CALCUTTA, Aug 15: Nigerian footballer Stephen Abrowei could have become the highest paid player in India, had one of the premier clubs been able to cough up Rs 35 lakh for his transfer. That was not to be, and Abrowei, who wanted to follow his friends to Kochi or Calcutta, had to remain with reigning National League champions Jagajit Cotton Textile Mills (Phagwara).

Abrowei and others who left JCT, say that they were well looked after. But life in Phagwara, which was at best laid back, wasn't to their liking. As a former JCT player said, ``The infrastructure is good, but life is pretty boring.''

Abrowei, like other African footballers playing in India, prefers spending the evenings at the city's hot spots and in up-market restaurants rather than the confines of his room.

A few years ago, Africans came to India ostensibly as students and then turned to soccer for a living. Most of them began their careers in Calcutta.

Normally, they stayed together, either in the accommodation provided by the clubs or in rented apartments. They enjoyed whatever Calcutta had to offer. Chima Okerie, Chibuzor, Emeka Ezugo, Christopher, Bernard Operanzi, all came to India on student visas and hit the jackpot playing football. A few of them settled down, married locals and made India their home.

Okerie married an Anglo-Indian and moved on to Europe. His second coming to India was on a proper work visa.

Now football in India is lucrative business. The latest in this line of Africans who have made it in India are Samuel Omollo and Haggi Azande Abulista. Both have played for the Kenyan national team and are currently on East Bengal's rolls. The payments which earlier was a little more than pocket money, is now good enough to sustain their families in style.

Their salaries are not disclosed for the fear of inviting the tax man's attention. Normally, they are given a signing amount, and the rest of their payments are made in installments. A part of it goes in ``allowances''.Chima was stuck in the tax net when he came to India to play for East Bengal in the National League. He was told not to leave the country till he cleared his dues. Mohun Bagan president came to Chima's rescue, bailing him out with financial assistance.

Incidentally, East Bengal outbid Mohun Bagan for Samuel Omollo, thus raising his salary above his expectations.

Omollo, a family man, prefers to spend his evenings at home, of course occasionally venturing out to discover Calcutta. There are other veterans, like Elaho Friday. The experienced Nigerian, who has played for his country, is now with FC Kochi and is in the process of finding out what India has to offer.

Of course, some of them find it difficult to keep a tab on their lifestyles and quite often go berserk. For Gaston, who played for Peerless before being recruited by Mohun Bagan, football was only secondary. He was reported to have contracted syphilis while still with Peerless. Bagan officials were unaware of it when they signed him for around Rs 2.5 lakh. But after condition was known, he was asked to leave the club guest house.

Although Gaston's was a rare case, many African footballers in India have had a wayward lifestyle. There have been problems of drugs too. Iranians were once in great demand. The likes of Jamshed Nasiri and Majid Baskar were every upcoming footballer's hero. Nasiri remained content with the game, but Baskar fell prey to drugs.

That was when the Gulf War was ravaging his country. The uncertainties back home and the fate of his near ones was too much for him and he turned to drugs for solace. Nasiri was much more restraint in his activities and went on to make India his home, settling down in Shillong.

The current trend in India is to recruit South Americans, Brazilians being the most sought after. Dempo have signed Anderson Rebeiro and Joao Soares for this season, while East Bengal have Hugo Garcia in their ranks. The Calcutta team will have another Brazilian soon. These South Americans have led a much more disciplined life till now, so has Sri Lankan Roshan Pereira who plays for Mohun Bagan. Even East Bengal's hard-working Nepali medio Deb Narayan Choudhury has given his employers little reason to complain. After all, everyone has their priorities.

THE ROLL CALL

Chima Okerie, Roshan Pereira (Mohun Bagan); Samuel Omollo, Haggi Azande Abulista, Hugo Fernando Maderios Garcia, Deb Narayan Choudhury (East Bengal); Cassius Oweino (Mohammedan Sporting); Stephan Abrowei (JCT); Bernard Operanzi, Sayeed (FC Kochi); Christopher Kem, Anderson Rebeiro, Joao Soares (Dempo); Jude Odegah (Salgaocar); Chibuzor (Churchill Brothers)

Players rejected/expected to join soon

Siamak Magsnich of Iran rejected by Mohun Bagan

James Odiombo had to leave Mohun Bagan as he did not have necessary documents.

Gaston had to leave Mohun Bagan after being afflicted with veneral disease.

East Bengal tried out a few Swedish players. Ulf Johanssen played in a couple of matches, found unfit

Brazilian Luis Claudio Barbarosa expected to join East Bengal

FC Kochi to import two South Americans

Chima's brother Kelechi played for East Bengal last season

Mohammedan Sporting wanted a couple of Bangladesh players for Federation Cup

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.