Manipur has been the country's football factory for the past decade or so and the tiny state's tremendous passion for the game is what the Neroca FC owner Naoba Thangjam wants to capitalise on after qualifying for the top-tier I-League.
Neroca, established in 1965 and based in the capital city of Imphal, qualified for the I-League this season after winning the second division I-League, the first club from Manipur to do so.
They are now in the second spot of the league table and are one of the title aspirants though they are playing in their debut season.
Naoba says that his side will be for a long haul in the Indian football domestic circuit and has some big plans, including the setting up of a full-fledged academy in three years time.
"It was an emotional moment for fans in Manipur, for football lovers in the state when we qualified for the I- League. We have senior members of the club who are former footballers and who have dreamt of Neroca playing at the top level of the country," Naoba told PTI in an exclusive interview.
"They could see their dream coming true in their lifetime. There was an emotional outpouring of emotions and pride from the people of Manipur," Naoba says, recalling the immediate aftermath of the I-League qualification.
"There were eight Manipuri boys in India's FIFA U-17 World Cup squad. We have a lot of talent and we just needed the platform to support them. This platform was not there for a long time," said Naoba.
"We are just giving the platform and with the abundant talent available. We want to have full use of it and change the football landscape," he added.
He also disclosed that Neroca will have a full-fledged academy in two or three years as the club management is close to buying land for that.
"This year we have focusseed on the senior team which is vital if we have to have the visibility. From next season we will start promoting our youth teams. We already have our grassroot programmes in place," he said.
"Kids under 10 years of age are being trained under qualified coaches in football clinics from 7am to 9am under qualified cocahes. We have U-13, U-15 and U-18 teams taking part in AIFF's leagues."
"Regarding the academy, we are close to buying a huge amount of land at the outskirts of Imphal and we will set up a good academy and training ground there. May be in another two-three years we will have a full fledged academy similar to the likes of Minerva Football Academy and Tata Football Academy," he further added.
He insisted that talented Manipuris don't need to look any further as they will now have state of the art coaching in India itself.
"The players from Manipur need not go to other academies once our academy is there. We will focus on the grassroot development, that is the only way forward for Indian football," said the 31-year-old chief executive officer of the club.
Neroca team is promoted by Classic Group, a chain of hotels considered the best in the state. They have two top- class hotels in Imphal and others in other districts of the state.
Himself a hotel management degree holder, Naoba is passionate about football and he is a hands-on owner as he will be present at the Khuman Lampak Stadium giving instructions to his staff to attend to their assigned jobs on pre-match and match days. He even waters the pitch himself.
"It is all about passion for the game and for my club. It is full time for the club during football season," said Naoba, who is also the Director of Classic Group of Hotels.
Naoba says for a small club like Neroca which is being run in a shoe-string budget it is an achievement itself to be in title contention in the debut season.
"We did not have high expectations as it is our debut season. We were there to have feel, how is the I-League and its standard is and how we will stand there. I told the head coach that top four will be an achievement."
"But now we are second in the league table and one of the title contenders. It was surprising and we did not expect this. As we started winning, I sent a message to the coach and whole team that your pressure now increases. Pull up your socks and start thinking of title," he smiled and said.
Naoba admitted that getting the funds and sponsors for the club was tough in a state where there are very few corporate houses.
The lack of promoters, who can run clubs has been the main reason behind Manipur taking so long to produce an I- League team despite the abundant talented youngsters who had to ply their trade in other clubs of the country.
"It is difficult to get sponsors in India especially in a state like Manipur where there aren't many big corporate houses. Getting funds is the biggest challenge. You need a huge sum. And it is just spend and don't think about any return now.
"You need a minimum budget of Rs 2.5 to 3 crore and I believe Neroca, Aizawl FC and Shillong Lajong are the minimum budget clubs. But we don't have the mentality that the more you spend the better you become. We believe in right people for the right team. That way we are doing well," he signed off.
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