Kerala Blasters have a blast at Nehru Trophy boat race

David James is a giant. Not just in physical stature, but in societal terms, too. The man may have made his name between the sticks for many a top side in England, but it is unlikely that he has been subject to hero worship like in Kerala. As head coach of Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters, James enjoys the support of (arguably) India's most passionate football fan base.

The gaffer and his club were invited as special guests to the 66th Nehru Trophy boat race in Alappuzha, Kerala. James was accompanied by his coaching staff and the club administration. The players didn't turn up as the side was gearing up for a crucial encounter against FC Goa on November 11. Crucial, because the Blasters are currently on a five-game winless streak, after winning their opening game, which includes four consecutive draws.

Caught in a rut, the coach probably realised he could do with a breather. And what better way than to show your support at the local regatta? The "spirit of Kerala", he said, amazed him.

Legend has it that when the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru attended the race in 1952, he was so impressed that he impulsively hopped on to one of the boats, ignoring security protocol. It is a story that is oft told to illustrate how fascinating the event is to the outsider. But this time, the hosting of the tournament had significance.

Usually held in the second week of August, the race this year was pushed back by three months because of the devastating floods in the state. It was the first big reason to celebrate after the deluge, after Onam festival passed by largely unnoticed. Triumph over the tribulation; because if it was water that brought much pain and destruction to the people of Kerala, it was the same water that would bring them cheer.

The Nehru Trophy this time had 81 boats taking part, including 25 iconic snake boats. As one of Kerala's most important annual events, the tournament is a spectacle to behold. Many tourists have this event figured on their itinerary as lakhs of spectators catch the action every year. For members of a team sport, lessons are learnt as they watch the snake boats, which have a hundred rowers each, exhibit the essence of team work.

As the Blasters motorcade made its way to the Alappuzha boat jetty, James draped a mundu around himself. The group alighted from the van only to board a house boat and make a grand entrance at the crowded race venue.

But he wasn't the only star at the show. Telugu actor Allu Arjun, who has a massive following in the state, had already charmed the crowd from the packed VVIP section by the time the Blasters had arrived. The race was inaugurated by Governor P. Sathasivam. Ministers Thomas Isaac, G. Sudhakaran and P. Thilothaman, were also present.

Once the formalities and pleasantries were done, the Blasters troop hopped back into the house boat to get a ringside view of the race, further away from the podium. "I've never seen anything like this," said James. "I've heard a lot about the race before. We had planned to come for the original race in August. It is truly amazing—the dedication of the rowers and the communities that come and watch."

As James tirelessly and patiently obliged to innumerable selfies and waved at the masses gathered, we caught up with other members of the small party on the boat. Nimmagadda Prasad, co-owner of the club, felt that it is "symbolic and timely that an event like this can bring people together after a calamity like the floods".

"It is an emotional bonding exercise for members of the club with the fans," he said. "We don't just represent a football club, we represent a state. Kerala has been so supportive of our team, we owe it to the state. For that, it's good for these members of staff to come and show their support. Also, since they are foreigners, we get to show them our sport."

Speaking on life post Sachin Tendulkar, Prasad said that a presence like the Master Blaster is irreplaceable for the club. Tendulkar, who was one of the original co-owners of the club when it was formed, had sold the 20 per cent share he held, before the start of this season. He had done his bit of propping up the club when it needed a face. "We need to continue from where he left. We are grateful to him for what he has done and the best tribute to him would be if we do well on the pitch," said Prasad.

Assistant coach Hermann Hreidarsson, fitness coach David Richardson, goalkeeping coach Rory Grand and Blasters CEO Varun Tripuraneni were among the other members of the club present. Richardson, who was busy shooting off instructions to his players before leaving the hotel, boasted to his colleagues that he is probably the only member of the staff to have swum in the backwaters.

"Would you believe it, most of the Indian players in our squad do not know how to swim, so that's what I make them do now!" said Richardson. He is one of the many fitness coaches who arrive in India and are appalled by the poor fitness and dietary standards of footballers here. "What these players lack is proper training," he said. "More importantly, they lack education. We're here to impart some of that."

Richardson's mother had lived in Calcutta (now Kolkata) before moving to England, where he is now a resident of south London. It was on James's insistence that he took up the task of helping football grow in India. "The focus is to help create a base for Indian football first before Indians can even start dreaming about playing in the English premiership. Start with the smaller leagues maybe, and build your way up.

"When I came here in January I was stunned to see that 15 of our players were overweight. Body fat is an issue we had to tackle. Moreover, they have soft muscles like babies and they were eating all the wrong food. There is much improvement now. I give them strict regimen and they work hard now. Having young players helps, but we need to catch them younger. They need to be trained from the time they are kids, or else we won't get anywhere."

As James finally settled down after actively cheering several rounds of races, he was reluctant to shift his thoughts away from the fun and frolic, to the more serious issues. "When I signed the contract with the club, the underlying reason was to create an environment of development, besides winning the ISL, which we also want to do," he said. "To look at the younger players and the grassroots is key. That is when we come across gems like Sahal Abdul Samad. It is not about just playing local players and not bothering about results. The very nature of younger players is that their performances will generally go up and down more rapidly than older players. So, as a manager and as staff we have to contend with that."

After the staff returned to the hotel, they profusely thanked the club representatives who organised the trip. I asked James whether he thought his players missed out on something worth witnessing. "I can't speak for others, but I know the guys who went enjoyed it," he said. "I actually told the lads that anyone who wanted to go could tag along, but they also know that there is a game coming up. I'll recommend they do it next time!

"Coming back from the boat race now, there are different perspectives. Kerala Blasters have been celebrating the real heroes of the floods. I'm not going to moan about what goes on the pitch," he said.

The locals loved that their hero was present; the staff loved the experience. Everybody wins. All that remains for James and his unit is to tap into the "spirit of Kerala" that could help them bounce back into contention for the title.

Meanwhile, Payippadan chundan (snake boat) emerged as the winners of the boat race.

THE WEEK was invited by the Kerala Blasters to accompany and interact with the members of the staff as they attended the Nehru Trophy boat race.