2023-08-02 15:56:52
02 August 2023, 09:26 PM IST Photo: twitter.com/IndianFootball
Former Indian Football Team Captain Joe Paul Ancheri turns 47 today. He was named the All India Football Federation Player of the Year twice (1994 and 2002) and played in every position from striker to defender.
Ancheri, who started his professional career with SBT in 1992, also laced his boots for clubs like Mohun Bagan, JCT, FC Cochin and East Bengal. With JCT, he won the 1996–97 National Football League, the 1996 Federation Cup and the Durant Cup. With Mohun Bagan, he won the Federation Cup in 1998 and the IFA Shield in 1998 and 1999. With East Bengal, he won the IFA Shield in 2001 and the Durant Cup in 2001 and 2002.
He also won the SAF Championship in 1997, 1999 and 2005 with the Indian national team. He also won a gold medal in the South Asian Games in 1995.
Ancheri, who had no desire to take up football as a career, later became one of the best footballers India has ever seen. Joe Paul came from a family that claimed no sporting heritage. The boy who didn’t take the game seriously until he passed SSLC had never played a game seriously till then. His life changed when he went to a selection camp organized in Thrissur to enter Thrissur Kerala Verma College under sports quota for undergraduate degree. A coaching camp organized by coach Joseph Rais opened Ancheri’s way to the world of football. After reaching college, Joe Paul started playing football seriously. After being mentored by MC Radhakrishnan Master, the talent of Ancheri caught everyone’s attention. With that, an invitation to the Calicut University team. He performed well in the 1990 inter-varsity tournament. After that, he played Junior Nationals and Under 21 Championship held in Kollam. After shining in the 1994 National Games held in Mumbai and the subsequent Santosh Trophy, Kolkata teams caught the eye of Joe Paul.
Joe Paul Ancheri and IM Vijayan Photo: KK Santhosh
Ancheri, who had a brilliant performance for Kerala in the 1993-94 Santosh Trophy, scored the decisive goal for Kerala in the 67th minute of the final against Bengal, taking the match to the penalty shootout. It was also the Santosh Trophy where IM Vijayan played for Bengal. But Bengal won the title by defeating Kerala (5-3) in the shootout.
Later he got a call to the Indian team. He made his debut on 14 September 1994 against Bangladesh. Ancheri, who played in the forward line, was later tested as a stopper and libero by the Indian coach, Rustam Akramov. He later tried as a midfielder and attacking midfielder. For this reason, Ancheri himself has said that he has not had to sit out of any match except due to injury.
Ancheri, plagued by injuries, finally unexpectedly had enough of football in 2005.
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