Gnanavel hopes to get rid of guest player tag

Choosing to play the sport for the first time in his eighth standard, Gnanavel enrolled in the YMCA Sports Hostel in Chennai post schooling and the move to leave Vadipatti turned out to be a master-stroke in shaping the youngster’s career. Moving to Sports Authority of India three years later meant Gnanavel was given an Indian camp call-up soon, his first major break. 

The senior team camp proved too much for Gnanavel and the youngster failed to impress. “It was like throwing me into the sea without even teaching me the basics of swimming. I couldn’t perform too well and I lost my chance to stake claim for a berth in the national team,” Gnanavel said. 

However, Gnanavel turned the failure into a stepping stone for success. “I was then selected for the Tamil Nadu team and I became a regular member of the side. But I knew, I had to do something extra to make a mark and hence from being a defender, I chose to become a dragflicker. I started training vigorously and the idea of scoring goals and getting my name on the scoresheet motivated me to learn the tricks of the trade faster,” he added. 

The expertise in scoring goals proved handy and Gnanavel was chosen to lead the side soon after. “It is an honour to lead the state team. I enjoy the roles and responsibilities, right from planning the team to strategizing. I have been doing it for many senior national tournaments now,” he added. 

But as luck would have it, a permanent job with any institution team eluded Gnanavel and has left the dragflicker struggling to make ends meet. “My family does not know anything about sports. It is all about job and money for them. I am playing as a guest for Indian Bank for more than 50 matches and a break hasn’t come my way,” he added. 

Gnanavel was in red hot from in the recently concluded state level tournament and was even awarded the man-of-the-tournament. He scored four goals in the tournament and was instrumental in guiding Indian Bank to the title and scored a brace in the final too.