"I would love to stay here for a long time" - Samik Mitra calls Chennaiyin FC his 'second family,' outlines best moment of ISL 2022-23, and more

Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Samik Mitra has revealed that he would love to commit his long-term future to the club, which he considers his 'second family.'

Mitra, who joined the Marina Machans' reserve side all the way back in 2017, has been with the first team over the last two seasons. He got his big break in ISL 2022-23, featuring in 10 matches and keeping two clean sheets.

As per transfermarkt, the 22-year-old has a contract running until the summer of 2024.

During an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda last month, Samik Mitra indicated that he would love to extend his stay even further at the 'Marina Arena.'

He also outlined the impact Chennaiyin had on him as a person outside the football pitch.

"Obviously, I love Chennaiyin FC. I joined here at a very young age. They taught me and I learnt how to be, not just a professional football player, but a good person," Samik Mitra said.

"I joined here when I was 16 or 17, as a teenager. They taught me how to treat others and everything. This was a second family for me and I will always remember this club.

"It's the club's decision obviously at the end of the day, but I would love to stay here for a long time."

Mitra was also asked about his experience working under head coach Thomas Brdaric, who has given him his big break this season. The youngster praised Brdaric, but also added that the atmosphere in Chennaiyin ensures that the players and coaching staff always feel united.

"It [working with Brdaric] has been a good experience. Being with Chennaiyin for a long time, the environment here is always nice. We are a family - no matter who comes and who's here," Samik Mitra said.

"From the day I joined here, it has been a second family for me and I really love Chennaiyin FC. As far as the environment is concerned, it has never been a problem for me. I know all the staff and they are like a family - big brothers and younger brothers - to me."

He believes these values have been a part of the Marina Machans from the start and that he has learnt from that as well:

"I have been here for a long time. No matter which coach or players are there, it's a family, there's a unity. That has been put into the team from the foundation. When I joined this team, I learnt that this is a family. How they treated me was how you treat everyone in the family."

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Samik Mitra opens up on finally getting his chance for Chennaiyin in ISL 2022-23

At the start of the ISL 2022-23 season, few would have expected Samik Mitra to become Chennaiyin FC's No. 1. The experienced Debjit Majumder seemed to be Thomas Brdaric's preferred starter.

When Majumder picked up a red card against Bengaluru FC on October 14, it was Devansh Dabas who started their next game against FC Goa. The former then returned to the line-up following the 2-0 defeat to the Gaurs.

However, after Majumder picked up an injury, Mitra was handed a start by Brdaric away to eventual ISL Shield winners Mumbai City FC on December 24. Chennaiyin lost the match 2-1, but the young goalkeeper's performance, in which he made six saves, caught the attention of fans and pundits alike.

Reflecting on that first start, Samik Mitra stated that he was always ready to give it his all if he got a chance, regardless of when it arrived. He said:

"The thing is, as a player, you always have to be ready to play, even if you're not in the matchday squad, sitting up [in the stands] in the stadium. I always thought 'When I get my chance, I will play. I have to wait for the chance, keep working hard in training and if I get the chance, I'll give my all and prove that I can play.'

"That was my mentality and it helped me when I started the match against Mumbai City, who are one of the best teams in the league right now. It wasn't much of a nervous thing or a big deal for me because I had this mental preparation that when I got the chance, I would go all in."

He also stated that apart from his father, who was also a goalkeeper, Majumder was one of his role models. Mitra also named Vishal Kaith, who was Chennaiyin's No. 1 for the last two seasons and has been brilliant for ATK Mohun Bagan this term, as another player he looked up to.

"I am very privileged to be playing and sharing the dressing room with Debjit Majumder," Samik Mitra said.

"As a young goalkeeper and a Bengali, I have seen him playing a one-man match against East Bengal in a derby against Mohun Bagan. Watching him play that time and then sharing the dressing room with him is a big deal for me.

"I [also] had Vishal Kaith with me. Two seasons with him was a very big deal as I liked him a lot as a goalkeeper. And then, obviously, my father. I used to watch him play a bit, not much, as much as I remember from my young age."

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Read: Part 1 of Samik Mitra's interview with Sportskeeda

Samik Mitra names 0-0 draw with ATK Mohun Bagan as one of his best performances of ISL 2022-23

It's worth noting that the aforementioned 2-1 defeat to Mumbai City FC wasn't Samik Mitra's Chennaiyin FC debut. The goalkeeper made his bow for the Marina Machans last season in a 1-0 defeat against ATK Mohun Bagan in the Goa bubble.

During his conversation with Sportskeeda, Mitra expressed his disappointment at not keeping a clean sheet in that game. However, he was also happy to get a chance to play against the same opposition again when the Mariners visited Chennaiyin on January 21. This was incidentally his debut at the 'Marina Arena' as well.

Mitra was arguably Chennaiyin's standout player in the match, making five saves and impressing with his distribution in a game that ended goalless.

"I will say it was the match against ATK Mohun Bagan. It ended 0-0 and I got a clean sheet. It was a good match for me personally," he replied when asked about what he thought was his best performance of the season.

"Obviously, there was room for improvement. But last season, when I played my first match [for CFC], it was against ATKMB and we lost 1-0. I lost on my debut and couldn't keep a clean sheet," he further explained.

"So, to get back, play against them again, keep my clean sheet and make some saves - it was a great moment. I like that as it was my first clean sheet in the ISL."

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He further added that he believes Chennaiyin's fans are among the best in India.

"When I was in the reserve team, I used to watch the senior team play from the stands and I dreamt that I would play over there," Samik Mitra said about his 'Marina Arena' debut.

"The match against ATK Mohun Bagan, I played under the fans. It was a great experience for me and the fans were very supportive as they always are. I think we have one of the best fanbases in the country."

"We are in a process and we are improving" - Samik Mitra believes Chennaiyin will learn from their mistakes in ISL 2022-23

Chennaiyin FC notably endured a mixed ISL 2022-23 campaign. While they went toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the league, they often failed to kill games off. Individual errors at the back also cost them as they finished eighth, missing the playoffs for the third season in a row.

While that record doesn't make for great reading for the two-time ISL champions, Samik Mitra believes they are on the road to improvement. While reflecting on the season, he said :

"The number one learning is to just keep going. We have ups and downs and that's a part of football. Throughout the football world, there have been clubs that have not had good results and then they improve. We are also in that process.

"We have faith in ourselves and the fans also have that in us and the club that we'll do well. It's not that we're going downward; we are in a process and we are improving. We will reap the benefits of that in the future.

"It may not be happening right now, but maybe next season. We'll keep pushing, keep going. No matter what happens, we'll keep showing up and working hard and the benefits and results will come."

Samik Mitra is expected to be seen in action next during the Hero Super Cup. Chennaiyin will kick off their campaign with a Group D fixture against NorthEast United FC on April 11.