Durand Cup: John Abraham’s North-East United living a dream with an encore

The sense of satisfaction on Bollywood actor John Abraham’s face on Saturday night said it all. After enduring a barren run in terms of silverware for 11 long seasons, not to speak of the financial challenges to mount a challenge in the ISL, Lady Luck has finally smiled on his team North-East United FC for two seasons now.

If the highlanders spoiled a star-studded Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s party in a shootout in the Durand Cup final last year, Spanish coach Juan Pedro Benali’s side ran roughshod over newcomers Diamond Harbour FC 6-1 in a one-sided final to make it back-to-back triumphs in one of Asia’s oldest tournaments. What’s more, it was the first team to do so in 25 years — despite its brief 12-year-old history — while the scoreline marked the joint-highest margin of victory in a Durand final since 1896 when Somerset Light Infantry beat Black White by the same margin.

''It's great achievement for us to be the first team to win the Durand Cup back-to-back after 1991. I would like to believe that we will make it a habit,'' the enduring action hero said in a video on the club website. "I would like to believe that we are a very resilient club and I personally run it with a lot of passion. Yes, times are tough but we have held out so far."

It has indeed been journey of resilience for the club, which represents eight states from the hills instead of a single city, and John’s crusade has begun to be noticed. Only in mid-June, Union minister of communications and development of North-East Jyotiraditya Scindia had high praise for the actor during a courtesy call in the capital. On his X handle, Scindia wrote: ‘’John’s indomitable zeal for football and his dream of seeing a Messi or Ronaldo rise from our soil is truly inspiring. Wishing him and the team great success in taking Indian football forward.’’

The back-to-back Durand Cup success can hardly offset for the losses that a single ownership club like NUFC has had to endure in the ISL, but it may help in terms of wooing some sponsorship deals. A candid John admitted to a YouTube channel a few years ago: ‘’Every year, I suffer big losses (by investing in NUFC). I am an individual owner. The rest of the teams are owned by multi-billion dollar corporates.’’      

It was back in 2007 that John, a huge football fan and decent player himself, played Sunny Bhasin, a UK-born Indian bred in Southall making it big in the film Goal. This was long before the idea of ISL had taken root, and when teams for the marquee league went for an auction, he pitched in for the highlanders instead of investing in his hometown Mumbai.

There is no magic recipe for the NUFC to replicate its success in the ISL, given the disparity between their budget and those of top guns Mohun Bagan, Mumbai FC or Bengaluru FC. However, John has a long-term legacy in mind and has already begun working towards it, irrespective of his team’s hunt for trophies.

‘’I have one objective — legacy. One superstar should come from my academy. I am constructing an academy in Shillong, and it’s going to be India’s best. For the kids who don’t have money, their boarding, lodging, education — I want to take care of everything from the ages of eight to 18.’’

It’s not often one hears an Indian club owner speak on similar lines. Mandar Tamhane, the club’s CEO, also weighed in on the significance of the club’s success. ‘’We are a club which represents eight states, not just one state or one city. It’s a big responsibility for us when we represent our fans,’’ he added after their first trophy last year.

One year on and another Durand Cup title later, one must say NUFC is flying the flag for the 'Seven Sisters' well!