Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: His rise in the football ground is just like a fairy tale and can inspire the young players of the region. The player was unknown to all just three years back and even didn't get formal training until selected by Minerva through a trial in 2017. However Makan Winkle Chothe, a winger from Manipur and big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, was picked up by ISL outfit FC Goa with three-year contract recently. In an interaction with The SentinelMakan shared his reaction on the signing and also discloses his plan for the forthcoming season. Here is the excerpt.
The Sentinel (TS): So you are going to play for FC Goa for the next three-season in ISL...
Makan: Yes. I will try my best to give good performance to my new team.
TS: What was your first reaction when you got the offer from FC Goa?
Makan: I was surprised, you can say ecstatic. I didn't want to tell anyone before the signing is over and even didn't tell my parents that FC Goa wanted to sign me. They only got to know after all the paperwork was finished. I just say I am thrilled.
TS: How did your football journey start ?
Makan: I had never been formally educated in training. In my village in PurumChumbang in Manipur, I used to play the game after school and during holidays. The game came quite naturally to me. Having completed class X exams I made a move to Siliguri in West Bengal where I joined Kanchenjunga FC. But my stay there was short lived. However things started to turn good for me once I joined Minerva Academy.
TS: Share your experience in Minerva.
Makan: I know from a facebook post that Minerva Academy was having trials for their team and I convinced my uncle to get me to Punjab. I had real faith in my abilities, and I really wanted to give this a try. In the first season I scored 35 goals in just 13 games for the academy and the side clinched the national crown in a junior tournament organised by Reliance Foundation Youth Sports. Later I also turned up for Minerva in the I league.
TS: Tell us your plan for FC Goa.
Makan: I feel now I have the opportunity to take the next step. I get a chance to play with the best in the country as well as against them now. I want to give my best for FC Goa and make it to the national team as soon as possible.
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