One who has seen Abhijit Mondal during his heydays would remember how intensified the 5-foot-9-inch custodian used to be on field. Close to two decades as a player, coupled with three years’ stint as a coach, the intensity remains the same for the 41-year-old from Balurghat (district in West Bengal). Abhijit steps into the Kalinga Stadium football training ground – his new home – to train the India U-16 goalkeepers. A winner of two I-League titles, a couple of Durand Cups and Federation Cups and an IFA Shield crown, Abhijit opened up in a tête-à-tête with Koushik Paul, about his new role, his long career and a lot about Indian football. Excerpts…
From playing as a first goalie three years back to now an India U-16 team goalkeeper coach. How are you enjoying your new role?
Playing on the field and coaching, these are two different things completely. It is totally wrong if any player who has had a great career thinks that he will be a good coach in the future. For me it’s been just three years in coaching (Abhijit quit in 2016) and I am learning every single day. Luckily, I was appointed as East Bengal goalkeeper coach the same year which was a big platform for me. Then I had a one-year contract with ATK reserves and this year I am here. What happens in a professional club is that you need to have man management skills along with coaching, but in case of an academy or youth development environment, it’s purely coaching. The best part in training these youngsters is that I can implement my playing and coaching career experiences on them. They are dedicated and they listen to what I say, and when they will go to a better place I will be satisfied.
What exactly is the job of a goalkeeper coach?
Timing is very important for a goalkeeper. As a coach my job is to enhance their ability, their performance which will make them stand out. For these youngsters, they do have issues with techniques which are normal at this age which is easy to mould for me. In case of seniors, you have to ensure that they maintain that (technique), but for a junior the job becomes easier as you are preparing them from scratch. And when your hard work bears fruit, it gives you immense satisfaction.
Which one is easier? Being a player or a coach?
I would say it was easy for me being a player. The reason I said that being a coach I have to teach and guide them and wait for good results. Otherwise, you have to perform on the field. Either you win or lose it ends on the field only. Luckily, I have got a great bunch of ’keepers, they listen to what I say, disciplined and are always eager to learn. I am trying my level best to help these guys, let see how far I can go.
Please share your experience about this long journey…
It’s been a fruitful journey, I would say with both positives and negatives. I started with Bhratri Sangha FC (2001) in my teens. We had a good season in the I-League second division back then. I used to stay in a small room inside the stadium. From thereon I got calls from some of the big Kolkata clubs. In between, East Bengal called me but didn’t sign me rather I would say misbehaved with me. Then Dempo came calling on the door in 2003 and rest is history. I was lucky to have got a great batch in Goa as Dempo ruled that decade. I still had two years of my contract with Dempo, but left that when East Bengal again called me in 2010. I came back to Kolkata, but I was duped again. With not knowing what to do, luckily I got an offer from Nabab Bhattacharya of United Sports FC and turned out for purple brigade till 2012. Interestingly, those East Bengal officials who misbehaved with me earlier, signed me later in the year. I still had some game left in me but some dirty politics forced me to quit in 2016.
Do you think you have achieved enough in the game?
Honestly speaking, I had never done things knowingly. I had only Rs 10,000 left with me when I left my job and never thought how my life would pan out. Whatever came my way I grabbed those. Coming to my career, I have enjoyed every moment in these two decades. Football was the first thing to me and I have sacrificed so many things for this sport. And I don’t regret because at the end of the day, football has made me where I am today. I had never thought that I would get a chance to play on Kolkata maidan and am satisfied that I have done that. I still had some game left in me, but I felt very insulted the way East Bengal treated me in the twilight of my career. And after turning out for Pathachakra (Kolkata Football League side) and Mohammedan Sporting for few matches, I decided to call it a day.
You have also launched an academy back home…
Yes, I started with a goalkeeper academy, but since I came here, there are seven other coaches who are doing a good job. I have great aims with the academy. Already things are on for a feeder camp in Balurghat; talks are almost final for the Salt Lake and Singur camps too. My ultimate aim is to provide aid for the north Bengal footballers who are deprived of the basic facilities.
What are your views regarding the current crop of Indian goalkeepers playing at the top level?
See, every goalkeeper has his own style, his own philosophy. In modern football obviously, skills with the leg is very essential, how much strong your leg is, how much long you can kick the ball — the asset that Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu) has. He has two plus points, he can kick the ball long and his height. When you are playing international football, these two things do matter nowadays. Although I am shorter, but if you ask me to find a goalie now I would look for a taller one because of many advantages they offer. The standard of Indian goalkeeping has risen in recent years and it is a challenge for India coach Igor Stimac to choose between them.
Gurpreet has improved a lot…
Comparing Gurpreet from 2012 and now, he has changed a lot. It’s true that he has conceded many a silly mistakes which might have cost his teams the title (referring to East Bengal’s 2012-13 I-League campaign). There are many goalkeepers in India who concede badly, but Gurpreet has enhanced himself a lot. He has committed errors in the past which was during his learning process, but now he is way mature.
Do you think Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem can fill in the shoes of Gurpreet in near future?
It’s been just two years since the FIFA U-17 World Cup has happened in the country and the Indian football, especially the youth setup has vastly improved. But I still think Dheeraj lacks maturity. He is a very good goalkeeper, but he needs to be more settled on which he will attain as more matches he plays. He still needs to be more compact in the six yard and 18 yard box. He has a tendency of throwing his body at any given time, which he needs to contain. In goalkeeping, anticipation and positioning plays a big role. If you are at right position, you need not to throw your body and that is the only reason why Bengali goalkeepers are behind compared to their Punjabi colleagues.
Do you regret not winning the I-League with East Bengal?
As said earlier, I don’t regret anything in life. But I would have been happier had I won the I-League with East Bengal. It is every Bengali player’s dream to win the I-League with any of the Kolkata giants (East Bengal and Mohun Bagan). It would have been a perfect icing on the cake for those red-and-gold fans who have loved me for so many days and still the way they love me. It’s been more than a decade the Red and Golds have not won the title, but would have been happier if we had won the title then.
Why did you reject the U-17 Women’s World Cup team’s goalkeeping coach’s offer?
They had offered me the role, but since I don’t have any work experience with the girls I declined the offer. I could have experimented with the role, but at the same time I can’t do injustice with the faith of the AIFF officials.
How do you see the recent positive change in the Indian football’s youth system?
What I believe, for this recent youth development of Indian football, the credit goes to national team coaching director Abhishek Yadav. Earlier, we used to start training one month before any tournament, but things have changed now. It’s his brainchild to keep the teams (men’s and women’s youth teams) for the whole year and give them training and send them on exposure tours abroad. We won (U-15 and U-18 men’s, U-15 women’s) SAFF titles this year and under Bibiano (Fernandes) the India U-16 team qualified for the AFC Cup in 2020. So the Indian football is walking a right path. I have an inner feeling that we will qualify for the 2021 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru on our merit under Bibiano. The way Indian football is going forward nowadays, I believe the national team will excel more in coming days.
Who do you prefer — a foreign or an Indian coach?
I will root for an Indian coach at this level (youth). In the higher level too, I believe Indian coaches are capable of producing results. Soren Chhetri, who is the assistant coach here at the India U-16 men’s team, has produced 18 senior national team players in the past which includes the likes of Sanju Pradhan, Nirmal Chhetri, Komal Thatal and others.
How do you rate India’s new coach Igor Stimac?
He is a very good coach. I have interacted with him personally and he is a very down to earth person and has his visions clear. The best part of him is he doesn’t run after names. He told me an incident, ‘During his initial period as India coach whoever used to get the ball, they use to pass it to Sunil (Chhetri). He told them, ‘Sunil is not the only player in the team, there are others too.’ So, one can understand that he treats everyone equally.
Indian Super League or I-League?
Professionally, ISL is in better position right now. It’s because of ISL the players have come to know their true values. ISL has taught us what to eat, when to eat, what recovery is needed as a player. The tournament has brought every player under a particular system. Sharing the dressing room with some big names from abroad has made the Indians fearless, guided them in playing and helping them tackle different situations. I-League too has brought in some good foreigners, but not like the ISL.
Quotes
‘I doubt how good Armalco Colaco (former India coach) is, but he once said, ‘only Dempo can beat Dempo.’ It’s your own complacency which can beat you’
“Licencing plays a big part in a coach’s career, because it teaches you many things. There are reasons for everything we teach to a player which wasn’t there before. It is helping us as well as the players we are coaching.”
Quote to be highlighted prominently
“I see a big vacancy once Sunil Chhetri retires. No one has caught my eye till now who can take Sunil’s position once he is gone. I thought Jeje (Lalpekhlua) would have taken the mantle, but he got injured. I like Amarjit Singh Kiyam (captain of India during FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017) very much, but he isn’t a striker but a midfielder. He will rule Indian football for very long”
Major teams played:
Dempo (2003-2010)
Untied Sports (2010-2012)
East Bengal (2012-2015)
Chennaiyin FC (2014 on loan)
United Sports (2015)
Mohammedan Sporting (2016)
Coaching career
East Bengal (2016-17)
ATK Reserves (2018-19)
India U-16 (2019-Present)
Honours
Dempo
I-League: 2007-08, 2009-10
Durand Cup: 2006
Federation Cup: 2004
East Bengal
IFA Shield: 2012
Federation Cup: 2012
United Sports
Durand Cup: 2010
