KOZHIKODE: He is not sure if he would be there out on the field when Viva Kerala plays its first match in the NFL first division next season.

P.K. Anil Kumar admits he's a bit worried that he might not play for Viva in India's premier league. But he is proud of the fact that but for him the team may not have qualified for the first division at all.

Viva had taken Anil on loan, from KSEB, for the NFL second division and the striker repaid the Kochi's team faith in him with interest.

The 26-year-old played the best football of his career to spearhead his team's campaign in the final round of the NFL second division, which concluded here last Sunday.

Lethal combination

He scored six goals, including a superb hat-trick, in the four matches he played, formed a lethal combination up front with Nigerian Baba Tunde and played his heart out every minute he was on the ground.

"It was the happiest moment of my career when we defeated Army XI in our penultimate match and thus qualified for the first division," says Anil.

"I was determined to make a difference to the team when I was brought in on loan. I knew the team was expecting something from me. I don't think I have played better football than this." It was Anil's partnership with Baba that made the difference for Viva. "I absolutely enjoyed playing with him. We clicked as a pair in our very first game itself, against Indian Bank in the NFL first phase at Kochi; he scored off a pass from me."

The duo scored 20 out of the 27 goals the team scored in 10 matches at Kochi and Kozhikode. And most of the team they scored after being assisted by each other.

Rising to the occasion

"When you play along with a player of Baba's quality, you step up your own game," he says. "The fact that I was playing in an important event like NFL also helped me perform better. I really would like to play for Viva in the NFL first division, but I know my availability would depend on external factors. If not for Viva, I would give my best to my employer KSEB next season."

Viva coach A.M. Sreedharan was instrumental in bringing Anil to the Kochi team.

"I knew we needed a quality striker to partner Baba if we wanted to perform well at the NFL, and Anil was the first player who came to my mind," says the coach.

"Without the services of Anil, we surely wouldn't have qualified for the first division. I was convinced of his potential when he was with FC Kochi a few years ago. He has the potential to become one of the best forwards in the country; he has speed, he is unpredictable, which makes it for the defenders to tackle him and he has a very cool head on his shoulders."

To play for India is Anil's dream too. "And I want to be a regular member of the Kerala Santosh Trophy team," he says. "Though I have played in the Santosh Trophy twice, I could be on the ground only for a few minutes. But being a part of the team that had I.M. Vijayan was itself an honour."

Vijayan is his hero and not just because the former Indian captain, like him, hails from Thrissur district. "I have always admired him; he has all the qualities of a great forward," says Anil. "When people call me Junior Vijayan, I take it as a great compliment."

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