I can handle Chima like a snowball

Hussein’s fire flickers for a moment, however, when he realises he won’t get a piece of action in the next match against JCT due to a second yellow card picked up while playing Mohun Bagan. And it brings on a mixture of anger and sadness as the former junior international comments on the referee’s decision.

“I was very annoyed with the referee. On both occasion I had not touched the player,” Hussein laments. His disappointment seems uncontrollable as he says, “The referee has let my team down. These things do not happen in Ghana. The referees attend a course in England before officiating matches in the league. Also, every premier league match is seen on video by a committee which monitors the performance of the referee,” Hussein explains.

The Ghanian’s absence is seen as disaster by Churchill’s fans. Along with goalkeeper Edward Ansah, also a Ghanian, skipper Hussein has been a rock on which a mediocre Churchill Brothers side are building their aspirations for NFL success.

His strong and forthright views expressed, Hussain is back to his easy going and friendly self, so different from the fearsome figure on a soccer pitch. He flashes back boyishly to his best goal the spectacular late equaliser against Salgaocar in the Super Six series that brought Churchill a draw when all seemed lost.

“I have scored many goals through headers but this one was my best especially because we looked like losing until then,” he said. Hussein’s goalkeeper took a free-kick in his own half and the stopper, with three defenders hounding him, jumped to nod in past Salgaocar’s ‘keeper Jude Siddi.

“When I saw their goalkeeper make an error and advance, I was confident that I would beat the defenders and score,” Hussein explained. The defender’s confidence originates from a prodigious start to his professional career with Dawu FC at only 14 years of age. Spotted by Seth Yaboa, chairman of the club that finished fourth in the Ghanian Premier Division last season, Hussein instantly became a regular in the side after bagging the man of the match award on debut.

He played four years continuously for the Acra-based club without being benched or laid off before joining Egypt’s Marhir Club in Port Said. He returned to Dawu a year later to fulfill his original club’s commitments. But Hussein owes a lot to his stint in Egypt. “I matured a lot as a player there,” he informs. “Egypt is a footballing nation. I used my eye and my mind to learn from so many professional players there”.

Why did he come to India? Hussein admits: “At first, I did not like the prospect of coming to a country that did not have the image of a footballing nation but, in the end, it has been a good move,” says Hussein. “Besides liking Goa as a place, I was happy to see a foreign coach train my team Churchill Brothers. Danny (McLennan) is a good coach. If I stay here it’s because of Danny. Without him, the team will collapse,” Hussein says. Hussein, who sneaked out of Ghana to join Churchill Brothers last year, appreciates the Scotsman’s strictness during training and his techniques.

He spells out the requirements of a good stopper: 1. Good timing in movement to foil an attacker. 2 The ability to turn. 3 Being good in the air. 4 The ability to tackle hard. The Ghanian, however, adds an extra punch to his weaponry with his penchant to move ahead in attack. As his career grew, Hussein found himself in the role of a sweeper and a striker as well. But he now admits on being committed to being a stopper for the rest of his career. “I don’t think any team will allow me to leave that position,” he says.

Hussein wants to emulate the tough and powerful Dutchman Ronald Koeman as he nurtures an ambition to play for Ghana’s senior team someday.

For all the nuances garnered from professional players abroad, Hussein believes humility to be the key to his success. A stance picked up at Dawu Club where he rubbed shoulders with national idols strikers Felix Abougeh (now in Portugal) and Alex Yanko (in France). “I may have played with top professionals but I still learn something everyday. I learn every time Bhaichung Bhutia, IM Vijayan or Bruno Coutinho snatch the ball from me. I cannot say that because I am professional, I cannot learn,” Hussein, a devout Muslim, confesses.