Guwahati: NorthEast United FC's players were busy attending a training session at a ground adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on the eve of their match against Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday. Keralite winger M S Jithin was seen honing skills on the far side of the ground. When I shouted at him "Sukhamalle?” (Are you doing well?) at the top of my voice to get his attention, the reply came from different parts of the ground: "Athe, sukham thane" (Yes, we are fine).
Apart from Thrissur's own Jithin, NorthEast United's main squad features two other Keralites: goalkeeper Mirshad Michu, a native of Neeleswaram in Kasaragod district and attacking midfielder Shighil Shaji, who hails from Valanchery in Malappuram district.
Mohammad Shahzad, a native Kondotty in Malappuram who has been serving as the team manager for the past six years, and sports therapist Robin Mathew, who hails from Chittarikkal in Kasaragod, complete the list of Malayalis in the Highlander Brigade.
"We all live in the same apartment. So, we are not just like a family. Indeed, we live like a family here," Shahzad said after the training session.
When Jithin and Mirshad are together, laughter and friendly banter will fill the air. Jithin is a quiet and soft-spoken person. The talkative Mirshad, who has been with NorthEast United for four years after having played for different clubs in Goa and Bengal, is his 'official' interpreter at post-match presentations and press conferences.
According to Shahzad, there are many videos that have gone viral due to Mirshad's funny translations. "When an interviewer asks Jithin something in English, Mirshad, putting on a serious face, would pretend to translate the question into Malayalam before asking Jithin an entirely different question. Jithin, unaware of Mirshad's mischief, would give a genuine answer in Malayalam. However, Mirshad would tell the interviewer something else in English, leaving everyone who knows both languages laughing.
Mirshad joined NorthEast United after a stint with East Bengal FC. "Had they considered my seniority, they would have made me the team captain. Unfortunately, I'm not interested in such things," Mirshad said jokingly.
Jithin was a member of Kerala's Santosh Trophy squad that won the title at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium in 2018. Shighil, one of the youngest players in NorthEast United's current team, played a key role in Kerala's title-winning campaign in the 2022 edition of the Santosh Trophy in Manjeri. It was Mirshad who recalled Shighil's brilliant goal in Kerala's 7-3 win against Karnataka in the semifinal.
When asked how they spend their free time in Guwahati, Shighil said: "There is a shopping mall in the city. Often, we go there and walk around. Visiting the same place every weekend is boring, isn’t it?"
There is another Malayali in the NorthEast United setup; Mohammed Sahan is part of their junior squad. Sahan lives in the same apartment and is studying at a Guwahati-based school. "He is in school now. He has a special class today," Shighil said. Kerala Blasters and NorthEast United are currently placed eighth and ninth in the points table, having won and lost one match each.