Earlier this year, I travelled to India searching for answers and fulfillment in my own life. In return, I ended up shooting a football documentary feature on Tolgay Ozbey, an Australian footballer plying his trade for India’s biggest club, East Bengal FC.
I have produced for your pleasure a 4min and 40sec trailer into the life of East Indian Football and an interview with Tolgay Ozbey.
The short doco was filmed in Kolkata, India on April 2011 – but more on that later.
The one thing I find fascinating on our forums is how quick we are all to judge Australian Footballers who choose to ply their trade in leagues across the world that are perceived to be minor football leagues or simply poor career choices.
One could not be more surprised than former Robbie Slater medallist Tolgay Ozbey’s move to the Indian I-League to Kingfisher East Bengal FC.
But what do we know about Indian football, its players, the clubs and its national curriculum?
I must admit I knew very little except for the fact that they once qualified for the World Cup, only to be banned for their refusal to wear football boots, wanting to play barefoot instead.
India is a nation of 1 billion people and a former British Colony that has failed to produce a World Cup winning squad.
In Mumbai, west India, I would count at least 10 games of cricket before I would see a park game of football, whereas in Kolkata, East India, it would seem to be the opposite.
I would spend most of my days in Bombay – or Mumbai, as it is politically known – reading the paper in the cafes, scrolling through the tiresome pages of cricket news before the football section. Then one article changed it all.
The article was written by a football fan, asking “Is India Cricket’s true home?” The author suggested that most Indians would rather watch a non-Indian football match lasting 90 mins over a non-Indian cricket match lasting a whole day and that the Kolkata derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan on the East of India can attract more than 120,000 fans.
When I read this article, my bags were half packed.
After discovering that an Australian plays football for one of the clubs, I couldn’t just go as a spectator.
Somehow I had to document the experience to share with others and, most importantly, try to understand as to why a talented footballer and with an A-League contract in hand (with the Central Coast Mariners), would want to come to a league where its national team is sitting at the wrong end of FIFA World rankings.
Which brings me to Tolgay Ozbey.
I thought about just doing an interview with pen and paper with the 25-year old, but then realized, how is anybody supposed to absorb the emotions of India, its people, fans, culture and football through 1000 words? You simply can’t. How are you supposed to feel a connection with Australia’s Ozbey if you have never met him?
You may have heard of Tolgay Ozbey as the guy who had a brief stint in the A-League. Or you may have heard of him as the leading goal scorer in the NSW Premier League.
But currently, Ozbey is our Australian representative amongst Indian football circles and I can assure you, he is doing us proud. He is a crowd favourite at East Bengal FC and that should be clear by the footage of the video production.
I see Ozbey as the inspiration to the thousands of kids wanting to play football professionally, whose names are not Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill.
These names represent the pinnacle of football excellence, but they are also reserved to a special and talented 11. Tolgay Ozbey means living your childhood dream as a footballer without borders.
He represents the path for every aspiring footballer that has ever dreamed to wake up each morning and go to work by means of lacing up a pair of football boots.
The decision to make a life in India or abroad is not an easy one. There are sacrifices along the way and all the comforts and safety nets of the previous life are removed.
The unexplained universe opens and forces one to take control of his own destiny faster than any self-book could possibly explain.
To visit India is a life changing experience, but to build a life there is a credit to one’s life portfolio that many of us will never have an opportunity to experience or are simply just too afraid to try.
All in all, Tolgay’s story is about “the road less travelled”, and in his vey own words “there are no regrets”.
So, here it is lads. A sneak preview and interview with Tolgay Ozbey through the lens of an independent film maker… yours truly.
Tolgay Ozbey talks to us about life in India, provides some advice for young footballers, the A-League, AFC and more.
The trailer runs for 4:40s and is exclusive to The Roar, with the video posted on Youtube at the same time the article was submitted here
This Production was shot on HDV with a professional crew. Full interview and story hopefully coming soon. I hope you enjoy.
Aranya Bhattacharya
Guest
Well done mate! A very good evaluation of what football means to Kolkata. Iam from Kolkata and every Kolkatan has a passion for this game. No matter what they do, where they live, what their occupation is, they just love their club(whichever they support, be it East Bengal or Mohun Bagan) and can go to any extent for it. It literally makes our day when our fav club wins. Supporters here live under extreme pressure and anxiety before the famous derby(often regarded as the best in Oceania). It's as if they are to play in it. And believe me playing or not playing in the World Cup hardly matters to us. Being an East Bengal supporter, I must admit that Tolgay holds a special place in our hearts. And the best lines to describe Kolkata football will be- There are more people shouting their lungs-out outside the stadium than inside. We have an IPL cricket club in this city, but it's more of amusement than passion. More of a picnic than a war(where every Kolkatan is a part) !
Carlton
Guest
He actually turned down an offer from Lawrie McKinna's team in China. The football world doesn't revolve around the A-League. Coaches know he is good except he's one of those in between players the the A-League isn't use too.
choccake
Guest
CrossIT get your facts straight before lashing out... As a matter of fact, Tolgay did play in the A-League - in fact he was in the Sydney FC premiership winning side back in 2006 when he was only 19 years of age. He also earnt the NSW Premier League Golden Boot Award in consecutive years as well as NSW player of the year, just to name a few of his achievements. T.O. has done a great thing by building the courage and taking a chance by going overseas and playing in India. It appears that he is much loved there, and is doing something every footballer dreams about - succeeding and having an opportunity to build a career out of something they love. I'm sure you would do the same if you had the opportunity.. I take my hat off to the young lad! Keep it up son, you're doing us proud! Also, a great story by Cpaaa, good work!!
CrossIT
Guest
OZ obviously still bitter, "I think I might come back to the A-league when I'm 30", still won't accept he couldn't cut it, and now has the nerve to turn his nose up. Head the size of a blimp that bloke!
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
Thanks AF, well we tried. Terrific idea about forging relations with India. We have strong cricket ties and the football could use better direction. There is no code wars in India either. Actually now that i mention it someone in Kolkata was talking to me about the old days of East Indian Football when under the British colony, many Football fans referred to cricket as a game played by sissys and poofters....now where have i heard that before? Just as a side note without doing in research into it, someone also mentioned that Steve Waugh has a charity foundation set up in Kolkata. So like you said AF, stronger Football ties with the Great country of India would be absolutely marvelous.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
cheers Mid
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
Thanks for the comments Nordzz and KF. T.O did have a contract with CCM and turned them down. I dont think T.O comments on the A-League are any more or less offensive than say Lucas Neil or Schwarzers words. T.O did mention he would like to consider the A-League in the future but right now he is in a happy place. In Australia we also have some of the highest tax systems in the world, where as in India he is genuinely living like a Maharja. T.O was heavily criticised on departure on sites like 442, he took a risk and its paid off for him. So if it seems he has made the right choice then he can only encourage others to give it a go. At the end of the day in regards to the A-League i think there is a balance of players coming and going. Burns, Milicevic, Vidosic, Zelic all had stints O/S to return and some go back again. T.O is no different and for choosing India dosnt mean failure. He plays regulary, a marquee player, financially beneficial, life experience, popular with fans and loving life. Nordzz u said "Clearly footballers who stay here and contribute to the local scene are doing more for Oz football than Tolgay is. " True but also having an Australian that is doing well in the I-League looks favourably on our nation. Every foreigner that plays in the A-League should be contributing to lifting the standard of the League and we remember where they are from. In Mumbai people would ask where I am from? id answer Australia. and the response would be...."ah Ricky Ponting, great cricketer". You see foreigners are more than just Footballers, they are the nations diplomats. If they misbehave it reflects badly on their nation. If they are loved, then the nation is better for it. It cuts both ways.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
Ben of PP, unfortunetly no one didnt for the reason i was in Kolkata and my story was based on the Kolkata derby, Tolgay, we shot a small story on an N.G.O and Dihman briefly covered what was needed in the I-League more so than the falling of other clubs.
nordozzz
Roar Guru
it was a great interview up until that point ... i hate in general how some people take their experience and what's worked for them, and expand on that saying that its best for everyone. Clearly footballers who stay here and contribute to the local scene are doing more for Oz football than Tolgay is. Good on him with his current endeavours and i do enjoy hearing about the travels of our players. He seems to put himself on some pedestal for having chosen to journey overseas, when in fact staying here has plenty going for it also.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I fear that in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king. I'm sure any casual Indian football follower would expose me for the fraud I am :) That said I do believe that Simon Storey is now playing for Mohun Bagan. Also I am curious to hear how Mohindra's dramatic (and in my view totally unwarranted) folding will affect the I-League. Did anyone discuss this with you over some Woodpeckers?
Karmikel Funk
Roar Rookie
Well done cpaa - nice article and mini doco. Indian football can only grow from here as numbers and revenues increase, especially given the potential size of the crowds. Some local derbies draw over 100K spectators. Disappointed though in some of Ozbey's comments about the A-League -its a bit ironic coming from a player who couldn't get an A-League contract. Also don't agree that all players should rush overseas and leave the A-League behind. From my perspective the A-League is improving in standard and can be just as entertaining as any other football game played around the world - even India.
Fivehole
Guest
Hatamoto would love those "flares"
Midfielder
Guest
Cpaaa Mate ... that is an awesome job you have done.... many many thanks... enjoying reading your article very much... Again thank you for writing it...
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
Ben G that is fine and your views about an Australian playing Football in unknown parts of the world is precisly the reason i decided to do such a story. I dont mean to take it out on you personally but your views are what many others think and i find it totally ignorant, but a few corrections first. T.O was the NSW Premier League Top Goal scorer, he had brief stints in Sydney, Newcastle and had a contract on paper with the CCM before his departure. Here is a list of Australian Footballers playing abroad http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Abroad/index.html. you can count them i couldnt be bothered. As you may have noticed, not all the names are Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill. There are many that you havnt heard of that will never represent Australia at senior level. Do you see their decision to play abroad as a failure? Do you see anyone that decides to open a business in PNG, Vietnam, Brasil or India as a reason to say they didnt have enough guts or wernt good enough to do that in Australia? I see these people, whether it be Footballers or businessman with more courage and guts than the average person here in Australia with narrow thinking and faster judgement. Would you say the same for Van Dyke, Flores, Brohich York or Fowler, choosing to play in the A-League as a failure for they couldnt play in more established Leagues? Players choose to play in different countries for different reasons, most of the time it is financially motivated..but not always. The best thing about Football is that players have choices and reason to travel and see the world from a different angle. In Tolgays situation the guy is treated like a Rock Star. watch the vid you may agree with me. This my friend he will never experience in Australia. Indian fans are ....Fanatical. I wish i was in such a privileged position to do so and getting paid 1000s in return for doing what i love. But then again you may see it from a different angle.
Cpaaa
Roar Pro
Ben of PP your knowledge of Indian Football is impressive. Shillong, east India has a proud Football history. Other points of interest is may be that the I-Leagues 2 biggest clubs, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are owned by the same owner. There is no official national broadcaster and Salt Lake Stadium, Indias largest Football stadium has no sponsorship at all. The score board dosnt work and there are plenty of broken seats. Yet one cant help wonder that this place looks like a living day Colosseum equal to Rome.
Ben G
Guest
Thanks for the story but I can't be bothered watching the interview. I've seen him before and his attempts at slagging off the A-League are hysterical. He clearly couldn't cut it here and now wants to one-up himself over him tremendous efforts of making it in the I-League. Why can't players just be honest with themselves every now and then and admit they just aren't that good? Not every professional player is Messi.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Sadly the players from South Asia are generally not good enough (no idea about the diaspora though). That said I think the Indian keeper, Subrata Pal, has shown real promise and depth of character. Ali Ashfaq from the Maldives has some talent however he appears rooted in Male. Football in South Asia has some way to go, primarily as the infrastructure for football just isn't there. Teams like Shillong Lajong have been trying to address the balance and spread the game away from the strongholds of Goa, Kolkata and Mumbai however it is a long term project.
BigAl
Guest
Great effort, congrats. ! I have often wondered why you never hear of any players of Indian/South Asian descent making any sort of professional mark in the UK ! Have there been any ?
Darren
Guest
What a tool. He obviously wasn't good enough to play in the A-league, hence why he moved to India. Now he's bagging out the A-league saying it won't survive unless it pays big money on international players. What a jerk. I'm glad that you'll never be good enough to represent our country
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Great work, Cpaaa. And, got to love the the flares in the stadium .... wonder if VicPol would prefer this Indian version of flares, rather than the maritime version? :-)