Packed Off to Delhi For studies, Robert Excels in Football

By Jonathan Selvaraj

When Robert Haokip’s parents sent the football obsessed 17-year-old from Manipur to the capital to wean him away from the game and towards his studies little did they know that infact he would become a star of Delhi’s B Division circuit.

With 9 goals in 4 games Robert has single-handedly won games for Hans Club that mostly has players over the hill.

Growing up near Churachandpur, Robert would often skip school to become the striker for local side Bvenom in the district trophy.

“I got my first pair of boots only in class 9. My uncle bought them for me.”

Coming to Delhi seems to have worked wonders for the youngster.

Robert’s brother Sam, was a member of the Hans club and after a lot of pestering Sam put in a word with the coach Manoj for his cousin.

He immediately got a game with Hans and scored four goals in his first game and nine overall.

Coach Manoj raves about his finishing skills.

Robert though is modest about his achievement. “It’s far easier to play in Delhi than it was in Manipur.

Over there I could compete with players of my age, but the older players were so strong, they could break someones leg with a single kick. In Delhi the competition is much easier.”

Lucky break
He got another lucky break, when he came across a notice in a newspaper calling for tryouts for the Delhi state U-19 squad. Robert showed up, was given five minutes in a trial match and scored two goals.

Some time later, he was given another five minutes and scored two more. Selected for the Nationals which were held in June , he accompanied the team to the Salt Lake stadium, where he scored 5 goals in 3 matches including a hat-trick against Pondicherry.

His stay in Kolkata though has motivated him to try for bigger things.

“I know its a long way off, but perhaps I could play for Mohun Bagan”

Of course the purpose of Robert’s Delhi stay was to study. While Robert has enrolled in the science course through the open schooling system, that has been the extent of his efforts and hasn’t opened a book since he came to the city.

He has his exams in three months time and reckons that’s long enough to prepare — so long as he decides not to play football.