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Federico Gallego, the Uruguayan midfielder who plays for NorthEast United FC, is one of the best players to play in the league. His presence in midfield and the way he dictates play has impressed everyone. His contributions played a significant factor in NorthEast United FC qualifying for the playoffs twice in three years.
Gallego is the only foreign player to be a part of both the teams that made the playoffs for NorthEast United in the past three years.
Gallego spoke to Sportskeeda before the season starts.
The excerpts from the interview with Federico Gallego are below.
Q: This is your fourth season with NorthEast United FC. How has your journey with NEUFC been so far?
Gallego: The journey has been fantastic for me. It is a perfect experience for me. Qualifying for the playoffs twice in three years was a great feeling, and it wasn't easy. The first three seasons have been amazing.
Q: This season again, the ISL will be held inside a Bio-Bubble. How does a bio bubble affect a player mentally and physically?
Gallego: Honestly, it isn't easy playing the tournament from inside a bio-bubble. We cannot go out or leave the hotel. The most challenging part is the mental health of the players. Staying in the same room for such long periods can affect the mental aspect of a player.
We should also remember that the Bio-Bubble is in place for our safety, keeping in mind the covid situation around the world. So, we have to adapt to the problem and keep ourselves occupied so that we don't think about being locked in the hotel too much.
I have one year experience of playing from a Bio-Bubble, so I think this year won't be a problem (laughs).
Q: During your tenure in NorthEast United FC, you have played under four different coaches. Who was the best coach, and why?
Gallego: (Laughs) Trick Question! (continuous laughing). As a player, I always try to take positives from every manager I play under. After I retire, I want to become a coach, so maybe I can use all the good things that I have learned under these coaches and become a good coach myself.
It is challenging for me to choose one coach as I have learned many things from every one of them.
In my first season here, I had Eelco, who is a great coach, and I had a brilliant relationship with him. His sessions were excellent, and he helped me take my game to the next level. We had a very successful season under him, making the playoffs for the first time.
Robert Jarni was a good coach and was a great player. I learned a lot of things from him. Gerard Nus is someone who has a lot of knowledge about football and different types of tactics. Khalid finally took over the team last season when we were in a difficult phase and he helped us turn things around.
So overall, I have a lot of respect for all of them.
Q: You are the only foreign player to play for NorthEast United FC in both the playoffs. Which was more memorable and why?
Gallego: (Smiles) Both are special in their own ways. The first season we made it to the playoffs was special because it was the first time. And also because the fans enjoyed it a lot. In football, I feel the utmost important thing is the fans and their happiness.
That season we enjoyed ourselves a lot with the fans. That also gave the fans the belief that we could win. The second season was memorable because of the comeback we made from a difficult situation.
Q: What are your views about the League growing and the quality of Indian players?
Gallego: Yes, the Indian players have been improving every season. I said this to you before. But, also, every year, the Indian players are becoming better, they play better, and they think better during the games than the previous season, so that is a significant development. But there is still a lot of room for improvement. The players have good quality, but they need to train more and play more in a calendar year. To improve to world standards, they need to play more. If you see worldwide, every country plays for ten months or so and has a two month break. But here, the gap is a lot longer and the season is very short with fewer games. So the fundamental thing for growth is competition and game time. It is also essential for the national team. As you see, the Indian National Team had its World Cup Qualifiers in June, and our season ended in March. They had a two three month break before the qualifiers, and the results are in front of you. I hope one day we can have more games in the league.
Q: What is your most memorable memory with NorthEast United FC?
Gallego: Has to be the two times we've reached the playoffs. It was incredible. That memory with the fans enjoying reaching the playoffs was terrific. Being able to give the fans something to cheer for that memory was special.
Q: Which is your most memorable goal for NorthEast United FC?
Gallego: The first goal could be. It was just 9-10 minutes in the first game. It was just nine or ten minutes of starting my career here, and I scored, so yeah, that is special. But, of course, it is not memorable regarding the quality of goal (an Md. Nawaz blunder) but what it meant to me scoring my first goal within ten minutes of starting my journey here.
So in terms of quality and impact, it will be my goal against Delhi Dynamos in Delhi. It was an away game for us, and we were level throughout the game, and then in the 82nd minute, I scored a good goal. That was memorable, plus we had a lot of away fans in Delhi, so it made the occasion more special.
Q: NorthEast United FC has a lot of young players in the squad. What are your views regarding them?
Gallego: Yeah, we have a very young squad. As everyone knows, the North East is the hotbed of football in India, and we have some excellent players. I hope they can showcase their potential properly in the ISL this season as they have the quality.
They have the quality to do whatever they want to on the pitch, so I hope they get the confidence to do it. I hope we find more Apuias this season.
Q: You have spent a lot of time with Khalid Jamil. He is the first Indian head coach of an ISL side. What are your views about Khalid?
Gallego: He is a great guy. He took charge of the team last season when we were in a difficult situation. We were drawing or losing games last season due to some confusion. And then he came and turned the team around.
He gave us the freedom to play our natural game and didn't put any pressure on us. He is an excellent coach and very hardworking. He also wants to improve and do his job to perfection, which is crucial for us. We always want to help him.
Q: Which team do you think will be the main contenders for the title this season?
Gallego: Every team in the ISL has improved their squad compared to last season. So it is going to be a challenging season. But, I feel ATK (ATK Mohun Bagan) will be a big contender for the title because most of their Indian players are National team players, plus they have quality foreigners. Of course, Hyderabad FC has also assembled a good squad along with FC Goa and Mumbai City FC.
But, personally, for me, I feel ATK is one step above everyone else. ATK has kept its core intact, with players together in the same system for the last two to three seasons.
Q: This season, only four foreigners can play in the playing XI for a team. Do you feel this will hamper the quality of football on display?
Gallego: Honestly, this is something I cannot answer at this point in time. It is something that could also improve the quality and competitiveness of the league. So it is something which can be answered after watching a few games. But this move will be beneficial for the Indian players, and it will help them grow.
Q: The people of Uruguay, what do they think about the Indian Super League?
Gallego: The people of Uruguay don't know much about the league. They can't watch the games there. For example, my family hasn't watched my games because it is not telecasted directly, nor do we get any links to watch the games. They are not able to watch the game on TV or the internet. I hope one day my family and friends can watch me live on TV or the Internet.
The people associated with football have a little bit of an idea regarding the league. Also, when Diego Forlan came to the Indian Super League, there was a bit of buzz regarding the league among the footballing people. But the general population doesn't have much knowledge regarding the league.
Q: The fans of NorthEast United FC call you King. What do you have to say about that?
Gallego: The fans of NorthEast United FC are crazy. They are the best fans. The amount of love they show me is unbelievable. They always keep sending me positive messages on social media. I miss playing in front of them. I hope this covid situation gets better soon and we can play in front of them again soon.
We hope the league organizers will allow the fans during the later stages of the season. It would be nice to see them back in the stands if the covid situation improves.
