Sudhakar will be TN's key man

Chennai: P. Sudhakar is one player who doesn’t need trials or tournaments to get into the Tamil Nadu Santosh Trophy team. The classy midfielder has been a fixture in the state team ever since he showcased his talent while playing for Don Bosco Annai Youth in the Chennai Football Association senior division league. Sudhakar went from strength to strength after joining Chennai Customs. Playing in a technically sound team like Customs polished his game further. AG’s Office snapped up the playmaker last year by giving him a permanent job.

Not surprisingly, Sudhakar is the main man in Tamil Nadu’s current Santosh Trophy squad. Coach C.M. Ranjith has pinned a lot of hope on the AG’s player. He is planning to deploy him in the hole behind the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation. The south zone leg involving five states is starting at the Nehru Stadium from January 26. If Tamil Nadu were to make it to the final phase as one of the two teams, Sudhakar must be at his best.

Sudhakar admitted that playing in a new position would be a challenge for him. “The coach has assigned a particular role for me and I have to strive hard to justify his faith. It’s not easy as I have a fair bit of defensive duties as well but I’m ready to give my all for the team’s cause,” he added.

The 27-year-old said he would be trying to score goals in addition to feeding the team’s main striker, who would in probability be A. Reagan. Sudhakar is a fine reader of the game and has an innate ability to supply the killer final ball. “I have been working hard in the camp to release the ball quickly. The coach is training the attacking players to advance fast by playing wall passes,” he said.

D. Sekaran, who was Tamil Nadu’s Santosh Trophy coach last year, said Sudhakar is one of the best midfielders he has seen in recent times. “He is a ball player. His close control is excellent. When I first saw him, I was reminded of former India player Gautam Sarkar, who played for Mohun Bagan as well as East Bengal. Sudhakar is a fantastic box-to-box player. He is a tireless worker with an ability to control the tempo of the match,” he added.

Sudhakar is aware of the increased load on his shoulders this time. But he’s not fazed. “I’m determined to do well because we are playing at home. I’m in great physical shape. Everyone in the squad is pumped up. It’s the advantage of playing in your own backyard. Our first match against is Kerala is crucial. A positive result will help us gain momentum,” he said.

The appearance of some is enough to conclude that they are born to play football. The bow-legged midfielder belongs to the breed. In addition to Ranjith, Tamil Nadu fans would also be looking forward to a special show from Sudhakar.

Santosh schedule

January 26: AP vs Andaman & Nicobar. TN vs Kerala.

January 28: Karnataka vs Andaman. Kerala vs AP.

January 30: Andaman & Nicobar vs TN. Karnataka vs AP.

February 1: TN vs Karnataka. Andaman & Nicobar vs Kerala.

February 3: AP vs TN. Kerala vs Karnataka.