More of our players in I-League soon: Jeje Lalpekhlua

NEW DELHI: The outcome of progress has a prolonged phase of transition that usually gets overlooked.
Mizoram's triumph in the national football championship for the Santosh Trophy has caught the fancy of the nation's football lovers and it is pertinent to remind them that the Mizos won the junior nationals also, in Ranchi last September. It was a thumping 6-1 win over Assam for the U-17 BC Roy Trophy.
Sunday's victory, also a maiden one for Mizoram, was long time coming. One can say it was inevitable. Mizoram is what Manipur was some 10 years ago, its supply line giving players to clubs across the country. One season, there were 85 Manipur players in the National League.
"Well, Mizoram has some way to go to reach that level. But in the next five years, you will see a spurt in the number of Mizo players in the national circuit," said Jeje Lalpekhlua, currently playing for Dempo.
Jeje had been the mainstay of the Indian team and his combination with Sunil Chhetri was one of the few inspiring things about the national team under Wim Koevermans, till the 23-year old Mizo got injured.
For Manipur, football provided the escape route from the socio-political turmoil that the state was going through at the turn of the century. It is not the same for Mizoram.
Their success rests on the solid bedrock of organisation, planning, government support, some honest will and effort of people like Hmar. Perhaps, Mizoram is the template for other states to follow.