Trials and tribulations of Manipur’s six-a-side football
Popularity of football matches with lesser number of players are at its peak in Ukhrul district of Manipur despite state and national federations decreeing against it.
The players played with abandon and the crowds cheered as lustily as they could.
Everyone at the KK Leishiphanit football ground tucked away in the neighbourhood of Kasomtang in Ukhrul seemed to have thrown all caution to wind as they indulged in what could be best described as Manipur’s unmatched passion for football.
In progress on the field was a keenly contested football match between two local teams.
Since the ground was small, the number of players was limited to only six per team.
But the football on display was neither short of thrill or thirst for an exciting showdown. After all, it was the final of a much loved six-a-side football tournament.
“Six-a-side gives us an unmatched adrenaline rush because of its intensity. Everyone – from the players to the fans – are on their toes for the whole game,” said Worngam Kasomwoshi, a woman spectator sitting on the sideline.
What she said captured the popular sentiment of football in Ukhrul, a hilly district of Manipur where flat, open spaces are hard to come by. Since most available spaces are small, the locals have come up with their own solutions: games of football often played with lesser number of players, as was the case with the one underway in Kasomtang that balmy evening.
More than just a game
No matter the number of players, locals remain in awe of this miniature football version.
Six-a-side gives us an unmatched adrenaline rush because of its intensity. Everyone – from the players to the fans – are on their toes for the whole game
For that matter, it didn’t even matter when last October, the All Manipur Football Association (AMFA) put out a notification stating that any registered player or referee of the state must refrain from taking part in formats of football tournament other than 5-a-side, 9-a-side and the customary 11-a-side games approved by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The notification was accompanied by a stern warning that any player or referee not heeding the diktat would have their registration with the AIFF cancelled.
The notification stumped many in Manipur.
“We didn’t know what to do when we first saw it. Six-a-side is part of the football culture here and to order us stop playing it was a huge headache,” pointed out Asher Raleng, president of Hunphun Phungcham Football Association (HPFA), organisers of six-a-side tournaments in Ukhrul.
AIFF hasn’t responded yet to queries by Village Square as to why it is okay to play 5-a-side or 9-a-side, but not 6-a-side.
AMFA, however, clarified that 6-a-side is an unrecognised format of football and registered players and referees of the state can be penalised if found playing in such tournaments.
Eyes on the goal
To many, the order against 6-a-side was quixotic.
It’s not fair to prohibit a format of football just because it doesn’t conform to the rules.
Asher Raleng, President, HPFA
Football – be it 5, 6, 9 or 11-a-side – provides a distraction from drinking and other addictions in Manipur.
In Ukhrul too, where the menace of drug abuse and alcohol addiction is rising worryingly, football offers a different pathway to better health and life for youngsters.
Following extended head scratching and protracted discussions, the organisers decided to persist with their six-a-side games.
For Asher and many others, six-a-side football is a game worth cherishing. “If we are forced to stop playing it, we will lose a part of the soul and culture of football in Ukhrul,” he said.
In more ways than one, 6-a-side has a different charm, besides its own set of rules.
Rules for penalty kicks, restart of play and taking goal kicks are different from normal football games.
“This makes our version truly special,” insisted Phayam Raleng, an ardent fan.
Even Reisangmi Vashum, a former Indian International who donned the colours of East Bengal and Churchill Brothers, is a staunch fan of the 6-a-side game.
“Since players get much lesser space and time in 6-a-side, they have to react quicker, create space faster, and make decisions in split seconds. All these aspects can be applied in 11-a-side and help massively in the development of young players,” Vashum explained.
But few had the lofty goals for the future in mind that evening as they soaked up in the excitement of the match in Kasomtang.
The game progressed at a frenetic pace with both teams taking turns in attacking each other’s goals.
The final of the 6-a-side tournament was truly an electrifying affair.
For those gathered, football – irrespective of the number of players – was and will always be a beautiful game.
The lead image at the top shows a player taking a shot during a six-aside football game while the fans watch on (Photo by Worngachan A Shatsang)
Worngachan A Shatsang is a freelance journalist based in Ukhrul, Manipur. He writes about football, rural life, farming and environmental issues. He is a Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.
