Mahindra goalkeepers Sandip Nandy (top) and Subhashish Roy Chowdhury

Ludhiana: Goalkeepers don’t get the respect they deserve in Calcutta, says Sandip Nandy. The Mahindra United custodian should know, having played in the Mecca of Indian football and beyond.

Mahindra’s second goalkeeper also happens to be a recruit from Bengal — Subhashish Roy Chowdhury. And the Mumbai team would be depending on both when they face East Bengal in the Federation Cup final on Saturday.

Nandy has been a permanent fixture with the national team for the past five years and is the first Bengal footballer to captain a major club team outside Calcutta.

Nandy’s safe hands guided Mahindra to the Federation Cup and National Football League summit in 2005 and it would come as no surprise if the 31-year-old from Bardhaman receives the winners’ trophy in Ludhiana.

Tie-breaker specialist Roy Chowdhury has come out of Nandy’s shadow in Ludhiana with spectacular performances in the quarter final and the semi-final. Given the thankless task of standing under the bar during the penalty shootouts in both outings, the 22-year-old from Baguiati came out with flying colours.

Both goalkeepers are very satisfied with Mahindra and have no wish to return to the Maidan. “I was with East Bengal for a year and hardly got a chance,” said Roy Chowdhury.

“At Mahindra, I am very well placed under Sandipda and learning a lot. I want to stay where I am,” says the Tata Football Academy graduate, who is one of Bob Houghton’s favourites.

Roy Chowdhury, who comes from a poor family, displayed his mettle in the semi-final against mighty Dempo with two dazzling saves. He showed that he was well versed in gamesmanship also, leaving the opposition exasperated by jumping and moving on the goalline before each spot kick. So much so that Dempo coach Armando Colaco feels a yellow card should have been shown to the goalkeeper.

“I did it deliberately,” laughs Roy Chowdhury. “Sandipda told me to remain cool and try to disrupt the concentration of penalty kickers,” he added.

Mahindra coach Derick Pereira will surely summon Roy Chowdhury if the final goes to a shootout as well.