From school cricket to ISL fame: Keegan Pereira

At the age of 12, the sport he played was cricket. He represented his school and played the sport at every given opportunity. Then his family moved to a different location where Football was the craze. He had little option but to change the sport. Then, 15 years later, he emerges as one of the two Players from Mumbai playing in the Indian Super League.

That's the story of Keegan Pereira, Mumbai City FC's fifth pick in the domestic draft in July. For the record, he cost them a princely sum of Rs32 lakh.

The left-back has come a long way from playing football in his colony in Borivli to his face adorning billboards in the city.

The 27-year-old became a professional footballer by chance. At 18, a few of his friends were going for Mahindra United U-19 selection trials and asked Pereira to tag along. He did, got selected, and the rest is history.

"I never thought I'll be playing football professionally. I attended St Francis School in Mira Road, where I used to stay. I played cricket for the school and in the colony. I loved the sport. In Class 7, my family moved to IC Colony in Borivli. There, it was only football, football and football. I was a sportsperson by heart and so had no option but to play football. I'm glad I did," he said on Thursday.

Pereira made the cut for the Mahindra United senior team in 2005 and was part of the squad that won the Federation Cup that year. In the 2008-09, he joined Mumbai FC. After spending two years with the only team currently in the I-League from Mumbai, Pereira moved to Goa to join Salgaocar, where he struggled to find a place in the starting XI. Frustrated with lack of game time, he moved to second Division side DSK Shivajians in the January transfer window.

It was at the Pune-based club that Pereira impressed coach Pradyum Reddy. When the latter joined Bengaluru FC as assistant coach in the 2012-13 season, he vouched for Pereira. And that's where he got his big break.

"I owe a lot to Reddy sir. When I was not at my best in Salgaocar, he gave me a chance. At Bengaluru FC, too, he helped me tremendously. I owe everything to him and Ashley Westwood (Bengaluru FC coach). I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them," he said.

He said his stint at Bengaluru FC helped him evolve as a player. "Firstly, Westwood is an amazing coach. What he teaches us in the drawing room, he wants that, and nothing less, on the field. Apart from the technical aspect, I think it's the little things that make a big difference. For instance, never before has a coach explained to me the importance of following a diet plan.

"There, we bonded as a team. We had breakfast together, trained together and had lunch together. There was no partiality with us and the foreigners. We lived in similar apartments. Nobody got preferential treatment. And I think that's the reason the team was so successful."

And now he's excited to be playing for Mumbai City FC after missing the first season as his club (BFC) decided not to release any of their players for the ISL. "It was very annoying to have to look at the tournament on the television. I mean 40,000 people coming to cheer the team. How could you not want to be on the pitch? I'm happy to be a part of the league this time around," he said.

He was nervous watching the ISL domestic player draft live on television. After four rounds, his name wasn't called yet. Then, Mumbai City FC came to his rescue. He was the 34th pick.

"It was scary. I really thought I wasn't going to be picked at all," he had said then. "But it was worth the wait. There's nothing like playing in front of your home crowd. I can assure you that people from Borivli will flock the stadium."

He is loving every moment at his new club. After all, it's not often that you get to train with players like Nicolas Anelka.

But how is the Frenchman as a coach? "He's a man of very few words. But the variations that he teaches us in training are out of this world. Just to train with him is an honour," he said.

He also gets to continue to play with his teammate at BFC and India captain Sunil Chhetri. "The way he (Chhetri) conducts himself on and off the field is amazing. I've learnt a lot by just watching him. We've won the I-league together, so now let's try to win the ISL too."

As for his future goals, Pereira said: "I want to play for the national team. I was selected in February didn't get a chance to play. Stephen Constantine (head coach of the national team) told me that I need game time to earn a call back. That's exactly what I'm trying to do," he said.