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Subhasish Bose is a left back presently donning the Mumbai City FC colors in the ongoing Indian Super League.
Still only 23, Bose has large experience in the footballing circuit in India, as he has previously played for Mohun Bagan, Sporting Goa and Bengaluru FC.
At the youth level, he represented Pune FC and Churchill Brothers. His efforts for Bengaluru alongside Rahul Bheke drew him a lot of plaudits, including a call-up to the national side by Stephen Constantine. So far, he has won eight caps for India.
We caught up with him for an exclusive interview and here's what he had to say about the ISL, Mumbai City's season and his personal career.
Q. Pleasure to have you speaking with us, Sir.
Ten games into the season and only three points behind Mumbai City's points tally last season. What's been different this time around?
This is my first season for Mumbai, and from the last season, the team has changed, including the coaches. So, us new players along with the existing players such as Sehnaj paaji (Singh), Amrinder etc., have been combining well.
We are playing together, as a team. In terms of both defending and attacking, we have been trying to do well. All of us are giving our 100%.
On and off the pitch, everyone's relationship with one another is healthy as well. Therefore, we are getting good results. I hope we carry this forward and make it to the top 4.
Q. What's the secret behind Mumbai's discipline this season at the back?
We try to keep our defence as compact as possible and our coach too, emphasizes more on defence. In practice, he tells us a lot and thus, it is reflecting on the pitch.
As a team we are defending, including the midfielders and strikers - we all are defending together as a unit.
Q. How different according to you, is the ISL from the I-League? Tell us through the medium of your time at BFC and MCFC.
In ISL, the grounds are extremely good. Facilities are present in the ISL, unlike the I-League, where there's not a lot available.
The presence of better coaches is teaching us a lot. A great pool of foreign have been coming to the scene, which is imporivng our game. Thus, it's better in the ISL.
Q. You topped the ladder last season with BFC and despite having lost in the finals, endured a fantastic campaign. What led to your switch to Mumbai?
I did very well for BFC, we lost out in the finals but won the Indian Super Cup. However, Mumbai launched an offer earlier than expected and I started to think. Before I played the league, I only had one thought - to play for Mumbai one day.
I was attracted to the offer and Mumbai and hence, I chose to try.
Q. Do you think your side can make it to the playoffs? If yes or no, which other teams do you feel will thrive during the business end of the season?
Right now, we are all working very hard. No one can predict at the moment where we will go, but we want to fight for it and win. We need to work harder and win matches, and I hope we are there amongst the top 4.
As I said, we can't predict much. All teams are playing well, all are getting stronger. Hence, I can't say much. We though, will try to be there.
Q. How does it feel to go up against your former club BFC, who are in sublime form? How's it like, to go back to Bengaluru?
Last time I played for Bengaluru FC and I won a lot of support. I'm excited to go to Bengaluru after a lot of days, it was once my home. They are in splendid form and haven't lost a game, so we will go there and try to give our best performance, hoping that we come back home with the better result.
Q. Which game of this season's has been the most challenging for your side? And how have you come about dealing with it tactically?
All matches in the ISL have been tough, but I guess, the match against NorthEast United FC was the toughest. They had won every game prior to that and it was an away fixture for us. It was huge for us to have come back with three points.
