Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep, better known as NP Pradeep, hails from a small village named Moolamattam in Kerala and he has had a long journey in his still young football career... But the journey was more than fruitful, as Pradeep is one of India's rising football stars! The young Keralite has made his way to the Indian national team and has shown several outstanding performances in the last few years.

IndianFootball.Com Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director Chris Punnakkattu Daniel had the opportunity to interview Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep about his career, the current situation of football in the country, his private life and the upcoming AFC Challenge Cup 2008.

Enjoy reading...!

Chris: You have played an influential role in the Indian national team in the last two years and you have been dubbed as India’s “rising star” by many fans and journalists! How would you rate your performances in the last few years and your progress at national and international level?

Pradeep: I am just concentrated on my game and trying to improve myself and I feel that there is still a long way to go.

Chris: The Indian national team is coached by Englishman Bob Houghton. Did Houghton influence your style of football? If yes, where and how did he change your style?

Pradeep: Yes of course he influenced my style of football. Earlier I used to play as left wing back, but Bob brought me in the attacking midfield which gave me more opportunity to score and I feel much more comfortable playing in the midfield.

Chris: You had many great moments, while wearing the national jersey, but what was the most memorable moment of your international career so far? And what is the ultimate goal you want to reach in your football career?

Pradeep: The success achieved by the team as a whole during the Nehru cup last year was the most memorable moment of my career. There are no ultimate goals in a profession, still my dream is to play in the English Premier League.

Chris: Indian football is making its wave around the globe and European clubs are targeting India as their next market. Do you think that such ventures will benefit Indian football and especially the footballers?

Pradeep: If these foreign clubs are interested to raise the standards of Indian football and also the footballers then it’s a good idea and definitely India football will be befitting but if it is just selling and marketing for their own clubs, then it does no favours to Indian football, its just a market for them.

Chris: You have been to Europe with the Indian national team and had the opportunity to play some matches there. Would you be interested to play club football in Europe, if offered a contract by a European outfit? And which country would you prefer to play, if you had the chance to chose?

Pradeep: If given a chance I would love to play in England.

Chris: The IndianFootball.Com users are based across the globe and some of them know very little about Indian football and their stars. So we would like to use this chance to introduce your person to these new fans out there!
Please tell us more about your background! Where do you and your parents hail from? Where did you grow up and which schools did you attend?

Pradeep: I am basically from a village named Moolamattam in Idukki district of Kerala state. I grew up in my village and studied in the Government Higher Secondary School in my village and later attended Kerala Verma College in Thrissur district.

Chris: When did you realise your interest in football and how did you start off to kick the ball? Whom did you turn to for guidance?

Pradeep: I was playing football since childhood but I was spotted in the district under-14 team by Mr. Salim Kutty (coach of Unity Soccer Thodupuzha) and later joined State Bank Travancore in Thiruvananthapuram. SBT Coach Najeeb has always been a source of guidance for me.

Chris: What made you lean towards football as compared to other sports especially cricket?

Pradeep: In the village all the children of my age used to play football in the small ground near my house, and I slowly and gradually developed the inclination towards the game.

Chris: How did your parents react to your passion towards football and did they support you in you endeavour of playing football?

Pradeep: My parents always wanted me to play football and have always supported me!

Chris: When did you join your first football club and how was the feedback about your football talent?

Pradeep: I joined SBT in the year 2000-01 and I was just 17 years old that time and the coaches were very happy with the way I used to play.

Chris: Were there any particular players you looked up to as a child?

Pradeep: Yes, IM Vijayan and Jo Paul Ancheri were my role models as a child.

Chris: Playing for the country is always a great honour for a sportsman and it helps a lot to mature as a pro-footballer. But how did your national team career influence your private life?

Pradeep: Yes it is. It’s everyone’s dream to play for his country. I feel very proud and honoured to play for my country. Apart from that I am known as NP Pradeep today because of playing for India and I feel good about it.

Chris: How would you describe yourself to someone else? What is your personality like and what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Pradeep: People say I am shy. I personally think I speak less and I can’t relate well with people… Maybe I am little introvert. My family is my strength and I don’t let anything to be my weakness.

Chris: Please tell us more about your hobbies and interest?

Pradeep: Listening devotional songs, shopping, chatting with friends… Playing volleyball at times.

Chris: What music do you listen to and which are your favourites TV shows and movies?

Pradeep: Action movies… Reality shows for time pass.

Chris: You’re one of the players from Kerala who made it big in the national team and there are several talented Malayalees playing at different clubs in the country. But club football in Kerala is having a tough time and they have been not able make a consistent impact at the national level in the recent years. The state team has failed in the latest edition of the Santosh Trophy and Malayalee football fans are missing their identity at national level… Where do you see Kerala football at the moment?

Pradeep: Nowadays everyone is very much career oriented… Nobody wants to take risks… On the other hand infrastructure and training facilities too are not good enough there… I hope in the near future the scenario will change and young players will be more confident to come to play professional football.

Chris: What has to be done to improve football in Kerala and to leave a mark at national level?

Pradeep: We don’t get chances to play tournaments other than Santosh Trophy and to improve football here we need to qualify for I-League… And I think clubs are doing there best to make it realize.

Chris: Let’s get back to the national level! Please give us your thoughts of the status quo of Indian football! Where does Indian football stand now compared to other Asian nations?

Pradeep: We are improving but still we have long way to go…

Chris: Where do you see the deficits compared to other nations and what has to be done to improve the standard in short-, medium- and long-term?

Pradeep: We have poor infrastructure… Very few good football grounds… Also we need more good football academies… We need different development programs for youth… And good marketing for football.

Chris: Your next assignment will be the AFC Challenge Cup at Hyderabad with the Indian national team. Do you think India has the potential to win the title and to clinch a direct qualification for the next AFC Cup in 2011? Which teams will be toughest opponents in the tournament?

Pradeep: Yes, definitely. We have the potential, but there are many good teams like North Korea and Tajikistan but we will definitely give them good competition.

Chris: What will be the key to play a successful AFC Challenge Cup? Which players will be influential and what is your personal goal for this tournament?

Pradeep: Football is a team game. We will do our best and concentrate to play well.

Chris: We are coming to the end of this interview and I would like to ask you a last question –
Did you know about IndianFootball.Com before this interview and what do you think about our work to promote Indian football?

Pradeep: You are doing a good job! I know about this website long before. Just keep working as you do in order to encourage and promote the game in our country.

Chris: Finally we would like to give you a chance to send out a message to everyone reading this interview!

Pradeep: Cheer for India… Cheer for football!!!

Chris: Thanks a lot for taking some time to do this interview with IndianFootball.Com!