Football coach Mughato wants to produce great players in the region

KOHIMA - While thinking of the game of football in Nagaland, the name of Mughato comes naturally to one’s mind here today.

Nagaland’s Mughato, the talented football coach, is upbeat about producing football players from the region.

His career as a footballer started in 1995, when he joined the Assam Special Reserve Police. He played for it for four consecutive years and then joined Dynamo Club, Guwahati before shifting to Mohameddan Sporting Club in Kolkata.

His desire to work for the youth in Nagaland brought him back to Dimapur where he has been working as a coach at the Youth and Sports Department.

Mughato has today put Nagaland on the football map of the country.

In 2008, a Nagaland team won the Under-14 Subroto Cup title for the first time.

“Nagaland Football Association (NFA) should start a league of its own, the Nagaland league. Until and unless that comes out, it’ll be hard to progress. If NFA couldn’t start due to lack of funds why not the Nagaland Government takes it up, if they want the sportspersons to excel, says Mughato, the football coach.

Eight players of his under-14 team were awarded scholarships and seven others were selected for representing Subroto-11 at Bangladesh.

The young coach, however, doesn’t like resting on his laurels. He today wants the State government to frame a sports policy that encourages talented players.

“If the Government wants, it can create job for us. Like in Manipur, they are creating jobs for those who excel in National and international arenas. So, if the Government starts doing that, obviously then the players out here will also start giving their full time,” said Mughato.

“We Nagas have much potential in sports. We are interested in playing games including football, cricket and others. We got potential. What we lack is we don’t get enough facilities to become better sportspersons,” said Shinmichin, a football player.

In Nagaland, Mughato is a youth icon, whose passion for football is widely viewed as an inspiration who could motivate many more youngsters to take up football as a career. By Peter Chachei (ANI)