Striker Arjun Tudu embodies the spirit of the Services team which retained the Santosh Trophy in Nagpur on Sunday.
The diminutive Arjun Tudu may not have the attributes of an archetypal striker. But what he lacks, Tudu makes up with his perseverance and natural goal-scoring ability.
Tudu is nippy and has good close control. These qualities help him catch the rival defenders off guard. Services beat host Maharashtra in the final on the strength of Tudu’s double strike. He was the man-of-the-match in the semifinal as well as the final.
The 25-year-old is one of the unsung heroes of Indian football. A regular with the Services team for the last four years, Tudu played his part, scoring crucial goals, when his team won the Santosh Trophy in Punjab last year.
Justifies faith of coach“It was a great feeling to score the winning goals in the final against Maharashtra. I was able to justify the faith my coach had in me.
“He told me to attack and that is what I did in the final. Whenever I get the ball I always think of scoring and if I can’t I try to create space. I have always backed myself to beat any defender with my speed,” said Tudu, who idolises Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
Hailing from a remote village in Bihar, Tudu followed the footsteps of his father Chunu Tudu, who was a district-level footballer. His career gained momentum when he joined the SAI sports hostel in Danapur, Patna.
In 2005, he was the top-scorer in the Subrato Cup football tournament in New Delhi. Tudu joined Services in 2008 after being part of its junior team from 2006.
The growth storyPlaying for Army XI, Tudu quickly established himself as the leading striker, scoring 30 goals in different tournaments. In the highly competitive Kolkata football league, Tudu played a big role in his team finishing second in the league last season.
Tudu’s consistent performance earned him a call up to the Indian camp for the SAFF Cup in December last year where he spent 20 days with coach Stephen Constantine.
Though he was disappointed not to be selected to the Indian team, Tudu said the stint was rewarding as he experienced scientific coaching for the first time in his career. “I definitely picked up a few things from the camp. My fitness levels improved and I understood what modern training was all about,” said Tudu.
Constantine, who witnessed the Santosh Trophy final, was impressed with Tudu’s performance. “He has tremendous pace and is a good striker. I had a good look at him at the SAFF Cup camp, but he still has some way to go to get into the Indian team.
“He will be a better player if he plays in the I-League. Personally if I was an I-League coach I would pick him in my side,” said Constantine.
Tudu may still play in the I-League as East Bengal has evinced interest in him and approached the Services management for signing him on loan for the remaining matches in the league.
Tudu is looking forward to play in the league but said the matter was not in his hands. “The offer came before the Santosh Trophy. I am ready to play but I have to get clearance from my team. If it happens I will be be happy,” said Tudu, who is not ready to quit his job to accept offers from big clubs.
Tudu says it is a childhood dream to play for India. “Whenever I watch the Indian team on TV I long to play for the country. But, I know it is not easy; I will keep trying and impress the national coach,” he said.
