NP Pradeep: a match winner.There are seven players from ‘god’s own country’ who will ply their trade in the upcoming Hero Indian Super League (ISL). Of the lot, Naduparambil Pappachen Pradeep enjoys demi-god status thanks to his exploits for both club and country over the last decade. He is by far the best player to have emerged from Kerala since the previous generation of stalwarts from the state – I M Vijayan, Jo-Paul Ancheri and the late V P Sathyan – called it a day. After kicking off with the Thiruvananthapuram-based State Bank of Travancore (SBT), Pradeep found his place in the sun at Mahindra United in Mumbai from 2006-2010, winning the Durand Cup and IFA Shield (twice). He later played for Viva Kerala, Mohun Bagan, Mumbai Tigers and Mumbai FC. An ultra-versatile player, Pradeep has essayed multiple roles in the defence and midfield. He played in all positions for SBT and Mahindra United, and when Bob Houghton took over the national reins in 2006, he was fielded as left-back against Saudi Arabia in the World Cup qualifiers. But because of injuries in the next game against Japan, the English gaffer moved him to the central midfield and he had a good outing. In the next match he got a goal against Yemen and sealed his spot there for the national team until 2011. Pradeep was part of India’s 2005 SAFF Cup- and 2008 AFC Challenge Cup-winning squads, but is best remembered for scoring the match winner in India’s 1-0 win against Syria in the 2007 Nehru Cup final. Incidentally, he scored the first and last goal of the tournament. “We were to meet Syria in the final, having already lost to them in an earlier round,” he recalled in an exclusive interview with indiansuperleague.com. “There was an interview with a website on the eve of the final and they asked me what I wanted from tomorrow’s game. I told them that I had scored the first goal of the tournament and I would love to score the last. I just said this as a joke but it came true and my goal won India the championship. It was my favourite moment.” Pradeep has been often referred to “India’s Steven Gerrard” and is renowned for his bursting runs down the middle and his thunderous shots. The stocky Malayali admits he was flattered by the comparison. “Yes, I used to love it. If you are compared to any player you feel good. Our group back then was also a good one, everyone supported each other,” he stated. Pradeep will get another chance to show the nation whether the comparison to the celebrated Liverpool and England midfielder was justified. He will now play for Club Chennai in the ISL and expects to be matching his wits against quality foreigners who have since been signed up by the teams. “We have played international matches against Qatar, South Korea and Japan and we know that their standards are higher than ours,” he averred. “So such type of players will join the teams and a lot will also rest on the coaches. Top coaches will be there and that will make a big difference.”
