Messi Mania grips Pailan Arrows

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Sept 1: Amidst VVIPs, corporate honchos, Bollywood celebrities and inumerable fans, Lionel Messi Mania has gripped India's top soccer club Pailan Arrows.
Pailan Arrows striker C S Sabeeth, who with his deft
feints and sudden burst of speed was the discovery of the last
edition of the I-League feels, "It is a dream come true."
Messi is the best footballer in the world right now, a
role model for all budding footballers.
"I am excited. When you get to watch the world’s best
footballer in action, that too in your own backyard, you ought
to be excited, Sabeeth said.
"I feel this will prompt other big teams to turn their
attention to the City. The madness for the sport in Kolkata
knows no bounds," he added.
"He is such a small chap. But look how he shields the
ball from all," quipped Shilton D’Silva, Pailan Arrows
midfielder. "I have just 90 minutes and it is a lifetime
opportunity for me. I will try to gauge from the stands as to
how he manages to keep the ball at his feet all the time," he
added.
Shilton’s eyes lit up as he went on about Messi.
"But it isn’t just about Messi. Is it?” he hit back.
“There’s Aguero, there’s Higuain, there’s Mascherano; there’s
the Venezuelan squad. I may just go mad," he smiled.

Pailan midfielder Jibon Singh feels this is the
perfect start to the new season. "There couldn’t have been a
better start to the new season. You have one of the best team
of the world playing with another good team. And that the
world’s best player is also playing, is an added bonus," Jibon
said.
Jibon, who many feel has the best ‘left-foot’ in the
country at the moment, added: "The only frustration stays it
will all be over in 90 minutes. But that’s football. And we
ought to grasp as much as we can from the scheduled time."
Lalrozama Fanai, however, is not willing to gaga over
Messi alone. "I am looking forward to see the entire
Argentinean team in action. You do not get to watch them in
front of your eyes every time. I always look up to them," the
Pailan defender added.
"Unless you watch in a stadium, you do not learn some
tricks of the trade," Sabeeth maintained.
"I eagerly wait to watch as to how they draw their
marker out of the zone," something which even Shilton stressed
on. "The off-the-ball play is important. I need to watch and
learn," Shilton added. “The match will be another analytical
session for us."