Jo Paul Ancheri is a former Indian professional footballer turned commentator for Malayalam Star Sports. Joe Paul is a versatile player who has played in various positions including midfielder, defensive midfielder, defender and forward during his eventful career. He also captained the Indian national football team. In the 1993-1994 season, after completing a move to Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, his world-class performances established himself among fans across the country. Like his fellow Keralite IM Vijayan, Joe Paul was also called up to represent the Indian national football team soon after his solid performances in the domestic league.
Wiki/Biography
Jo Paul Ancheri or Jopaul Anchery was born on Monday, August 2, 1976 in Thrissur, Kerala, India (46 years old as of 2022). He showed a keen interest in football from an early age and began attending football games and training camps. In an interview, he recalled attending a training camp that helped him get a chance at professional football. Jo Paul is an alumnus of Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, Kerala.
Jo Paul Ancheri plays for Mohun Bagan
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Jo Paul Ancheri was born into an ordinary family in Thrissur, Kerala.
Parents and siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
wife and children
Joe Paul is married to Mittu Joe Paul. It was an arranged marriage that took place on December 28, 2008 at the Marta Mariam Cathedral in Thrissur. Joe Paul had already announced his retirement as a professional footballer when he got married and was the head coach of the Mohun Bagan Sailing Football Academy in Kolkata. They have two children, a son (Benhur Jopaul Anchery) and a daughter (Christina Jopaul).
Joe Paul and his family
Profession
football
Jo Paul Ancheri has shown an interest in football since his school days. From an early age he was focused on developing and working towards becoming a football player. He worked hard and pushed himself hard in the training camp and earned his first professional contract in 1992 when State Bank Travancore Football Club (SBT) signed him.
Domestic occupation
State Bank Travancore Football Club (SBT)
Jo Paul started his career with State Bank Travancore FC (SBT) and currently plays for State Bank of India Kerala FC. After a successful training camp, he was called up to play for SBT in 1992. They hit it off right away, with Joe Paul consistently delivering worthy performances that matched the hype surrounding him. After spending his first professional season with National Bank Travancore, he left the team at the end of the 1992-1993 season.
mohun bagan
After an amazing season with National Bank Travancore, Joe Paul received offers from a number of clubs. After long discussions, the rumors finally died down when he announced his signing with Mohun Bagan in Kolkata. He was excited about the idea of playing with IM Vijayan, who also hails from Thrissur in Kerala. He quickly won the hearts of fans with his outstanding performance. His first season with Kolkata was memorable as he scored in his first game. He has won the hearts of his fans with his mesmerizing performances. Joe Paul’s first season with Bagan was historic as they won the Calcutta Football League (CFL), Sikkim Governor’s Gold Cup, Durand Cup and the Federation Cup. In the Sikkim Golden Cup final, he scored a hat-trick from two goals down to help his team win the game. His first spell with Mohun Bagan lasted only one season; he left them the following year. In the 1993-1994 season, he became one of India’s best players and was selected for the Indian national team for the first time. He returned to Mohun Bagan for the remainder of the 1998-1999 season, eventually leaving them at the end of the season. After a spell playing for their arch-rivals East Bengal (2001-2002), Joe Paul returned to Mohun Bagan for the 2004-2005 season, his final season as a professional player.
JCT Football Club
After his first season with Mohun Bagan, he joined JCT Football Club. He joined the Punjab-based club in 1994 and stayed with the club until 1997. He enjoyed great success during his time at the club, with the team winning the Scissors Cup (1995) and the Confederations Cup (1996). JCT won its first NFL championship in the 1996-97 season.
Jo Paul (front row – far right) with the JCT football team (1996/1997 season)
They won the IFA Shield title in 1996. After three successful seasons at the club, Jo Paul decided it was time to move on and find a new challenge. In 1997, he left JCT Mills FC (now known as Jagatjit Cotton & Textile Football Club) and returned to Kerala to play for FC Kochin. In 2002, after five years, he returned to the club in Punjab. He remained a member of the club for the next two seasons, leaving the team at the end of the 2003-2004 season.
cochin football club
After completing his transfer from JCT Football Club, Joe Paul joined the newly established Cochin Football Club (“Cochin Football Club” is a professional football club that once played in the National Football League). He will be accompanied by IM Vijayan, with whom he has participated in many matches as a teammate and opponent. FC Kochin won the Durand Cup in the 1997-1998 season, defeating Mohun Bagan 3-1 in the final. Joe Paul led Kochi against his old team in the final and performed well in defeating Mohun Bagan. In their first season, they reached the final of the Scissor Cup (1997) in Kerala. They played Bahraini side West Riffa Club, who were declared the winner via a coin toss due to a power outage at the stadium. He then decided to leave the club at the end of the season and announced that he would join Mohun Bagan in his second stint with the Kolkata club. However, he returned to Cochin from Kolkata in the following season (1999-2000), playing for the club in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons, and signed with East Bengal in the 2001-2002 season.
east bengal
Jo Paul left FC Kochin and debuted with East Bengal Club in 2001. He previously played for Mohun Bagan and this is the first time Kolkata fans will see him in the jersey of their arch-rivals. In an interview, he talked about the Kolkata fans and said that they will always support or criticize you based on your performance. He spent his first and last season with East Bengal in the 2001-2002 season and agreed to join JCT Football Club at the end of the 2001-2002 season.
international careers
On September 14, 1994, Joe Paul made his national team debut and scored his first national team goal against Bangladesh. Joe Paul’s stellar season with Mohun Bagan has not gone unnoticed by the national team. He hit the headlines when news of his move to Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan broke. Even though he is a new face at the club, he has become a key player for Mohun Bagan. In an interview, he recalled that early success with Mohun Bagan was the main reason why he got an international break in 1994. He was a member of the Indian national football team from 1994 to 2004. Joe Paul won the LG Cup with India(U23) against Team India(U23). In 2001, he represented the Indian national football team in the World Cup qualifiers, South Asian Football Championship and South Asian Games. He won the 1997 and 1999 South AFC Cup titles with the Indian team. In 1995, they finished second against Sri Lanka, who scored the winning goal in the 108th minute after a goalless draw in regular time. He also entered the second round of the 1998 Asian Games with the team. In the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, Joe Paul scored twice against Yemen, helping the team draw 3-3. On May 11, 2001, Joe Paul scored the only goal in the Indian team’s victory over Brunei, helping the Indian team take all three points in the World Cup qualifiers. On May 20, 2001, Joe Paul scored a goal in India’s 5-0 victory over Brunei. He was a member of the runner-up Indian team at the 2003 Asian-African Games. His last appearance for the Indian national team was in 2004. His international career was cut short by an ankle injury, forcing him to announce his early retirement from the national team.
commentator
After announcing his retirement from professional football, Joe Paul tried his hand at football commentary. He is famous for his work as a Malayalam commentator and Malayalam Star sports commentator. He becomes a member of ViaCom18’s regional expert panel for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Awards
- He was nominated for the Arjuna Award by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2004 and 2005.
- All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year Award: He has won this prestigious award twice, in 1994 and 2001.
Facts/Trivia
- He shares a special bond with former footballer IM Vijayan. The two played together at Mohun Bagan, JCT Football Club, FC Kochin, East Bengal and were part of the Indian national football team from 1994 to 2003. The special bond between Joe Paul and IM Vijayan has created some of the best moments of Indian football both on the international stage and at the domestic level.
Memories❤️ pic.twitter.com/8YmUvHk22f
— IM Vijayan (@IMVijayan1) May 4, 2020
- He was seen in the Malayalam TV series “Aanaparambile World Cup”, directed by Nikhil Premraj, along with his old friend IM Vijayan.
- After Joe Paul was dropped from the Indian national football team due to an ankle injury, he started working as a junior clerk in the Kerala government’s health department and revealed that after everything he went through, he found it difficult to accept his situation. What he did for his country.
- Joe Paul is a member of the Novis Football Academy’s Special Observation Group, which is led by former India captain U Sharaf Ali. Former India players such as IM Vijayan are also taking up management roles in the mega project, which aims to set up a professional football club under the academy by 2028.
- In addition to playing for several national teams, Joe also served at the District Medical Office in Kerala.
- After Stephen Constantine stepped down as the head coach of the Indian national football team in 2019, Joe Paul suggested that the All India Football Federation appoint an experienced foreign coach who can take the Indian team to new heights. Igor Stimac succeeded Konstantin as the head coach of the Indian national football team in 2019. Igor Stimac is a former Croatian football player who won the 1998 World Cup bronze medal with the Croatian national team. He also coached the Croatian national football team from 2012 to 2013.
- Joe Paul drinks.
Joe Paul caught drinking with national team teammates
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education