The Totally Indian Football Show by Humans of Indian Football

Please note, this episode was recorded in November 2024. In part 2 of this conversation featuring Joseph George and Shreejit Nair, they talk about their moments playing alongside Indian footballers & meeting their international footballing icons. Joseph reminisces about receiving a letter from Jose Mourinho while Shreejit shares about being starstruck meeting Figo, Ronaldinho, Scholes etc. They also discuss about work-life balance that they bring to their daily lives. It's a conversation that continues to showcase their friendship, bromance peppered with humor and heartfelt moments!

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in November 2024.  In this episode, we welcome Joseph George and Sreejith Nair, two passionate sports broadcasters, as they share their journey in Indian football. They discuss their transitions from traditional jobs to the dynamic field of sports broadcasting, the challenges they faced, and the camaraderie that drives their work. Expect an engaging conversation filled with insights about the future of sports in India, the importance of data in broadcasting, and the personal stories that shaped their careers. Tune into part 1 of this episode for an enlightening discussion peppered with humor and heartfelt moments

In episode 100th of The Totally Indian Football Show, host Siju is joined Ashish Kothari as he co-hosts this special episode. Sushant Waydande is the guest. He played the role of Tulsidas Balaram in the movie Maidaan. The movie is based on the golden era of Indian football. Tune in to know the reel life of Tulsidas Balaram!

Continuing with our storytelling into the 99th episode, host Siju is joined by Amrita Sampathkumar. She works as producer / broadcaster currently on ISL and has worked on tournaments like FIFA World Cup, hockey World Cup, PKL among others. She's currently the only female content producer in the league. A fascinating journey from working alongside Arnab Goswami to the world of sports. Tune in and enjoy the various anecdotes. We appreciate your support!

The biggest stage is all set as the Blue Tigers begin their AFC Asian Cup from 13th January in Qatar. To talk about the tournament in detail, host Siju is joined by former footballer turned pundit, Erik Paartalu & journalist Siddhanth Aney. We go at length and discuss the opponents in group B - Australia, Uzbekistan & Syria. We also talk about the Indian squad and the chances and expectations. Tune in & share the episode if you liked it.  We appreciate your support!

Siddharth Sabapathy is a known personality in Mumbai football. As he joins host Siju on the 97th episode, he shares how he began his journey which started off as a player & to his current role as owner of Community Football Club of India (CFCI) and a key member in the Mumbai Football Association (MFA). His vision of wanting and making sure young players get an opportunity to play to grow as a professional has kept him going places. Recently, his Club has signed a partnership with I-League team Sreenidi Deccan FC. He's always writing a new chapter in the history of Mumbai football!We appreciate your support!

Jules Alberto Dias is one of the key footballers in the history of Indian Football. He grew up watching another stalwart from Goa, Savio Medeira & was inspired to play the sport. He has played for Goan clubs and for the likes of Mahindra United. At the latter, he was one of the highest paid players. On this episode, host Siju takes him down memory lane – from his early playing days, club football, National team call-up, the 2001 goal against UAE etc. He also shares his thoughts on the current Indian team.  We appreciate your support!

The Reliance Foundation Young Champs academy situated in Navi Mumbai has been nurturing & producing future Indian Football stars. Host Siju is joined by U-19 Assistant Coach, Saksham Kakkar & Head of Scout, Steve Charles – as they share and talk about the robust RFYC coaching & scouting system. Tune in for an informative yet engaging conversation. We appreciate your support!

Sisters in Sweat co-founded by Tanvie Hans & Swetha Subbiah is helping girls and women to play and enjoy sports. The first session came out with a nudge from a friend & Tanvie being a former player, she led a beginners session for 17 girls/women that turned up. All this began in Bengaluru & now has expanded in Mumbai. They want to expand more & make sure women get to play. We appreciate your support!

Shimla is known for apples and its scenic beauty but football is highly popular as well. Host Siju is joined by Abhinav Nekta, President of Shimla Football Club. He shares his journey & talks about how the club was formed. He also gives us a glimpse into the popularity of football in the hills. He wants to provide kids of Shimla and around good football training without having to leave home. Tune in for a fun and engaging conversation.   We appreciate your support!

Agnelo Fernandes fondly known as Aggie joins host Siju to share about his journey & to elaborate on his current role at Thane City FC. He's the Technical Director of the club. The aim for the academy & club is to build a football culture and make sure the grassroots structure is in place. Agnelo also takes us all back to his playing days & how he fell in love with the sport.  We appreciate your support!

A special one for host Siju as she's been following Nubaid Haroon on social media for more than a couple of years. To have him join her on the show in the studio was just super cool. Amidst all the fumbles, there's a beautiful story & journey of broadcaster, podcaster - Nubaid Haroon aka Rambo! He's the face and voice for football in the UK & he's also assisted the legendary Kaka in a legends football game. Now, how cool is that! Tune in & enjoy.  You can follow Nubaid: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rambofyi/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/RamboFYI  We appreciate your support!

Hailing from the same state to now playing for the same team - Raynier Fernandes & Jay Gupta have come together at FC Goa not just as teammates but also roommates! Now how did this all happen & what's their journey like? Raynier with an assist & Jay with a banger goal - these Gaurs are already roaring. Tune in for a fun episode!  We appreciate your support!

Pragati Banka joins host Siju on the latest episode to share her journey geographically and career wise! She's currently the Senior Associate - Policy & Programmes for Meraki Sport & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. She talks about the importance of a role like hers & lack of knowledge among athletes regarding their rights. She also gives us a closer look into her role at Meraki & shares anecdotes from her experience. She hopes to bridge the gap & make sure sports professionals have to focus only on their performance on the pitch. Tune in for an engaging and informative episode.  You can connect with Pragati:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pragati-banka-323239136/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bongka.17/ We appreciate your support!

Surya Prakash, a coach & currently the Technical Head, Football Schools  at FC Goa. He joins host Siju on the latest episode to share his journey that has seen him travel from his hometown, Bihar to Mumbai to Goa to Bengaluru & now back to Goa. It has been quite a journey of learning for Surya who is humble about it & keen on sharing his knowledge with those around him. From doing sports management to football coaching & now leading a bunch of young coaches, it's a story worth knowing.  You can connect with Surya on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/suryaprakash7/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/surya-prakash-7874b922/ We appreciate your support!

Arjun Kalra is a filmmaker & sports content creator. He has worked on projects like the FIFA Women's World Cup held in Australia/New Zealand, Chelsea FC, ISL, ICC etc. Residing in London, he wants to make more content and up his movie/content making skills. A young dynamic gentleman joins host Siju to share his journey so far & what's in store for him in the road ahead.  You can connect with Arjun on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arzunexists/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjun-kalra-371240128/ We appreciate your support!

Multimedia journalist for NewsClick.in, one of the experts from 420grams podcast - Siddhanth Aney joins host Siju on the latest episode. Siddhanth has had several years of experience covering sports. We kickoff the episode by taking Mr. Aney down memory lane, asking him about Captain Chhetri. We then talk about all that's happening in Indian football!  We appreciate your support!

The special edition features fans from the West Coast Brigade, the official fan club of Mumbai City FC. Host Siju is joined by Akshay, Ashish, Anand & Tushar who spoke & shared about the excitement about the upcoming Asian Champions League matches. Mumbai will be facing Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia), Nassaji Mazandaran (Iran) and Navbahor (Uzbekistan) in the group stages. The first match is against Nassaji on 18th September. Tune in to know what the fans have planned & what their expectation is from the upcoming season of ISL too.  We appreciate your support!

Simply Sport Foundation based in Bengaluru have been making the right kind of noise in the grassroots sports ecosystem with their several initiatives. Host Siju was joined by Darshan NK, Director of the organisation & Aditi Mutatkar, a former badminton player, runs the women's initiatives - mainly the Simply Periods program. The Foundation mainly focuses on equipping academies & players at the grassroots level. They have partnered with teams & are helping them set up grassroots curriculums. Darshan & Aditi speak in detail about all their initiatives & upcoming plans. You can reach out to the foundation:https://www.linkedin.com/company/simplysport/   Darshan NK:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan-naduvattira/   Aditi:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditimutatkar/ We appreciate your support!

Amit Gadkari, Founder & Director @ Nudge Sports is the latest guest. He joins host Siju to share all that Nudge Sports is doing for the sporting community, especially athletes. They have access to the country's best psychologists and ensure the athletes that reach out to them are helped & served better in their mental ability. To quote from their website, ‘help athletes govern their mental state and psychological balance to consistently perform at the highest level. We focus on mental conditioning to help with self-awareness, improve focus, confidence and deal with distractions.' Amit talks about how he started the organisation & its current phase & upcoming plans. Having been an athlete himself, Amit understands the sheer importance of mental well-being.  You can reach out to Amit:   LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-gadkari-a66b126/ Nudge Sports: https://nudgesports.in/ Check out and follow us on our social media handles below:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humansofindianfootball/    Twitter: https://twitter.com/OfficialHoIF    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humansofindianfootball    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HumansofIndianFootball    

In this episode, host Siju is joined by two gentlemen from Mangalore – founders of sports & athlete's wear, MS Sportswear. Started in 2017, they now have a store in Bengaluru as they have established their mark down south. Their partnerships range from BFC Soccer Schools, Rapid Sports Fitness, Sporting Club Bengaluru, Samba FC among others. Both the founders have had connection with football as players but never thought they would enter the business of sportswear. Shameer's push & both their passion got them into this & they are happy with what they have achieved. Their intention is to close the gap & work on the demands of the players and athletes when it comes to their kit. And they specialise in customisation. They want to take slow & calculated steps but expect them to spread this wave throughout.    We appreciate your support!

Terry Phelan is our guest on the 81st episode as he joins host Siju to talk about his time in Indian football. He's currently the Sporting Director of South United Football Club, based in Bengaluru. He talks about being in India from his first stint in Goa then to ISL & now in Bengaluru with SUFC. He talks about the growth he has seen in Indian football & what's more to come. We also discuss the amazing facility that SUFC has in Ulsoor in the heart of the city and also how the city and state is growing to be the hub for football.  We appreciate your support!

On the 80th episode, host Siju is joined by Naveen Ningaiah, Founder & CEO of Sports KPI. For more than eight years now, they have been providing performance analytics to teams, associations etc. Since a couple of years, they have also begun educational courses for analytics & are dabbling into content production as well. Naveen looks back at the long journey and shares the reasons for wanting to cater to the market needs.  We appreciate your support!

Another episode from Bengaluru! This one is straight from the Kickstart FC's office with Chairman Shekar Rajan & CEO Laxman Bhattarai. They celebrated their seventh year earlier on 9th July. The women's team were the runners-up in this year's Indian Women's League (IWL). Both the men's & women's team have been doing well since inception. We discuss all about that & what to expect in the coming years in detail. Tune in for a fun & insightful conversation. We appreciate your support!

India were crowned SAFF Champions for the 9th time after they defeated Kuwait 5-4 in the penalties in Bengaluru on 4th July. Host Siju was in the city to cover it & she's joined by Coach Floyd Pinto & journalist Vishnu Prasad to talk about the tournament. All of us were present there to soak in the atmosphere created by the fans and the team with their on-field performance in all matches. We look back at the tournament - highs, lows & what can be better going ahead. One thing we all agree upon - there's surely a plus in the aggression, fighting spirit & fitness levels of the Blue Tigers. Tune in, enjoy & share the episode. We appreciate your support!

A football coach first & an analyst, host Siju is joined by Meet Mandavia. He's currently working as an analyst with NorthEast United FC. We discuss the rise of several analysts during lockdown and how they garnered attention on Twitter. Meet was one of them & has worked remotely with the Third Division Spanish team. He shares about his experience and learnings including from his recent stint with the ISL side.  We appreciate your support!

Floyd Pinto, known as Coach FP joins Siju on this episode and shares all about his journey and his coaching experience. We last saw him as an assistant coach at ISL side North East United FC. He's come up the ranks working and coaching with Kenkre FC, AIFF Academy, Indian Arrows, RG Punjab FC & NEUFC. With over 15 years of experience as a coach, he talks about the highs & lows, coach education, folks who have impacted him & what's the way ahead for him. We also talked about the upcoming SAFF cup which he would be catching the action live from Bengaluru. Tune in & enjoy the conversation. We appreciate your support!

In this episode Rahul Parashar, former AIFF Competitions Manager joins host Siju to make the 75th episode special. This episode is all about anecdotes, going down the memory lane for Rahul as he reminisces all those moments when he had to run around on ground during tournaments. He shares his experience working at a football club, as a manager, as a coach, handling all operations during a tournament etc. He talks about people that have helped him along the way. Tune in for a fun & interesting episode. We appreciate your support!

Joining host Siju on episode 74 are two gentlemen who aim to hit big with their company - BigHit – Founder & CEO Shaktie Prakash & Co-Founder & CBO Vinit Kore. They begin by sharing a brief about themselves, how they came together & then break down what BigHit is & what they intend to do with the company. Some ambitious projects on the cards of which they did spill some beans but not completely. Tune in to know what and how they plan on hitting it big with BigHit.  You can reach out to:Shaktie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaktie-co-founder-ceo-aadrila-tech/ Vinit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinit-kore/   We appreciate your support!

In this episode, host Siju is joined by the Technical Director of Sreenidhi Deccan FC - Fabio Ferreira. The Portuguese has been in India since the last five years working in Telangana. He holds degrees in Sports Science & High Performance. We discuss the season gone by & he also gives us a detailed look into the football in Telangana. He also shares about the plans of the team & how they wish to impact the young talent available in the state.  We appreciate your support!

Karan Sawhney has had 16 years of professional playing career under his belt. He joins host Siju to talk about how he turned to being an entrepreneur & shares about the journey. His parents ensured he also carried forth his education along with his playing career. And for this, Karan is grateful to his parents as that led him to where he is today. He is today the Co-Founder of The Tribe India, a Fitness Training Studio in Mumbai. His journey has been nothing short of an inspiration.  You can follow The Tribe India:https://www.instagram.com/thetribeindia/  We appreciate your support!

  This episode is a second part to the previous one with Abhishek Sharma, a Sports Agent & Founder of Athletes Today. In this episode he breaks-down what Athlete Management is and how different it is from an agent's role. He also details the journey of Athletes Today as to why & what pushed him to begin the company. The services the company provides and though it may look fancy, it comes with a lot of challenges. He talks about endorsements, sponsorships, getting brand deals etc. Tune in for an insightful conversation & stay till the end. You can reach out to Abhishek:Twitter - https://twitter.com/AS_sportsagent Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/abhishek_sportsagent/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-sharma-at/ We appreciate your support!

  Being a sports agent is often considered to be a dirty business. Host Siju is joined by Sports Agent - Abhishek Sharma, also founder of Athletes Today to break down why it is so! He also gives us a detailed look into what it's like to be a sports agent in India. Tune in & stay till the end for a detailed conversation!   You can reach out to Abhishek:Twitter - https://twitter.com/AS_sportsagent Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/abhishek_sportsagent/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-sharma-at/ We appreciate your support!

Juhi Jamba is living the dream job - travelling across the globe to cover sporting events. She closely works with AFC as the social media manager and also as a consultant. She has worked with ICC and FIFA too. Getting to talk to her is itself a miracle as she's always on the move in different timezones engaging with different nationalities. Truly, the globe is her field of play. She shares the good & bad parts of this job & takes us through her fascinating but tedious journey. PS: this was recorded a month back & hence you may find references from the past. Enjoy the conversation.  We appreciate your support!

Karnataka Football State Association has been lauded for the right things lately as we see how the state and Bangalore has been buzzing in the recent years. Credit goes to the entire team that was revamped and new regulations were brought in, led by Satya Narayan, the General Secretary of KSFA. In this episode he joins host Siju to take us through what and how the changes were implemented. He also stresses on the fact that all of this has been possible because of the entire team. Tune in to know the happenings and what's ahead for the state.  We appreciate your support!

West Block Blues have been the loyal fans for Bengaluru FC since its inception, especially in the lowest period including the recently concluded season. Host Siju is joined by three of them - Amol, Nishanth & Harish. They share their experiences as they look back at the season, the turnaround that happened, ended as runners-up etc. We also spoke of the moment not so great with regards to the sport, the walk-off by KBFC & their encounter in the upcoming Super Cup fixture.  We appreciate your support!

LaLiga has had its presence in India for several years now and to talk about it all, host Siju is joined by the India Operations head Jose Antonio Cachaza. He shares about his experiences being in India and how the market has been like for La Liga projects. He also talks about the fans here, how they are passionate and also shares about a project they have been involved with in Anantapur, collaborating with an NGO.  We appreciate your support!

Fancode has been creating some buzz and has caught the attention of Indian football fans. Host Siju was invited to the Fancode office to sit down with the Co-Founder, Yannick Colaco to talk about all things Fancode. Indian football leagues like Goa Professional League, Kerala Premier League, recently concluded Santosh Trophy & the Stafford Cup have been streaming on the digital platform. Yannick shares the journey of Fancode & how & what made them get into streaming these leagues as they aren't the biggest crowd-pullers. He also uses the platform to cater to the Indian football audience asking them to keep their eyes on Fancode & expect more leagues to be streamed.  We appreciate your support!

Anubhav Roda has expertise in Sports Consulting, Commercial, Strategy etc. He's had over a decade of experience working in the sports industry especially Indian football. In this episode, he joins host Siju to share his journey & experiences. We discuss the value of Indian football in the world of marketing, is it marketable globally? Football's popularity against Cricket. Anubhav was also part of the U-17 FIFA Men's World Cup & he's also played a key role in player management. He was known for the big-fee signing of the Costa Rican footballer to East Bengal. He talks about all that and more.   We appreciate your support!

Mumbai City FC had an amazing season where they won the league shield with record breaking moments. In this episode, we sit down with WestCoast Brigade, MCFC's loyal fans in Ashish, Samar & Shannon as they look back to the season. We also had a special guest in Amogh Ranadive who was the face for MCFC during the pre-match lives & got the fans monthly interactions with Coach Des. Tune in for fun, moments relived, memories made & for a lot of banter. Please don't walk away from the episode midway, stay tuned till the end!  We appreciate your support!

Bala Devi will now be playing for Odisha FC & we have got her and Head of Academy & Women's Team, Randeep Baruah on the show. They join host Siju to talk about all things Odisha FC Women's team project. Bala shares her experience playing for Rangers FC, injury period & how and why she chose to play for Odisha FC. Randeep talks in detail about the plans and visions for the team and how having Bala is going to play a key role for their entire team. Happy Women's Day to all listening, may we continue to cheering for our girls/women today & always. We appreciate your support!

Martin Lowe, journalist of the esteemed publication - The Asian Game joins host Siju on the latest episode. He gives an overview of the competitive nature of football in Asia. He shares his journey and how his perspective changed towards Asian football after he began covering the sport in this part. We talk about the different associations and the work they have been doing & how they have achieved success or not. We do talk about Indian football where he points out the facts as to why we are not there yet - patience & consistency being the key. Tune in for an informative episode from the one who covers it all from the Asian world! We appreciate your support!

  On the 60th episode of The Totally Indian Football Show, host Siju is joined by Srinivasan Saimani - Sports, Media & Technology, Corporate & Commercial Lawyer. We discuss his journey into this role, his experiences working in the Indian football ecosystem, basic rules and rights that players & coaches & other stakeholders must know with regards to their contracts & licensing. We also discuss how there's a lack of awareness among the players & coaches and that each individual should take up the responsibility of educating themselves and also be surrounded with right guidance.  We appreciate your support!

  Simon Millington, a UEFA B & C Coach Educator & Mental Health tutor joins host Siju on the latest episode of the podcast. He has had experience of 2-3 decades of coaching & of being a coach educator. As a coach educator he's also trained former India International, Jules Alberto. Simon shares his journey in grassroots football, being a coach educator & how his personal life experiences pushed him to pursue as a mental health tutor. An episode that'll give us a glimpse into his life & experiences, a lot to learn, indeed!     We appreciate your support!

  Nilanjan Datta has decades of experience in the field of Sports Journalism & Reporting. He was best known as the Director of Media for the All India Football Federation (AIFF). He joins host Siju to talk about his journey, experiences, and learnings from being on the other side of Indian football. A conversation that involves on & off the field topics and all that's in between.  We appreciate your support!

Richard Allen plays the role of a High Performance Specialist in the FIFA Global Football Development Department led by Arsene Wenger. He is also the Senior Football Executive & Technical Advisor at Yokohama FC. In this episode, Richard joins host Siju to explain in detail about the FIFA team, its importance, roles & responsibilities. He also shares what he does as a High performance specialist. The country he closely works with is Hong Kong through which he states how across the team, each of them deliver their role. This episode will give you a glimpse into what Wenger and his team have been up to and what they intend to do! We appreciate your support!

Kishore Taid is the CEO & Co-founder of enJogo & Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools, one of India's largest Academies. He joins host Siju to talk about all that we need to know about the ongoing & upcoming plans of BBFS. He shares about the inception, how he & his friend approached Bhaichung Bhutia. He also explains what is enJogo & its intentions. As a stakeholder in Indian football, he shares his thoughts on vision 2047.  We appreciate your support!

Tom Byer is a well-renowned personality across the globe and known for his concept of ‘Football Starts at Home'. He is of an American origin but has settled in Japan and calls it home as he has spent more than three decades. He came as a player even before the J-League began and has grown to become a popular face in Japanese football. He shares insights into the culture and what is really the Japanese style of football. He also talks about what can Indian football imbibe & tells us more about the Football Starts at Home concept. 

Sunil Menon, Head of Community at Melbourne City FC, an Australian club that plays in A-League. He joins host Siju to share insights into what MCFC does for the community in Melbourne. We also discuss why engaging with the community is key and how the City Football Group also perceives it. He talks about how he closely watches Kerala Blasters FC & equally looks forward to a potential collaboration with Melbourne-Manchester-Mumbai City FC in the future.

The first episode of 2023, host Siju is joined by journalist Sandeep Menon to talk about all that's happening on & off the field with regards to Indian football mainly to do with men's field. We kick-off with ISL updates as Mumbai City FC & Kerala Blasters FC lock horns on Sunday (8th Jan) which promises to be a cracker of a game. We also discuss Hyderabad FC's impressive run. We then move to addressing what to expect from the big meet being held on 7th Jan, the strategic plan from AIFF. Tune in & don't forget to share & subscribe.

On the last episode of 2022, host Siju is joined by SportVot Founder Sidhhant Agarwal. SportVot is a live sports streaming platform and they also have data for the players, teams etc. provided. Earlier this year, they raised funding and have already established themselves in the field of Kabaddi. They slowly want to venture and penetrate into the football but they aren't rushing into it. They have two Mumbai based clubs on their platform. Sidhhant shares more about their journey & what's in it for the users especially the football audience. He also shares in brief about a new program named ‘Level Up' which they will begin with football. Tune in & share the episode.