For Molla, his footballing career has been one big rollercoaster ride. Encouraged by his father, he took to football as a centre back at the age of nine. However the youngster had severe physical problems playing in the heat and so stopped playing, fearing that he might develop health related issues in the long-term.

However after a one year self enforced sabbatical, the Lalpur born player found the lure of football irresistible and returned to practice, under his father’s guidance, as a goalkeeper. This though, wasn’t the end of his problems as he pursued a career in football. With no well qualified coaches in his little town of Lalpur, Molla started travelling to Kolkata to train under the tutelage of Dukhiram Majumdar, undertaking a journey of 3 hours by bus everyday to West Bengal’s capital.

Soon though, his talent came to the fore. After representing Kodilai School in district tournaments in 2009 and 2010, he started playing as Milon Samiti’s, a club in Kolkata’s I-Division, youth team goalkeeper in 2010.

Developing further under the watchful eye of his coach Biswajit Haldar, soon the bigger clubs of West Bengal took notice of the quick reflexes of the youngster.

The goalkeeper, who one day aims to replace his idol Rob Green as West Ham’s goalkeeper, was soon called up for a trial by East Bengal and got selected for their youth team. However then his career hit a barrier when the club, where his elder brother who has been a part of the India U-16 camp plies his trade as a youth team player, didn’t offer him a contract as promised.

Molla, whose parents have always been supportive of his choice of football as a career, found his dreams in tatters and his career in a limbo. However, this is when his mentor, Biswajit Haldar stepped in and contacted Ranjan Chowdhury, who promptly offered the talented keeper a trial. After a successful trial, the goalkeeper has now resumed his career as PFC academy U-19 goalkeeper.

The 10th grade pass out now hopes to continue his progression and one day replace his fellow Kolkatan Subrata Paul in between the sticks for PFC.