Want to showcase Indian football with West Ham: Rahul KP

Panaji: Rahul KP can already feel the weight of the West Ham United jersey. Ever since the Premier League club announced that the Odisha FC winger will represent them at The Soccer Tournament (TST) in the United States next month, Rahul’s phone hasn’t stopped buzzing, with messages and calls. Whenever he steps out, youngsters back home in Kerala look at him in awe. “A lot of people think that I’ll play in the Premier League, while others think it’s just a seven-a-side tournament and it’s no big deal,” Rahul told TOI on Wednesday over a video call. “But I look at it differently. This is an opportunity for me to showcase Indian football, show the world what we can do. Whenever I go outside (the house), I meet a lot of kids who are amazed that I’ll play for West Ham at TST. They want to do that one day.” Not everyone gets to play at TST, dubbed the most exciting and highest stakes 7v7 football festival in the world, where legends, celebrities, and professionals battle for the prize money of a million dollars. At West Ham, Rahul will be joined by club legend Anton Ferdinand as player-coach, former Wales international James Collins, besides teammates Ricardo Vaz Te (Portugal) and Mauro Zarate (Argentina). Rahul, 25, is the only player from Asia in the team and the first Indian to feature for the Premier League club at TST. “West Ham were looking to recruit a player from Asia. For me, Rahul stood out as the ideal candidate as he is one of the most exciting young talents in India, with all the attributes required to succeed in European football. I also saw this as a pivotal chance to help an Indian player make an international impact and, in addition, help put Indian football firmly on the global map,” said Odisha CEO Raj Athwal, who was approached by the EPL club due to his longstanding involvement in English football. For Rahul, it’s a dream come true. “It’s a big move because growing up as a kid, I always dreamed about playing for a big club in Europe. When you start playing football, big European clubs come to mind. You want to wear their jersey, represent them, go out there and play. I want to make an impression, hopefully also inspire a generation (of Indian players),” said Rahul.At TST, the Indian winger will rub shoulders with some prominent footballers which includes the likes of Argentina legend Sergio Aguero, Luis Nani, Andy Caroll, Giuseppi Rossi, Danny Drinkwater and Antony Knockaert. In the women’s section, there are high-profile names like Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly and Ali Krieger. Rahul wants to put his best foot forward and ensure that he grabs, with both hands, whatever opportunities the event throws at him. “It’s not just a 7v7 tournament. It’s a place where some big names will assemble. Maybe I can get some contacts, talk to people, get a trial, or even a chance to train with West Ham in London,” said Rahul, who has made seven appearances for the senior national team. Despite featuring at TST for the first time, Rahul is unlikely to feel out of place. He’s grown up playing Sevens, a cultural staple in Kerala, where football rests high up on social priorities. He himself hails from Thrissur in northern Kerala, a region where Sevens is a way of life. “I can never forget where I come from,” said Rahul. “I wouldn't have been here if there was no Sevens in Kerala. I wouldn't have been here if there was no five or three-a-side football because I wasn’t born as an ISL or national team player. Sevens helped me a lot. It made me physically strong, helped lose fear since we were up against bigger players, involved in duels all the time. As a kid, we never dreamed of playing for the national team or club, it was always Sevens. We always thought about Sevens and floodlight football.” For Rahul, Sevens football now takes an entirely different meaning.