Roy Krishna
Roy Krishna (born 30 August 1987) is a Fijian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Indian Super League club Odisha and the Fiji national team. Early life Krishna was born on 30 August 1987 in the village of Siberia, Labasa to Bal and Sarita Krishna. His great-grandparents come from Kolkata, India and were part of the labour force controlled by the British, which eventually led them to Fiji in the late 19th century. He practised football since primary school at St Mary’s and earned his first football shoes at the age of 5, gifted by his father at the expense of the family’s weekly budget for rice. Krishna also played rugby with his friends before his parents asked him to change sports. Immersed in the Indian culture, he tried to master the dholak and played alongside his father, who played the harmonium and sang songs derived from the Ramayana. Due to the country's limited resources and lack of experienced footballers, he idolised Fijian striker Simon Peters, who played for Labasa FC. Club career Early career Krishna joined the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) side Waitakere United from Fijian local outfit Labasa FC in January 2008. In May 2008, he spent two weeks training with the Wellington Phoenix, but was not offered a contract. In March 2009, it was reported that PSV Eindhoven was interested in signing him. However he said professional football in New Zealand with the Phoenix was his preferred option because he was not ready to move to Europe as he was still learning English and was not ready for another language. Later, in June 2013, Krishna was offered a one-month trial by EFL Championship club Derby County; however, he was unable to attend due to restrictions imposed upon him due to his recent obtainment of New Zealand permanent residency. In his 6 seasons with Waitakere United, Krishna managed 55 goals in 75 appearances and has won the NZFC Golden Boot in the 2012–13 season. Auckland City In September 2013, it was announced that he had joined Waitakere's local rivals Auckland City FC for the upcoming ASB Premiership season. On 12 December 2013, he scored Auckland City's goal in a 2–1 defeat to Raja Casablanca in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first Fijian to score at the finals of a FIFA tournament. Wellington Phoenix On 7 January 2014, Krishna signed with the A-League's Wellington Phoenix until the end of the 2013–14 season as an injury replacement for Paul Ifill, scoring his debut goal on 16 March 2014 against the Melbourne Heart, beating Andrew Redmayne with a powerful drive into the bottom right corner. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. His performance in the match earned him the A-League's player of the week honors. Four days later, Krishna came to terms on a new 2-year contract with the Phoenix. On 29 February 2016, Krishna extended his contract with the club, agreeing to a 2-year deal that would keep him at Wellington until the