Kerala Police striker E. Sajeesh (No. 15, proper) in motion within the Kerala Premier League in Kannur.
| Photo Credit: Special association
The new Kerala Super League is set for an August begin, and the search is on for quality gamers for the six franchises within the fray. One player, who may very well be excessive on each staff’s listing, is E. Sajeesh. The Kerala Police striker, who impressed within the Santosh Trophy’s preliminary stage in October and within the ongoing Kerala Premier League, is being watched by different groups and coaches with a lot curiosity.
The KPL, which enters the semifinal stage right here on Thursday, doesn’t enable foreign gamers this 12 months and Kerala United coach Saheed Sunkanmi Ramon feels Sajeesh’s presence offers the Police a huge benefit.
“The only striker who is close to the standard of foreigners is Sajeesh,” mentioned the Nigeria-born Ramon, a former coach of Kolkata’s Mohammedan Sporting, in a chat with The Hindu right here on Wednesday.
And Ramon, who coached Kerala United to its maiden KPL title final season, defined why Sajeesh is so good.
“He is strong enough to hold the ball till the other players arrive, and he has good positioning. He is very fast and his finishing ability is good… these are the qualities of a good striker. He is good in air too.
“You polish him properly, he will be a very good player.”
India failed to attain a single purpose within the latest AFC Asian Cup in Doha, sinking with out incomes a level, and Ramon feels gamers like Sajeesh might assist the nationwide staff’s trigger.
But there is a hitch.
“Sajeesh is only playing for Police and not professionally in bigger leagues because of his Police job. We are lacking a player of that quality in the national team. This kind of striker should be allowed to play professionally in higher leagues like the ISL and I-League.”
Sajeesh, from Alanallur Village in Palakkad, began enjoying soccer at 12 and the large breaks began coming after he joined Perinthalmanna’s ISS Arts and Science College and later performed for Calicut University.
“That college was the turning point of my career. Later, after I had finished as the Bangalore Super Division’s top scorer (club: FC Deccan), I was selected to the Kerala Blasters reserve team,” mentioned the 26-year-old whose father is a daily-wage earner.
And he got here near stepping into the Blasters’ ISL staff simply earlier than final season. “But there was the Kerala Police trials around that time and since I wanted a job badly, I joined there,” he mentioned.
He desires of enjoying for India quickly and is hungry to play in larger golf equipment to get there.
“I have been getting offers from I-League clubs, even from Bengal, and I hope my department allows me to play there.
Police coach C. Shimjith feels playing for bigger clubs will help everybody.
“When we play for bigger clubs, our football will improve. That will help the Police team, State and country. Not only players, even coaches,” he mentioned.
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