<p>One of Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club’s finest players, Xavier Vijay Kumar, returned to his roots in fine fashion, producing a show from the past much to the joy of a goodly audience at the Bangalore Football Stadium.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Xavier, who left HASC for Churchill Brothers in 2011 after having led the Aircraftmen to the I-League, picked up from where he had left off, setting up the opener and combining well with his old mates in a 2-1 win over Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) in the Puttaiah Memorial Cup.<br /><br />“It’s good to be back,” Xavier told Deccan Herald after the match. “HAL gave me the identity as a footballer and this is where it all started for me. So, to come back and play in front of a good crowd that has known me for such a long time is fantastic.”<br /><br />After having spent nearly 13 years with the Aircraftmen, Xavier decided to move to greener pastures despite having a permanent job with the PSU. The 33-year-old chose to take the gamble due to various factors. <br /><br />“I wanted a taste of professional football and 30 was a good time to take that risk. I knew I would be leaving a secure job but unless you take risks you can’t gain any experience. I learnt from Churchill; professionalism, training rituals, diet etc. Things also get done quickly at professional clubs.”<br /><br />However, with hardly any chances coming his way, the wily winger struggled to showcase his full potential before his contract ran out this May. In a bid to keep himself fit, he started training with HASC and an impressed coach Chandrasekar offered him a one-year deal. With nothing to lose, Xavier accepted the deal, hoping for a second wind in his career.<br /><br />“My goal now is to help HAL win the Puttaiah memorial. I’m playing for passion rather than money.”<br /><br />Results: C Puttaiah: HASC: 2 (Jagba Hamza 49th, RC Prakash 81st) bt ADE: 1 (Daniel Chru 81st).<br /><br />Prasanna Kumar: Postal: 2 (Einstein 35th, Schlenmang 70th) bt Tilak Memorial: 0.<br /></p>
<p>One of Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club’s finest players, Xavier Vijay Kumar, returned to his roots in fine fashion, producing a show from the past much to the joy of a goodly audience at the Bangalore Football Stadium.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Xavier, who left HASC for Churchill Brothers in 2011 after having led the Aircraftmen to the I-League, picked up from where he had left off, setting up the opener and combining well with his old mates in a 2-1 win over Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) in the Puttaiah Memorial Cup.<br /><br />“It’s good to be back,” Xavier told Deccan Herald after the match. “HAL gave me the identity as a footballer and this is where it all started for me. So, to come back and play in front of a good crowd that has known me for such a long time is fantastic.”<br /><br />After having spent nearly 13 years with the Aircraftmen, Xavier decided to move to greener pastures despite having a permanent job with the PSU. The 33-year-old chose to take the gamble due to various factors. <br /><br />“I wanted a taste of professional football and 30 was a good time to take that risk. I knew I would be leaving a secure job but unless you take risks you can’t gain any experience. I learnt from Churchill; professionalism, training rituals, diet etc. Things also get done quickly at professional clubs.”<br /><br />However, with hardly any chances coming his way, the wily winger struggled to showcase his full potential before his contract ran out this May. In a bid to keep himself fit, he started training with HASC and an impressed coach Chandrasekar offered him a one-year deal. With nothing to lose, Xavier accepted the deal, hoping for a second wind in his career.<br /><br />“My goal now is to help HAL win the Puttaiah memorial. I’m playing for passion rather than money.”<br /><br />Results: C Puttaiah: HASC: 2 (Jagba Hamza 49th, RC Prakash 81st) bt ADE: 1 (Daniel Chru 81st).<br /><br />Prasanna Kumar: Postal: 2 (Einstein 35th, Schlenmang 70th) bt Tilak Memorial: 0.<br /></p>
