The Rousing welcome for the team surprises visiting fans, who weren’t expecting much from a ‘cricket-loving country’.
It seems Blackburn Rovers’ three-day visit to India in between the season has kept their problems at bay. Be it their only win so far in English Premier League or manager Steve Kean’s decisions, the picture is not too rosy for the Rovers boys back home.
After the team received a huge welcome at the Pune airport on Thursday morning, they got engaged in the exhibition match with the emerging footballers of the country. Playing amidst the roaring and enthusiast crowd is nothing new for any EPL team, but the team got more than what they probably had expected. The dhol tasha, accompanied by the blare of small vuvuzelas, welcomed the foreign side as they walked into the fully-packed Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi.
“This is surprising. We always thought India is a cricket-loving country and other games are a bit sidelined. However, the city has proved us wrong,” said Glenn Pegden, one of the Rovers fans who has come with the team. Among the 15 lucky fans, 11 are sponsored by the club owners Venkys to witness the side’s first outing in India.
However, ask them about the team’s performance and their manager, they seem a little angry.
“Yes, we were angry and wanted the manager to leave for the poor show against Manchester City,” was the only reaction one could get.
There are a few fans, who have been following the side for over decades and despite their outrage, they are confident about the team’s performance in upcoming matches. “This is just the beginning of the season and talking about relegation is too early. We are sure that our team will make a comeback,” Pegden said.
Talking about the club owners, he said, “Initially, there was a feeling that the Ewood Park is chickened out. But that has become a history. Venkys have done a lot for the club and we are happy about them.”
While the Rovers fans were just concerned about the club’s performance, it was a life-time opportunity for few young footballers, who won a contest and got a chance to play alongside the EPL team.
“I can’t believe that I played with Michel Salgado in the defence for my team. I have no words to explain my excitement. I got a chance to interact with Salgado and he is just amazing. I will always remember this day,” said 14-year-old footballer Jude Fernandes, who was donning the colours of Rovers Stars Club from Goa.
It was for the first time that the stadium was fully packed for any football match. The enthusiasts from the city turned out in impressive numbers to watch the historic match.
“The only person missing here is the man behind the stadium, Suresh Kalmadi, who must be watching the match on television in Tihar,” said a fan.
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