His opening goal sent 70,000 fans in Bukit Jalil Stadium into ecstasy during the penultimate match of the MyTeam Season 1 reality series, where Shebby Singh’s kampung boys took on the National Under-20’s. Unfortunately they lost but the impact those youngsters made certainly had the nation talking till today.
Arun Kumar Thigarajah or better known as Robinho for his lightning pace and quick feet hails from Kuantan, Pahang. This Manchester United fan took an early interest in football, playing for his school SK Indera Makhota at the Under-12 level and made it to the district training squad, though he was dropped and still is sore about. His early start in the game saw him favouring the right-winger position, while his interest was mainly cultivated by Pahang’s success in the M-League and also watching his Red Devils perform over the telly.
Football took a back seat when his appendix ruptured at 13, forcing him to lay off from the game for a good two years before easing himself into at Form Three. Despite not being regularly active, he still managed to earn a place in SM Tunku Panglima Perang’s Under-15 squad, helping them to the district championship in 2000. He rose up the ranks graduating to the Under-18’s a year later and was made his school’s skipper in Form Five. It was a glorious year as he recalled, leading his team all the way to the semi-finals of their district competition. Interestingly, Arun excelled in cross country, representing Pahang in the 10km event.
Upon completing his secondary education, Arun harboured hopes of furthering in Electrical Engineering, however his family situation did not permit, and he was taken by the responsibility of helping his pensioner father, who was their sole breadwinner. He got a job at MS Garden Hotel in Kuantan, and stayed there for 1 ½ years as a mini-bar checker. Though busy with added responsibilities, Arun never neglected the game he loved so much, playing in amateur leagues in the city and being involved with Newstar FC, a futsal club.
When MyTeam’s reality series kicked off for the nationwide roadtour in February 2006, Arun saw this as an opportunity to further his interest in football with its open selection system. He trained hard after working hours, constantly punishing himself to be fit in time for the Kuantan trials. Fate had it that the local boy was chosen by Shebby & Bojan Hodak as one of the 45 boys to Kuala Lumpur for the final selection. In the training camp for seven week, Arun proved he had what it takes to make the grade and was duly selected as one of the starters in the historic match against the Malaysian juniors and was even elected the Man of The Match in that hotly contested game. The rest as they say is history, closing a famous chapter in MyTeam’s debut amongst Malaysian’s of all walks of life.
Together with fourteen other players from MyTeam Season 1, Arun was drafted in for the birth of MyTeam FC, the club side that was to continue where the reality television series ended. He was extremely happy to be given the chance as a striker to shine for the Premier League squad, with his only experience in the M-League coming from watching in the stands as one of the Tok Gajah faithful.
Unluckily for the lad, Arun injured his anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee during pre-season preparation in a friendly match against Selangor and was side-lined for the entire season, but MyTeam persevered without his services, finishing second in the Premier League and earning promotion to the top level. He recently made a full recovery in September 2006, and was put under close observation for a 3 month monitoring period by the management. He passed with flying colours, even impressing Bojan, to gain an extension to his playing contract, and finally made his proper debut for MyTeam against Perak in the opening Super League match of season 2008, coming on as a late substitute in the match.
Despite MyTeam’s acquisitions of a number of quality strikers, locals with national experience and foreign imports in that position, Arun is not daunted by the task at hand. He is big on heart, spirit and desire, and believes that in due time he will be knocking on the door with his “I’ll fight till the end” attitude. |
|
