Permanent abode in the clouds

Kabir Mandrekar

Talented footballers from the Northeast now need not travel to Kolkata to showcase their dribbling talent or tireless feet. After Lajong FC's arrival on the big stage three seasons ago, another Meghalaya club Royal Wahingdoh’s recent success-spurt in the Federation Cup, suggests that the earlier inevitable trudge from the sinuous hills to the dusty plains is now avoidable, writes Kabir Mandrekar
On the rest day of an invitational tournament, the Royal Wahingdoh Football Club president — Frederick Nongkynrih — ventured out into the streets of Kolkata to purchase some football apparel for his kids back home in Shillong. While browsing through some EPL jerseys, two figures in the backdrop caught his eye and he stared in disbelief.
Nongkynrih was astonished to see two wingbacks from his Meghalaya-based football club, Bowari Khongstia and Lalmangaihsanga Sena, sharing a laugh while browsing through some football boots. They were, after all, from remote villages in different parts of the North-East. Bowari from Meghalaya and Sena from Mizoram. More importantly, they didn't even speak the same language.
“Bowari could only speak in Khasi and Sena in Mizo. I later found out from a few team members that they were the best of mates off the pitch. I just couldn’t fathom how they understood each other,” said Nongkynrih.
It was, probably, the camaraderie the team-members shared that helped the two players from different backgrounds, with different habits and cultures, come together as friends. Their example is representative of a culture of the 65-year-old football club that has been built on a high moral ethos. One that has not only helped them survive on a shoestring budget, but also flourish in the three years of their professional existence.
While their annual expenditure would equal the cost of a top-level Indian footballer these days, this second division team has comprehensively beaten I-League clubs with multi-crore expenditures at the Federation Cup this year, and exceeded even their own expectations with their rapid rise. Wahingdoh's emergence this season has proven that the fanatical interest for the game in this part of India (Lajong being their more famous city rivals) was now receiving a sustained creative outlet in the form of organised clubs. It also meant that talented footballers from the north-eastern states needn't necessarily trek down to the plains, where both their flair and fundamentals needed to be relearnt or unlearnt to suit bigger plans of Kolkatan or Goan clubs.
Humble beginnings
Nongkynrih along with Dominic Sutnga, Nicholas Nangkhlaw and Lambert Syiem was a part of the squad in 2007 that practiced casually after Sunday’s church. Their collectively burgeoning ambition coupled with a relegation dogfight in the second-tier league that came as a rude awakening, instilled in the foursome a sense of responsibility. The four squad members, who now constitute the management, decided to bring about drastic changes in the structure of the club that lit up proceedings in Pune, creating quite a stir by beating two powerhouses, Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers, in as many days.
In 2008, they began their pre-season preparation a month in advance and laid down strict criteria for selection. “We wanted only naturally talented and skilful players. Everything else could be worked upon,” said Sutnga, Wahingdoh’s managing director. Players who fit the bill were found in abundance in the neighbourhood. L Darlong, a respected coach from that region, was hired to scout for talent and had to look no further than the village tournaments held regularly through the year. Players with bags of talent and lack of opportunity now had the chance to showcase their skills at a higher level.
Bowari Khongstia, son of a farmer living a hand-to-mouth existence, is the prime example of local talent that has been given a shot at a better life. “Bowari comes from the remotest of villages in Meghalaya. He hails from a family that lives below the poverty line. Now, he sends his entire monthly pay-cheque back home to his family,” said Sutnga.
The results of revamping the club were evident as they managed to overturn a third-last position to third in the second tier league of 2008-2009. Still dissatisfied with their show — having missed promotion by just one spot — there was good fortune in store for the brave lot. Players from the SAI Academies and the northeastern players from the Army teams were willing to go to Wahingdoh, with promises of opportunities to play football at the highest level.
And the promises were fulfilled in the recent Federation Cup, where Royal Wahingdoh only bowed out against derby rivals Lajong, in a virtual quarterfinal encounter. But there is no question of any animosity between the two Shillong clubs.
Love thy neighbours
It was in 2009-10, a time when Wahingdoh made it to the Shillong Premier League, that Lajong carved out the path for clubs from the region, becoming the first club from NE to participate in the I-League. “We were cheering them for each game that Lajong played and were proud to have representation in the top league. We felt, if they could do it there was no reason we couldn’t,” says Sutnga.
One thing that stood out for the Lajong home matches was the tremendous crowd support in every match. This led Sutnga to believe that Wahingdoh too should get the community involved in their football. Marketing strategies like distribution of free T-shirts and other merchandise was initiated. The management then started a membership system where the shareholders were offered tickets at half-price, thus increasing the interest in the club. When the crowds became sizeable, all of the match revenue was donated to The Providence School, a unique project, which the club had adopted.
“We felt a responsibility to give back to the community. The Providence School provided the students not only with educational training, but also vocational training. We thought their ideology matched the ethics of our club,” said Sutnga. The school that was started by Brother D’Souza with 15 kids, now has up to 300 children enrolled. The club also earmarked thirty families — mostly those with single mothers — for whom they provide monthly food rations.
This social work brought a lot of unity within the community and the 9000 odd members and its neighbours never failed to turn up for a home match at Ground No 1, Polo Stadium. The club has even registered a state record for the most revenue (Rs 5 lakh) generated from one match when their team faced Meghalaya Police in a league encounter.
In the course of this victorious debut season, Wahingdoh had arranged a month’s training stint at the Perth Glory Football Club in Australia, but were unable to go as their visas were cancelled. They settled for a camp at Goa, where they first met current coach and former Indian skipper — Carlton Chapman. “At first appearance, I did not think much of the team. But when I spent a day with them, I found that they had a great work ethic and natural talent. They were always ready to listen,” says Chapman. He supervised them in the final of their state league victory against Shillong Lajong FC, and then signed on as full-time coach.
Solitary blemish
The only blemish on a near perfect record of the club is its failure to qualify for this season’s I-League. After qualifying through the group stages, the team faltered in the final round of matches and could only manage a sixth place finish. But for now, though, the entire Wahingdoh contingent will be basking in the glory of the unprecedented achievement of reaching the group stages of the Federation Cup. The supporters back home will have the Wahingdoh Hall decked up for a grand celebration and felicitation of their victorious bunch.
One year on, Sena — the Khasi and Bowari — the Mizo, have picked up a bit of Hindi from their travels across the country, but still not enough to have a conversation. Their friendship has strengthened, however, because at the Royal Wahingdoh Football Club, football breaks all language barriers.