When the `Bomber' was a dud

KOCHI: A local football club manager has a very interesting reason to offer about the dwindling crowds for the Sahara Cup football tournament here in Kochi. According to the manager, during the 70''s many a times there used to be announcement''s during a local tournament that the German or Yugoslavia team would be playing tomorrow. What actually happened was that a German or the Yugoslovia ship had anchored in the Kochi port and the organisers would make the jersey''s for the sailors who would be eager to play.The height of it, was when they announced that Gemany''s Muller was to play and the people thinking it was the hero of Germany''s 1974 World Cup win, Gerd Muller `The Bomber'', flocked to the stadium, only to hear the disappointing announcement at the half-time that though the player was also Muller, he was not the German ace bomber. So for the people of Kochi, hearing a European teams name now has become a case of once bitten twice shy. ***** The most difficult phase in a player''s career comes when his retirement draws near. Uncertainty hangs over the future, especially if you are not in a permanent job. Though in the twilight of his career, there are no such disappointment''s for India spearhead I.M. Vijayan. If the reviews of his maiden movie Shantam, meaning peace, is to believed then the Kerala hero has a career lined-up for him in the movie world. The movie is drawing good crowds in it''s second week here. And it is known that he has already been signed for two more films.