Follow former Hero ISL star Arata Izumi as he gives you a player’s perspective on all things ISL over the course of the 2018-19 season. New posts every week exclusively on indiansuperleague.com. Connect with Arata on Instagram @arataizumi or Twitter @neel0731

My time in Indian football’s sanctums

I’d like to think that I’ve had a long and successful career as a footballer and playing in India has been an absolute pleasure and a privilege. I have so many stories to tell – about India, about its football, and about its football fans. Possibly none of these tales will be complete without the mention of Kolkata and Kerala – the two sanctums of Indian football.

Now, we all know that the states of West Bengal and Kerala have the most passionate fans in the country, maybe even the world. They live and breathe football and I was lucky enough to be a part of the boundless passion for the beautiful game. Today, I thought, maybe I could share a slice of my magical experience playing in both these wonderful football-crazy regions.

Football in Kolkata: A way of life

I still remember the day I landed in India after signing for East Bengal. As soon as I got down at the airport, I was escorted by two gentlemen through the security gates, so that I wouldn’t have to face the usual hassle. Outside the airport, thousands of fans were waiting to greet me with the traditional red and gold flags and banners. That’s when I thought to myself - Wow, East Bengal are a really, really, big club here in India!

Coming back to Kolkata in 2015 to play for ATK in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) was as dramatic for me. I was picked by the defending champions to play in my first-ever Hero ISL season. I was really looking forward to playing in front of 60,000 fans at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The fans welcomed me with open arms as they still remembered me from my days with East Bengal. That season was a memorable one for many reasons. Although we didn’t end up as the winners, I felt that we played the most attractive football in the league that year.

Kerala: Football’s own country

Kerala will remain in my heart forever. The people there are so passionate about football, but what makes them unique is their generosity. The Kerala Blasters FC fans were our strength, more accurately the 12^th man of the team when we were on the pitch. Off it, they were my friends and colleagues. Despite going through bad phases during the 2017-18 season, the fans kept backing us no matter what. People from Kerala were there to welcome and motivate us at every airport when we were on the road. When we used to travel to the stadiums, the roads were flanked with fans donning that famous yellow jersey. I put in my everything when I was on the pitch, because that kind of support deserved it.

I would also like to specially mention the Manjappada fan group for their incredible support. As soon as I got out on the pitch for a warm-up session, prior to a match, the first thing I would see is the Manjappada occupying a huge part of the stadium. Although a section of the stadium was blocked for security reasons, I always felt that there were at least a million supporters inside, singing their chants for me. Post my retirement, the fans still show their love and adoration by engaging with me through social media. The time I spent in Kerala was truly special for me and I feel honoured to have finished my 14-year-long professional career at Kerala Blasters.

Different kinds of pressure

Playing for a Kolkata-based team comes with huge responsibilities. Firstly, the fans in the city have a solid understanding of the game and hence always expect good football. If you win, people will hail you as a God, but if you lose, then you are no one. Playing in a high-pressure environment like that requires a lot of mental strength. Luckily, I had a strong heart and the motivation to deal with those kinds of challenges and it was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a professional footballer.

With Kerala, I felt more of the emotional pressure to perform well. As I said before, the fans of Kerala are some of the nicest people I have come across and they have unconditional love towards the club. This kind of adoration really got me going and was one of the primary reasons why I gave it my absolute all when playing for them. In short, I had a magical time playing in both regions and soaking in very diverse kinds of football madness.

Gateway for the future

Looking at the pedigree of football clubs, I believe children from both Kerala and West Bengal have the ideal platform to hone their skills and grow into professional footballers. In Bengal, you have clubs like ATK, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal; whereas Kerala Blasters and Gokulam Kerala FC are two of the most renowned clubs in South India. With the plethora of opportunities, it is no surprise to see so many stars from these states in Indian football.