An 11-year-old boy, obsessed with football since childhood, once sent an email to Manchester United's fan mail address. He was following Manchester United's recruitments in a transfer window and put some advice in his e-mail, also criticising the club's decision to recruit a section of the respective footballers that season. The Manchester United's manager was Sir Alex Ferguson that year. 

The boy received a reply-letter within a week. The letter, thanking the 11-year-old boy wrote, ‘Your advice was correct.’ The letter that was written by the legendary Manchester United manager was sent to the 11-year-old boy, mesmerising his parents. 

He still cherishes the gift from Sir Alex Ferguson and undoubtedly the acclamation from World Football's one of the greatest coaches drove him to build up his future journey with football and acquire result-driven knowledge. 

He is Ryan Shah from Maharashtra, country's one of the youngest licensed football coaches who acquired a UEFA-B license degree at the age of 26. 

Ryan’s transition from a footballer, a qualified coach, a postgraduate diploma in football management, guest lecturer at Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences to the owner of Pune Pioneers Football Club is inspiring. 

Ryan was a goalkeeper. His first coach was Dronacharya Bimal Ghosh. Ryan divulged while speaking from Pune, “Whatever I learned the basics of goalkeeping and football were from Bimal sir. His style of teaching was superb. 

Ryan added, "He is so strong in man-management skills that under his guidance the footballers delivered their best always. He does not need anything more. The number of footballers, who excelled and donned India shirts under his tutelage says it all. I still talk with him over the phone often, take his advice." 

Ryan played for Air India, Kenkre FC, Mumbai United, and Mumbai Tigers. Then he went to England in 2012 to complete his advanced studies. But simultaneously, along with studying Ryan continued playing at Brook House College. 

Then he also played there for two years in a lower-division team in England. After returning from England in 2014 Ryan again went to England to acquire a UEFA-B license in 2022. 

Ryan founded Pune Pioneers FC in 2018 in the Kharadi area, Pune, highlighting the youth development program. Ryan revealed, "Presently we have around 100 footballers including the boys and girls, starting from four-year-old students."

Ryan continued divulging, "We introduced the senior team in 2021. Our motive is to bring up quality footballers to the senior team from our youth development program. One of our men’s footballers Kushal Singh played for the I-league second division team of Mumbai City FC while a girl Swapna Rajpure already participated in IWL also.”

Ryan’s ultimate desire is to make Pune Pioneers a self-sustainable club. “I do not want to run Pune Pioneers FC depending fully on sponsorships. I want to earn from our academy, from different kinds of merchandising programs. Then I want to move further with the club by trying to qualify for the I-league and then ISL,” concluded Ryan.