless position. A position which I epitomize in life.Hence Right back it is!