'We don't have 14 games remaining, we have 17 left,' Mumbai City FC's Modou Sougou lays down the ISL gauntlet (Exclusive)

A fortnight ago, Carlos Pena hammered the final nail in Mumbai City FC’s coffin, courtesy a goal that symbolised the indecisive start to the season the Islanders have endured. Despite seemingly finding themselves adequately placed to sniff out the danger, Mumbai failed to grab the moment, eventually allowing the Spaniard and FC Goa to steal a considerable march on them.

Subsequently, the club was thrown into turmoil, with coach Jorge Costa, in particular, enduring a torrid time as those in attendance kept throwing tricky questions at him. Thus, at such a juncture, one would’ve expected the players to slightly retreat into their shell and bide their time before an opportunity came calling.

Yet, on a sultry afternoon in Navi Mumbai, Modou Sougou failed to give in to those aforementioned notions as he painted a picture of positivity amid the gloom engulfing the club. The Senegalese exuded confidence as he sat jovially with a cup of coffee and opened up on a variety of topics.

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, he talked about the importance of Mumbai City’s next game against NorthEast United on the 27th of November. He said,

The most important thing for us is the game in Guwahati. We have worked hard in the international break and tried to recover as many players as possible. And, we will be going to Guwahati for the 3 points. If we get it, it will be very good for us.

When asked about what aspects he felt the team had to focus on after the international break, he replied that the side needed to showcase the requisite mentality to stay together and keep working hard, traits that remain non-negotiable, despite the numerous changes the sport has undergone.

The crux of the conversation with Sougou though, revolved around his view on how Indian football had progressed in the past couple of years. A veteran of various leagues across the globe, the Senegalese has seen his fair share of different environments, thereby providing a myriad perspective on what ailments currently plague the country’s footballing reserves. He quipped,

Earlier, the Indian football players didn’t concentrate as hard on training. But, that has changed gradually because at the end of the day, you can only perform as well as you train. Additionally, with foreign coaches in the league, they’ve gotten better tactically, meaning that they are able to contribute without the ball as well, which wasn’t particularly the case earlier. Also, there needs to be more professionalism in football so that people can take it up full time and devote all their efforts towards it.

To drive his point home, Sougou singled out Raynier Fernandes for praise, wherein he stated the Indian had added further strings to his bow, courtesy his propensity to studiously listen and understand the aspects related to off-the-ball positioning. The forward also opined that if Raynier continued on a similar upward trajectory, he could become one of the top players in the country.

Sougou was all praise for Raynier Fernandes (Image courtesy: ISL)

A common thread through most of Sougou’s ideas revolved around the ability to possess a mentality tough enough to survive anything the sport could throw at him. And, it wasn’t too much of a surprise, considering the upbringing he had had in Senegal, where there is a plethora of competition for becoming a professional footballer.

Recalling his early years, he remarked,

For us, it is a dream to play in Europe as professionals. In Senegal, after school, you start playing football and even I did so, going to different cities to play. However, it wasn’t easy because I was too small and skinny as compared to some of my peers, although I was better technically. But, I kept working hard and I was lucky that I got the opportunity to represent my nation and the clubs I did.

Consequently, that attitude of never letting down one’s guard and always being well-equipped to tackle challenges has been ingrained into Sougou, meaning that he has found it easier to acclimatise himself to different surroundings.

Yet, he was quick to point out that his sojourn on the western coast of India remains unparalleled. He said,

Mumbai is like home for me. I love the club and that was one of the main reasons I signed up for another season. All of us stay together here and that is great for integration. Despite being thousands of miles away from home, I never feel so because of the healthy environment.

However, he did have a slight complaint, wherein he issued the Mumbai City fans a rallying call, asking them to come out and support the side in huge numbers at the Mumbai Football Arena.

The club and its fans have a two-way relationship. Both depend on each other and the tighter the relation is, the better it is for both. It’s sad to see that the ground is not getting filled to capacity and I urge all our fans to come to our home matches and pack it to the brim, thereby allowing either to reap the benefits of the wonderful relationship we have. Let's create an atmosphere similar to what is present at Anfield.

Thus, through an illuminating conversation, Sougou had highlighted the attributes that have made him an irresistible part of the Mumbai City machinery.

Sougou is just as influential off the pitch

Blessed with an elite mentality and a tendency to always keep learning, the Senegalese has provided budding Indian footballers with the ideal template. And, even though he hasn’t been able to contribute much this season, owing to an ongoing injury, he has certainly been as influential off the pitch, especially when the club has been fervently searching for inspiration.

Most importantly though, Sougou, despite having plied his trade in the top leagues across Europe, rarely gives the impression of someone who's too occupied with himself, thereby prompting young footballers to distance themselves from him. On the contrary, his charming personality only paves the way for aspiring players to pick his brains and ultimately, help both sides develop.

As for his approach to the game, not many are able to stare down the barrel and yet live to tell the tale in a manner that makes the task seem much less arduous than it might be.

After all, when asked what he wanted to achieve in the remaining 14 matches, he quickly corrected the query with a broad grin, stating that there were 17 matches still left this term.

And, that, just embodied Modou Sougou in a microcosm, didn’t it?