Anas Edathodika

Anas Edathodika (born 15 February 1987) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Indian club ATK Mohun Bagan FC and the India national football team.

Anas Edathodika
2019 AFC Asia Cup
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-02-15) 15 February 1987
Place of birth Kondotty, Malappuram, Kerala, India
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 ATK Mohun Bagan
Number 30
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2011 Mumbai 103 (5)
2011–2015 Pune 106 (0)
2015–2017 Delhi Dynamos 35 (1)
2017 → Mohun Bagan (loan) 17 (0)
2017–2018 Jamshedpur 8 (0)
2018–2019 Kerala Blasters 8 (0)
2019– ATK 5 (0)
National team‡
2017– India 21 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:11, 5 July 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:10, 19 November 2019 (UTC)

Career

Early career

Born in Kondotty, Malappuram, Kerala, He studied in EMEA College of Arts and Science, Kondotty. Anas began to take up football as a serious activity when he was in the tenth grade when he joined the Malappuram U14s.[1] While playing football, Anas also worked as an auto-driver who would drive people around town for Rs. 180 a day.[2] He then joined the football team of N.S.S College, Manjeri, where he groomed his skills under Dr. P.M. Sudhir Kumar. Eventually he was spotted by former India international Feroz Sherif while playing in an inter-collegiate game.[2] Sherif advised Anas to attend the trials for I-League 2nd Division side Mumbai which Edathodika did.[2] He passed the trials and was signed by the club on a one-year deal.[2]

After one season with Mumbai, Anas managed to lead the club to promotion to the I-League.[2] After helping the club gain promotion he was re-signed by the club on a three-year deal.[2] While at Mumbai, Anas credited his former head coach Dave Booth for making him the defender he is today.[3]

Pune

After playing for four seasons with Mumbai Anas signed for rivals Pune F.C. of the I-League on a two-year deal on 23 July 2011.[4] On his signing, Pune's Head of Operations, Chirag Tanna, said "We have been tracking Anas's progress since the last two years and we are glad that he has signed a two-year contract".[4] One of his first matches for the club came up in a friendly against English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers at the Balewadi Sports Complex on 7 October 2011.[5] However, the match did not last long for Anas as he was sent off after 15 minutes for his second yellow card for a rough tackle on Mauro Formica.[5][6]

Before the 2012–13 season it was revealed that Anas had been hit with malaria which made him miss part of Pune's pre-season.[7] However, it was reported that on 2 August 2012 that he had returned to Pune's pre-season training.[7] After that set-back Anas had his best season yet in his footballing career in which he started in all 26 matches for Pune in the I-League, helping the Pune defence concede only twenty-six goals that season.[8] Due to this feat Anas managed to win the Pune Football Club Player of The Year award for 2012–13.[9] In winning the award, he became the first Indian to win the club's biggest award and also the first defender to win it.[9]

As another reward for his impressive two seasons at the club, Anas was offered a two-year contract extension by the club which he accepted.[8]

2013–14 season

Going into the 2013–14 season Anas was named as the club captain.[10] He led the side in the club's first league match of the season against Mohammedan at the Salt Lake Stadium on 21 September 2013.[11] Anas played the full match for Pune as the club won the match 3–1.[11] After the match, he said on wearing the captain's armband for the first time that he was very honoured and that he thanked the new head coach, Mike Snoei, on giving him the opportunity to lead the side, "Honestly much honoured… great. I had never worn the captain's armband ever. This was a first in my playing career at any level as far as my memory stretches and I am thankful to one and all for this opportunity. Initially, the coach said he was taking a risk by fielding me in the playing eleven, but when he announced that I was leading the side I got the confidence I needed. I thank coach for helping me believe."[10]

Jamshedpur

On 23 July 2017, Anas was selected in the first round of the 2017–18 ISL Players Draft by Jamshedpur for the 2017–18 Indian Super League season, thus making him the first player in Jamshedpur history.[12] He made his debut for the club during the first-ever match on 18 November 2017 against NorthEast United. He started and played the whole match as Jamshedpur drew 0–0.[13]

Kerala blasters

On 2018 he was signed by Kerala blasters , his home club. He partnered with his national teammate Sandesh Jhingan in the center back position.

ATK

On 2019 he signed for ATK. He was given the number 22 jersey.

Career statistics

International
Anas during 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
As of 19 November 2019 (UTC)
National teamYearAppsGoals
India 201790
201870
201950
Total210

Club
As of 12 May 2018[14]
Club Season League Federation Cup Durand Cup AFC Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Pune 2011–12 I-League2300000——230
2012–13 I-League2603020——310
2013–14 I-League170300040240
2014–15 I-League1000000——100
Total 76060204—880
Delhi Dynamos 2015 Indian Super League141——————141
2016 Indian Super League90——————90
Total 231——————231
Mohun Bagan (loan) 2016–17 I-League80——————80
Jamshedpur 2017–18 Indian Super League8020————100
Career total 11518020401291

References
  1. "Anas Edathodika". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  2. "Anas, a lion-hearted defender". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  3. Kishore, Kevin. "Anas enjoys his Pune stint". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  4. "Pune FC sign up Edathodika, Baldeep". Times of India. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  5. "Pune 0–3 Blackburn Rovers". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  6. "Courageous performance by Pune FC". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  7. "Camp Notes, Week 3: Anas recovers; Abhra back; 3 players join Natl. camp". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  8. "Edathodika gets 2-year extension with Pune FC". Indian Express. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  9. "Anas first Indian player to bag Pune FC Player of the Year". MSN. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  10. "Special 58: Wish I was my best when in skipper role, says Anas". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  11. "Mohammedan vs. Pune 1 – 3". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  12. "ISL 2017 player draft, as it happened: ATK, Jamshedpur FC and Pune strike big". The Field. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  13. "NorthEast United 0-0 Jamshedpur". Soccerway.
  14. Anas Edathodika at Soccerway
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