KOCHI: Even after over half a century of coaching football at the historic Parade Ground in Fort Kochi, Rufus D’Souza, a former player who spearheaded the attacks of the erstwhile Thiru-Kochi and Madras state teams, is not one bit tired. In fact, the 92-year-old is brimming with energy and is the first to arrive at the ground every morning — at 5.30am — come rain or shine.
In a conversation with TNIE, Football Uncle, as Rufus is fondly called, talks about his love affair with the beautiful game, and more…
How did your interest in football blossom?
I hail from a sports family. My mother was a basketball player and my father, a hockey player. They used to have arguments about what sport I should play. Once, my grandmother, whom I called Nana, had to intervene. She asked me, ‘Rufus, what would you like to play?’. That moment is still etched in my mind. I told her, ‘Nana, I would like to play football.’ That’s how it began. And later, I was baptised on the local grounds. Subsequently, I started playing hockey as well.
When did you start harbouring professional ambitions?
I loved to play football. But the thing is, only the seniors got to play on our local grounds. We kids used to sit on the sidelines and wait for them to leave for their beedi break for a chance to play.
It was only when K M Abu, whom we call Abookka, invited me to join his club, the Youngsters Sports Club on Princess Street, that I started to take the game seriously. I was 14 then, and I played for them until 1959.
Later, I played for several national-level clubs, and eventually, the Thiru-Kochi and Madras state teams.
