Anas Edathodika's inspiring journey to ISL stardom
If there is a maxim that is applicable across the world in any language or culture, it is that hard work is the key to success. Anyone who is willing to learn and apply his skills should, at least theoretically, make it to the top. However, it doesn’t always pan out that way.
Fortunately, when it does, it makes for a hell of a story.
On July 10, 2015, under shining lights and full media fanfare, Delhi Dynamos signed up, from the pool of 10 available in the auction, the only player who had not made a single appearance for the Indian national team at that point. Anas Edathodika's previous season was marred by injury, but they saw promise in the player and signed him up for a massive Rs. 41 lakh.
Since then, Anas has gone on to become a key element of Roberto Carlos’ team in the Indian Super League’s second edition. The boy from Kerala has forged a solid relationship with John Arne Riise in the centre of defence on the back of which Delhi are now mounting a strong challenge for one of the four available semi-final berths of this season’s competition.
It’s all rosy now for Anas, but his journey has been grueling and testing all the way. It has only been his immovable grit behind some extraordinary talent that has carried him from the bottom to the top.
Driving autos in Malappuram
Despite not having an I-League team of its own, Kerala is a state brimming with love for football, evident in the regularity with which some 60,000-odd gather to see Kerala Blasters play in the Indian Super League. And it is not just the current generation that is fascinated by the beautiful game; the state has historically been steeped in football.
Malappuram, a place like all of Kerala that enjoyed its fair share of football fandom, was where Anas hailed from and would eventually be spotted. The son of a car driver, Anas’ life wasn’t an easy one; he didn't have the luxury to focus on his football. Nonetheless, he joined the U-14 Malappuram team at an early stage in what would be the first few steps towards a promising career.
Because of the lack of clubs where he could professionally take up football and earn some money doing so, the boy like many others from the town had to take up a job while studying. He earned some money by driving autorickshaws to support his family while studying at Kondotty’s EMEA College.
He spoke about it in 2010 to The Hindu, saying, “I used to get something like Rs. 180 every day driving autos. It came in very handy.”
Amid all the hardship, Anas continued to pursue his football and in that journey he found the football team of NSS College Manjeri. As it would happen, this is where he was noticed by former Indian goalkeeper Feroz Sherif during an inter-collegiate game.
Sherif, then the goalkeeping coach of the U-17 national team, advised Anas to attend the trials at then I-League 2nd division club Mumbai FC. It would be a turning point in Anas's career, one from which he hasn’t looked back.
I-League promotion and career
Anas made the journey all the way up to Mumbai for the trials and impressed their then boss, former English left-back Dave Booth. Having made quite an impression, he earned a one-year contract with the club.
Up to that point in his playing career, Anas had played the role of a midfielder. But heeding the advice of his coach, he developed himself into a strong centre-back and played a crucial role in Booth’s team as Mumbai FC secured promotion from the second division into the I-League.
Things would go much faster from here as he was immediately offered a new contract spanning three years. This was a massive achievement considering one-year deals are all the rage in Indian football. Another little perk was that it was a contract worth Rs. 60 lakh, a long way up for the young man.
Anas reflected on those days, saying: “Life has changed in a big way, the money is very good…something like Rs. 20 lakh for a season."
Anas then spent the next four successful years at Mumbai FC, even representing Kerala in the Santosh Trophy during that period. At the end of that term, he was offered a two-year deal by state rivals Pune FC and he made the move, making his debut for them in a friendly against English club Blackburn Rovers.
Despite suffering illnesses at the start of the 2012-13 season, he had one of his best outings in the league as part of the third best defence, conceding only 26 goals all season. That year, Pune FC enjoyed their highest finish in the I-League as they ended up second.
The team was quick to extend his stay at the club by another two years and also made him club captain for the 2013-14 campaign. Anas also became the first Indian to win the club's Player of the Year accolade.
Injuries and success
After having had so many highs, the 2014-15 season saw Anas spend his time more on the treatment table than on the pitch. Even when he returned, he would struggle to regain form. His knee was giving him trouble and it was in fact odd when he was named among the top 10 players to feature in the ISL player auction for 2015.
Owing to the poor season and injury issues, a few questions were asked about Delhi's peculiar decision to pay a huge amount of money for him. Things looked even more bleak when he was benched in Delhi's inaugural ISL 2015 game.
In the second game, though, he would start and once again, there has been no looking back from there for the 28-year-old defender from Malappuram.