Victor Amalraj goes down the memory lane with Habib and Akbar

Hyderabad: When former Indian captain Victor Amalraj made a courtesy call on football stalwarts and brothers Mohammed Habib and Mohammed Akbar, it was a meeting of like-minded fleet footed veterans of the 70s and 80s. The memories of their exemplary show on the ‘Maidans of Calcutta’ came flooding back. The football geniuses went down memory […]

Hyderabad: When former Indian captain Victor Amalraj made a courtesy call on football stalwarts and brothers Mohammed Habib and Mohammed Akbar, it was a meeting of like-minded fleet footed veterans of the 70s and 80s. The memories of their exemplary show on the ‘Maidans of Calcutta’ came flooding back.

The football geniuses went down memory lane after exchanging pleasantries.”I felt extremely happy when I could meet up with these two old teammates who are legends of Hyderabad and Indian football.”

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Amalraj recalled that 72-year-old Habib was a great midfield marshal. “He could control the midfield with his stamp of class. He was a fighter on the football field and never gave up till the final whistle was blown.

“Habib bhai played for India and Bengal in the Santosh trophy, was also an excellent coach and he guided Mohammedan Sporting in domestic competitions for some seasons. He also managed Tata Football Academy,” he said, added “Habib bhai has become very weak after his Parkinson’s disease.”

Amalraj added that Habib’s younger brother Akbar was a deadly goal scorer. “He was known as the Badshah of Eden Garden. His ability to score from any angles with power packed and accurate shots made him a danger man for all rival teams. The goalkeepers dreaded the moment Akbar entered the danger zone.

“Akbar bhai had a phenomenal record as a goal scorer while playing for Mohammedan Sporting, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He was on the top of the goals scorer’s list and in 1978, he struck as many as 35 goals. Akbar was one of the most sought after players then and the Big Three often used to vie for this mercurial Hyderabad forward.”

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