#ZoFooty

Indian footballer, Europe-a khel hmasa ber Salim! – John Zothansanga

Kum tam a liam ta – he thuziak chhiartu zingah hian piang kan la awm lo ang, kum 1936-ah khan! All India XI leh Chinese Olympic football team-ten friendly match an khel dawn a, mahse, an inkhelh hmasaka India player hmuhnawm leh thiam bik Mohammed Salim a bo tlat!

Calcutta police-te chu Salim zawngin an phe suau suau a, chanchinbu lamah Salim-a bo thu an chhuah chuah chuah a, Mohammedan winger hi a rang lama India team zawm vat turin chanchinbu kaltlangin an hriattir.

Mahse, hetianga a chawr chhuahna khuaa Salim an zawn lai hian ani erawh Europe panin lawngah a lo chuang daih tawh a, a cousin Hasheem chuan a unaupa inkhel hi a hmuh hnuah Europe-a inkhel tur khawpa theihna neiah a ngai a, lawng hmangin Europe lam a panpui.

Hasheem-a rilruah Celtic a lian ber a, hei vang hian a unaupa hi London atangin Glasgow khawpuiah a hruai leh a, Celtic coach Willie Maley chu a unaupa chu ‘trial’ neih tir turin a ngen.

Hasheem chuan, “Lawngin he hmun hi harsa takin a rawn pan a, khawngaihin en chhin hram rawh,” a ti a, Willie tan nuihzatthlak mai a ni – a la nuihzatthlak dawn chauh! Hasheem chuan, “Mahse, ke lawngin a khel thin ania aw,” a ti zui!

Celtic coach Willie-a’n Hasheem-a thusawi awih lem lo mah se an inpekna a hmuhin an chungah khawngaihna a lantir a, Salim hi club member 1,000 leh an coach pathum hmaah a inkhelhtir ‘chhin’. Mahse, a mak asin – he Indian player, ke lawnga khel thin, eizawn nan football an hmang thin tih a hriat avanga mak ti em em hian inkhelh a thiam tlat a, professional ni turin theihna a nei.

Celtic-in friendly match Hamilton Academical leh Galston F.C nena an khelh turah Salim an telh a,
5-1 ngawta Hamilton an sawpna inkhelah goal hnih a khung – goal pakhat zawk hi penalty atanga a chhuih luh a ni.

Celtic-in Galston an hmachhawn zui a, 7-1 ngawtin an sawp. Salim hian goal khung lo mah se ‘Book of Scottish Football’ tih ziaktu Alan Breck chuan, “Goal sarih hi a ke atanga chhuak vek a ni,” tiin a ziak.

Mahse, Salim hi hetihlaia Indian footballer-te chak lohna chu a chak lohna ve tho a ni a, chu chu lunglenna a ni – India-a haw a chak tlat a, Celtic lam hian contract zawrh mah se a hnar a, India-ah a haw.

Celtic hian Salim hi an chelh theih hram beiseiin charity match an buatsaih sak a, an sum hmuh atanga 5% chu Salim-a tan an dah – heta hlawkna 5% hi £1,800 (Nuai 1.70) a ni a, a hunlaia a tam turzia chu in chhut thiam phak ang. Mahse, Salim chuan he 5% hi fahrahte pualin a hlan.

Hetihlaia chanchinbu lar The Scottish Daily Express chuan, “Defender karah mawi tak takin ball a lalut a, tlarhma lama a kawppuite tan chuan ball lo chan a, khung mai loh chu tih tur dang a awm tawh lo,” tiin Salim khelh dan a fak a, Glasgow Observer chuan, “A khelh dan chu top class a ni a, a ball khawih apiang chu a duhna hmunah chat zel a dah a ni,” tiin an ziak bawk.

Mohammedan SC-a a hun tam zawk hmangtu Salim hi kum 75/76 (a pian ni tak an hre lo) mi niin November 5, 1980 khan a thi a, a dam loh lai hian Celtic chuan hetihlaia sum tam tham tak £100 an thawn.

*Thlalak hi Celtic assistant coach Jimmy McMenemy-a’n inkhelh hmaa Salim-a ke a tuamsak lai a ni.