Young Kogi ready to play in the big league

Under-22 team selection at Wisma FAMin Kelana Jaya on January 7, 2016. ROHAIZAT MD DARUS/STAR.

PETALING JAYA: Rising star M. Kogileswaran Raj is ready for the big time.

The 17-year-old former Harimau Muda C midfielder is looking forward to playing with Pahang in the Super League next month.

“It’s a big challenge to play in the top flight in my very first year in professional football. I love challenges, and I’ve always dreamt of playing in Europe. This is the beginning for me. I’m all excited and I’ll fight for my place in the first team,” said Kogileswaran, who is fondly known as “Kogi” and who will start training with Pahang on Monday.

“I don’t want to warm the bench ... I won’t let that happen because I’m a fighter. I have been playing football since I was five years old and I hate sitting on the bench. My style is to be in the thick of the action.

“I will finish my selection trials with the 2017 SEA Games Project squad (under German coach Frank Bernhardt) on Saturday. I’m also looking forward to the 2017 SEA Games,” added Kogi, who will turn 18 in September.

He started pursuing his football dream when his father enrolled him at the Royal Selangor Club (RSC) at the age of six. He began to show promise after two years when he scored 28 goals in an Under-10 tournament organised by the club.

In the early years, Kogileswaran trained with his mentor Titus James Palani, who now plays with Nanteuil FC in the French Third Division.

Kogileswaran, who grew up with Titus’ family in Bangsar, saw his interest in the game grow after watching his “big brother Titus” train at Bangsar’s Kilat Club.

He also played for the Youth Football Academy (YFA), who emerged champions in the 1MCC Under-14 competition in 2012.

His biggest disappointment was failing to help Malaysia make the 2015 FIFA World Under-17 Finals in Chile. Although Kogileswaran scored against fancied Australia in the quarter-finals at the Muangthong Stadium in Bangkok in 2014, Malaysia lost 2-1. Had they won, Malaysia would have qualified for the Finals.