Saheed Ramon close to clearing his first big test in Kerala

When Kerala United performs its maiden Kerala Premier League ultimate (in opposition to Gokulam Kerala) at Kalpetta on Sunday, Ezekiel Oroh (chest No. 14) will probably be its man to watch.
| Photo Credit: Special association

Kerala United FC head coach Saheed Ramon.
| Photo Credit:
Special association

As somewhat boy, Saheed Sunkanmi Ramon usually used to play soccer in the streets round his home in Lagos. But his dad was not very blissful about it, he needed him to concentrate on teachers.

“My father was a businessman, he was also the chief imam of Lagos so he was very strict. You have to be good in Arabic, know to read the Quran well and be very good in studies. So, I didn’t go to any academy,” mentioned Ramon, the top coach of Kerala United FC, in a chat with The Hindu right here.

That, nonetheless, didn’t cease Ramon from taking part in soccer. And since there was lots of house in entrance of his home, many from that space got here to play there. The teen may steadiness each teachers and sport properly, so his father allowed him to play soccer. At 16, Ramon turned knowledgeable.

In 2008, soccer introduced him to India and he performed in leagues in Bengal, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura. The Nigerian additionally discovered love in his new nation, married a lady from Kolkata and have become a naturalised Indian citizen.

Later, as a coach, he hit a excessive when he was made the top coach of Kolkata’s Mohammedan Sporting in August 2019 changing the seasoned Subrata Bhattacharya. He had been the membership’s youth group head coach and likewise health coach earlier.

“I took Mohammedan Sporting from Second Division I-League to the I-League, we also won the Sikkim Gold Cup. I was there for five years,” mentioned the 36-year-old.

In October 2022, Ramon landed in Kerala as the top coach of Kerala United, a membership which is a part of United World which additionally owns English Championship aspect Sheffield United, Belgium’s Beerschot, France’s Chateauroux and UAE’s Al-Hilal.

“I just needed a change. I wanted to see if I could do what I had done in Kolkata, somewhere else again. It’s a challenge for me,” mentioned Ramon who’s moulding his group to play attacking soccer.

He is now close to passing his first big test in Kerala. Kerala United has now entered its first-ever Kerala Premier League ultimate and it’ll play Gokulam Kerala for the title right here on Sunday.

Gokulam striker Samuel Mensah at the moment heads the KPL scorers checklist with 10 objectives whereas Kerala has Ezekiel Oroh (9) and Yusuf Afful (8), the No. 2 and three.

So, will or not it’s a battle between Mensah and Oroh?

“Everybody in my team is very important. The striker is Ezekiel but we have Yusuf Afful who will support him from behind. We also have Benjamin (Arthur) who is a ‘killer’ in the midfield and Noufal and Manoj in defence. Everybody is good.”

“Gokulam is a very good team. We drew 1-1 against them in the super-six stage, the final will be a close fight.”