Khawvel Captain thaa lang phak India Captain kha…
Ziaktu : John Zothansanga
Kum 1950-1965 inkar kha Indian football ropui lai chanchin sawi apianga an sawi thin a ni a, ‘The golden generation of Indian football’ tih hialin an sawi.
Golden generation intan chhoh lai vel khan India-in Captain ropui tak a nei a, a hming chu Sailen Manna a ni – September 1, 1924-a piang defender hian India tan 1948-56 inkar kha a khel a, Captain dinhmun a chelh thin.
Kum 1953 khan English FA chuan ‘10 best Captains in the world’tih chu a thlang a, hetihlaia India captain Sailen Manna chu thlan zingah a tel – Asian player zinga lang awmchhun a ni.
London-in 1948 Olympics an thlen khan Sailen Manna hi India aiawha feh chhuak zingah a tel a, hetihlaia India captain chu Naga tlangval Talimeren Ao a ni.
Coach Balaidas Chatterjee kaihhruai India team hian inelna atana inbuatsaih nan Department Store XI (15-0), Metropolitan Police F.C (3-1), Pinner FC (9-1), Hayes FC (4-1), Alexandra Park FC (8-2) te hmachhawnin an hneh vek a, an inringtawk hle.
Hetihlai hian ballboot bun ngei ngei a la ngai lo a, France laka bul tantu 11 zinga pariat chu ke lawngin an khel a, player pathum zingah Taj Mohammad, Dhanraj leh Papen ten ballboot an bun ve thung.
India hian India-a training an neih laiin ruah a surin boot an bun thin a, London-ah pawh hian ruah a sur chuan boot bun turin an inruahman. Mahse, khua a that tak si avangin player tam zawking ke lawnga (bandage-in an ke an tuam thin) khelh an thlang a, France lakah 2-1 a tlawmin an tla nghal.
He inkhelah hian France tan René Courbin chuan minute 30-na lekah goal hmahruai a khung a, half time hmain India-in penalty an hmu. Mahse, Sailen Manna chuan penalty hi a pet over a, goal-ah a chantir thei lo.
Minute 70-naah Sarangapani Raman chuan si phurh a sut a, India-in penalty dang an hlawh zui. Sailen Manna hian a pet nawn tawh lo – Mahabir Prasad chuan pet mah se French goalkeeper Guy Rouxel-a’n a dansak a, René Persillon chuan chakna goal a khung zui bawk.
India inkhel hi fans tam takin an fak a, an inkhel hmuhnawm ti zingah Queen Elizabeth II nau Princess Margaret a tel a, King George VI chuan Buckingham Palace-a leng turin India team a sawm.
King George VI hian Sailen Manna a ke chu a ensak a, “I ke hi thir a nih leh nih loh ka en duh a ni,” tiin fiamthuin a hrilh niin an sawi – Sailen Manna hi a set piece pet thiam te, a ball pet na lutuk te, tlarhnunga a khawng thin em avangtein fak a hlawh hle.
India-in fak a hlawh avang hian All India Football Federation (AIFF) pawh a phur viau a, Olympic atanga an tlak hnu hian Europe-ah friendly match khelin India hi an zin kual niin an sawi a, fak pawh an hlawh chhunzawm hle.
Kum 1951 khan Sailen Manna kaihhruaina hnuaiah India-in Asian Games an hmachhawn a, gold medal an la. Hetihlai hi ‘bicycle kick’ hmanga goal khung thiam hmingthang Sheoo Mewalal te ho vanglai a ni a, India an tha hle – final-a an hneh hi Iran a ni a, Mewalal-a goal awmchhun hmangin 1-0 in a chak.
Sailen Manna hi 1952 Helsinki Olympics leh 1954 Asian Games-ah te India tan a feh chhuak leh a, beisei ang result nei loin an mualpho – kum 1956 khan ram tana inkhelh a chawlhsan.
Kum 200 khan AIFF chuan ‘Footballer of the Millennium’ ah a puang a, kum 1940-42 inkar khan Howrah Union tan a khel a, 1942-1960 inkhelh a chawlhsan thlengin Mohun Bagan tan a khel a, club dang a zawm tawh lo.
Sailen Manna hian, “Sorkar hna a\anga ka hlawh bak ka la ngai lo a, India tana ka khelh chhung zawng khan Rs.19 chauh ka hlawh ve a ni,” a ti!
Surendranath College atangin a graduate a, “Football hmangaihna avangin ka inkhel a, Geological Survey of India (a hnathawhna) atanga ka hlawh hi ka tan chuan a tawk a ni,” tiin a sawi thin.
