Mbappe, Vinicius, Jude and a touch of Kerala: Malayali bureaucrat gets ready to live Madrid dreams

Kozhikode: In the heart of Madrid, Spain's capital, it will be business as usual for one of the world's biggest football clubs, Real Madrid, as they go about their routine warm-ups at the Santiago Bernabeu. When the modern-day Galacticos of world football, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, tie their boots for a usual adventure on the pitch, an uncommon presence carrying the essence of Kerala will be keenly taking notes, sighing to live the dream of his life.

On a serene evening in October, Kozhikode-born Nidhin Jose, a well-established name in the Indian sporting community, will fly to Spain to join the prestigious club to take a decisive step in an already illustrious career. The Spanish giants shortlisted the Deputy Director at the Sports Authority of India for their annual Sports Management program. As he readies himself, Nidhin reflects on his journey to arguably the biggest club in Europe.

The Road to Madrid
MBA in Sports Management is a one-year program: nine months of coursework followed by an internship. Real Madrid offer this opportunity globally. Students will work inside the club’s own facilities, including the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and the Ciudad Real Madrid training complex. Since I was already working in this field, they waived the entrance exam, and we had a direct interview. The course focuses on general sports management, covering areas like event and venue operations, finance, administration and legal aspects.

Entering the world of sports
Well, I've been following about eight to ten sports on TV since I was around 10 years old. My sporting interests include athletics, football, hockey, badminton, and cricket. I regularly follow the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. During my selection process for SAI, I had an interview testing my interest and aptitude in sports. As a keen sports follower, it was relatively easy for me.

A born football enthusiast
I'm from Kozhikode; football was my first love. I am a Real Madrid fan, yet I enjoy watching Barcelona play. My absolute favourite club, though, is Manchester United. I passionately follow the English Premier League. I genuinely enjoy watching both Liverpool and Arsenal. I used to play football in school and college.

Furthermore, for six years, I was the administrator of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi during the Indian Super League; in the meantime, we hosted two clubs: initially Punjab FC and now Sporting Club Delhi.

Scope for sporting businesses in India
I was primarily involved in sports infrastructure development for the last five years. Sports business models in India are not as evolved yet. There is a significant gap considering our huge consumer base. The most successful sports business model right now is the Indian Premier League. It really embraces the ‘sports with entertainment’ concept. Among non-cricketing sports, the only successful sports business model is the Pro Kabaddi League.

There is a huge opportunity vacuum in sports manufacturing. When it comes to apparel or equipment, Indian brands haven't yet reached an international standard. We still largely prefer foreign brands. Most of the business depends on foreign brands for synthetic tracks, turfs, floors and lighting. Recognising this, the government has designed separate schemes to promote sports goods manufacturing and foster sports business development in India.

Football development in India
Football isn't an individual game like cricket, where one exceptional performance can win the entire match; it's a team-oriented sport. Our major issues are game sense, awareness, and tactics. Indian football is in a transitional phase, learning to keep possession and build up. Before, we used to hoof long balls and hope someone would get lucky. In-depth understanding, awareness and ball knowledge are now beginning to percolate into Indian football. That's precisely why foreign-trained players excel; they possess that game awareness and tactical understanding.

The second factor is our fitness. Football is a physically demanding sport. Historically, we'd play well in the first half, only to concede and fade in the second, due to a lack of fitness. Now, integrating sports science by focusing on nutrition from a young age, injury rehabilitation, and sports medicine with proper physio systems is being introduced. Experiments in areas like biomechanics have only been available to the Indian football team. Once this reaches the grassroots level, players will join the national team 80% moulded. Many clubs like Minerva Punjab are implementing this.

The next issue is psychological. We still lack the belief to beat major teams. Once we defeat some, the confidence will follow. It was only after winning the Cricket World Cup in 1983 that we truly believed in ourselves. Therefore, if our teams can break that ceiling, we can consistently rank top in Asia.

New face to a controversial arena
Previously, during the Indian Open series, issues with monkeys, pigeon droppings, and stray dogs entering the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi were under intense media scrutiny. For about four months, we researched each problem. To repel pigeons, we used a special gel typically used by railways and the army to prevent them from perching. We even imported sound devices from the US to deter pigeons. To prevent the monkeys, we installed a double-door system throughout the stadium. Another major issue was the unhygienic toilets, which we fully renovated - all 80 of them.

During the event, we received immense appreciation from everyone, including the Badminton World Federation. It was a matter of 'saving face' for India, because of immense media criticism about contemplating an Olympics without even properly managing a world championship. Our execution was critically acclaimed in numerous media outlets.

On October 10, Nidhin will fly to Madrid to betroth his first love, paving the path for a million more youngsters seeking opportunities in a game they unconditionally love.