Bhaichung Bhutia

Calcutta: Bhaichung Bhutia needs no introduction. John Abraham has aptly summed him up: “What Sachin Tendulkar is to cricket and Dhanraj Pillay to hockey, Bhaichung Bhutia is to football.”

The face of Indian football for over a decade and the fifth Indian to have been conferred the Padmashree, the Indian and Mohun Bagan captain has a regret though: He has never won a National Football League (NFL) for the green and maroons. His only NFL titles came while playing for JCT (in 1997) and East Bengal (2003-04).

He has emerged Mohun Bagan’s highest scorer in the NFL’s 12th edition — rechristened the ONGC I-League — with nine goals, but that effort has not been good enough for his team to stay in the title hunt.

With Mohun Bagan not in the picture and East Bengal just about avoiding relegation in the I-League, it’s been a forgettable outing for the city clubs. Bhaichung, however, has issued a piece of warning to the doubters.

“Calcutta teams are down but not out… we will bounce back for sure in the next season,” the India captain told The Telegraph in an exclusive interview on Friday, the eve of Mohun Bagan’s final round match against Mahindra United in Mumbai.

The following are excerpts

Q. What, according to you, have been the pluses and minuses for Mohun Bagan as you look back at the inaugural I-League?

A. Let me begin with the minus points. We started badly and it made all the difference as far as our hunt for the title was concerned. We struggled to get a foothold and didn’t gel together as a unit. The losses to JCT and Viva Kerala (in the first two matches) sort of caught us on the wrong foot. And once you lose the momentum in the beginning, it’s very difficult to get back into the reckoning. Yet, stacked heavily against the odds, we staged a remarkable comeback in the second phase of the league. For me, that was the biggest plus. We started playing as a team, began to believe in ourselves and almost challenged the league leaders. It only showed our potential.

Did you set any targets at the start of the season?

I always take it match by match, tournament by tournament. Winning a match on a given day is my priority and I never look beyond that immediate task in hand. But, well, I would have loved to win the I-League for Mohun Bagan.

Mohun Bagan are now out of the title fray, East Bengal have barely managed to survive relegation. All this is not a good advertisement for football in the city

Yes, but you can’t expect Mohun Bagan and East Bengal to win all the tournaments. The city teams are still the ones to beat… We may not have won the National League for a while, but statistics of these teams always make an impressive reading. Even in recent times, city teams have won major tournaments most of the times.

But hasn’t the balance of power shifted to Goa in recent times?

That other teams are coming out and winning tournaments is good for Indian football. It will help the game’s horizon to expand in the country. It also means that you now have a larger pool of talent on display. When you have a cut-throat competition in place, it augurs well, specially at a time when Fifa has focused on India as a potential market. But mark my words, the city teams are down but not out… we will bounce back for sure in the next season. You can’t think of Indian football without the city clubs.

When and how did you realise that the title had slipped away from your hands?

Perhaps after the first three matches… One point in three matches couldn’t be an ideal beginning and it took its toll towards the end. We regrouped quickly and decided to give it a try even though it was a steep mountain to climb.

Having led a major club for the first time in your career, how would you like to describe the season?

Emotions have been mixed. As a captain, it’s very disappointing not to win the I-League. But then, the way the boys rallied around me and fought back in the second phase of the league — I couldn’t ask for more. Beating East Bengal four times at the Salt Lake Stadium in a single season is also hugely satisfying.

Which have been your standout and most disappointing matches?

Difficult to mention any match in particular... Maybe the first match which we lost to JCT at home… it was very disappointing. Thereafter, everything went awry. As for the most satisfying one, it has to be the second-leg win over East Bengal (Bhaichung scored the winner).

Is the Bhaichung-Barreto combine jinxed? You are into the third season for Mohun Bagan and still to win the premier club competition together…

We have been in fantastic form this year. Out of my nine goals, I think, seven-eight were set up by Barreto. In our first two seasons (2002-2003 and 2006-2007), there were some difficulties… Injury had played a crucial part and then I had been away on national duty for sometime… Didn’t have enough time to forge a relationship with him on the field. But we were determined to make amends in this season and our performances reflected that attitude. Unfortunately, we couldn’t translate it into success in the Federation Cup and I-League.

Who, according to you, is the find of the season?

N. Mohanraj… He’s been outstanding in our defence throughout the season.

Finally, your future plans…

I have a two-year contract with Mohun Bagan and I’ll honour it. Hopefully, things will fall into place for me in the next season.