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Up until a couple of weeks ago, the Indian football community was buzzing with speculation over Pritam Kotal’s future. Kotal’s previous contract with ATK Mohun Bagan FC expired in May, which gave the other ISL clubs a ‘rare’ opportunity to secure his signature.
Among them, Kerala Blasters FC and East Bengal Club came out with all guns blazing, offering the defender tempting deals. Invigorated by a timely cash injection from their new investor Emami Group, East Bengal were on a signing spree at this point and speculation was rife that Kotal, the Mariners’ blue-eyed boy, might switch allegiance to the rival camp.
The rumor mill got busier as Kotal remained ambiguous about his next step. Every time the 28-year-old was asked, “Are you continuing with ATK Mohun Bagan?” or “Are you joining East Bengal?”, he would reply with a zen-like calm – “Let’s see what happens.”
The guessing game finally ended on July 29 when ATK Mohun Bagan announced Kotal’s contract extension that will keep the player with them till 2023. The day is celebrated as ’Mohun Bagan Day' in honor of the Mariners’ legendary IFA Shield triumph in 1911.
There couldn’t have been a better occasion to announce the retention of Kotal, who has become synonymous with the green and maroon colors since making his Mohun Bagan debut in 2013.
Under Juan Ferrando’s stewardship, ATK Mohun Bagan are training in full swing for the upcoming season that will get underway with the Durand Cup later this month. Kotal is likely to continue leading the side and is expected to form a centre-back pairing with either Florentin Pogba or Brendan Hamill, while new arrival Asish Rai could play right-back.
In a recent freewheeling chat with Sportskeeda, Kotal reacted to his link-up with East Bengal and explained why he signed a contract extension with ATK Mohun Bagan. He also shared his views on his team's transition phase, the postponement of the Durand Cup derby, the revamped East Bengal side under former India head coach Stephen Constantine, and his rapport with ATK Mohun Bagan’s star foreign recruit Florentin Pogba.
Here are the excerpts:
Q: So it’s going to be another season for Pritam Kotal in the Green and Maroon camp. You received lucrative offers from many other clubs. Why did you opt for a contract extension with ATK Mohun Bagan?
Kotal: I’ve been playing for this team for a long time and our coach has shown a lot of faith in me. These were the main reasons why I decided to stay back. Kerala Blasters and East Bengal were also pursuing me.
East Bengal, in fact, sent me a big offer at the last moment, but Mohun Bagan had approached me much earlier. I have a connection with Mohun Bagan and I’m not someone who likes to switch clubs frequently.
Q: Did you enjoy the phase when everyone was speculating about your future? You yourself added to the buzz by keeping the suspense alive…
Kotal: Everyone was excited and wondering which club I would join next. I was enjoying the buzz, I won’t lie (laughs). I’m delighted to continue my journey with ATK Mohun Bagan and I want to lead the team to greater heights. Our first goal for the upcoming season is to reach the AFC Cup final and become the first Indian club to win the title.
Q: Speaking of the AFC Cup, you’ll play the inter-zone semi-final on September 7 at the Salt Lake Stadium. How crucial will the crowd support be for your team?
Kotal: It will obviously help us a lot. The tournament gets tougher once you advance to the knockouts. If we can play to our full potential, we’ll surely enjoy the home advantage. We’ll play a team game and hopefully we can win the match.
Q: All matches were played behind closed doors in the past couple of years due to the Covid situation. How much did you miss the crowds and how does it feel to be playing in front of them again?
Kotal: Fans are our ‘12th man’ and their presence always brings extra motivation. Whenever our motivation drops on the field, the crowds cheer us on and chant our names to give us that extra push. That makes a huge difference.
A few days back, we played against Mohammedan Sporting Club in front of a packed crowd at the Naihati Stadium. I’m not disrespecting other states, but one can’t deny that Bengal’s football frenzy is on a different level altogether. We grew up playing in full stadia, so we definitely missed the crowd support. We can’t wait to play in front of the ATK Mohun Bagan fans again.
Q: The Durand Cup derby, originally scheduled for August 16, has been postponed to August 28. What are your views on this and how much has the rescheduling affected your team’s preparations?
Kotal: I don’t want to give my opinion. We have accepted the decision of the tournament organizers and we’ll play the game on the rescheduled date. We’ve been preparing well for the past two weeks, so I don’t think the postponement will be an issue. We’ll be in even better shape by the time we play the derby.
Q: You played alongside Florentin Pogba against Mohammedan. How have your interactions with him been so far?
Kotal: He’s a very cool person and has gotten along well with everyone. Even for a player of his reputation, you need to give him time to acclimatize to Indian conditions. The same applies to Brendan [Hamill]. Both have come from football cultures that are vastly different from that of India. We’re having a lot of fun off the field and trying to remain focused while training.
Q: How is Juan Ferrando planning to use you this season – as a centre-back or as a full-back?
Kotal: I don’t want to discuss our tactics with the media. These things should remain within the team.
Q: Prabir Das, Roy Krishna, David Williams, Sandesh Jhingan and Ashutosh Mehta have left ATK Mohun Bagan. As a senior player, how do you view the departure of this core group and the current transition phase?
Kotal: Initially, it has been a bit challenging to deal with their absence. We played together over the last two years and enjoyed a lot of success. We finished runners-up in ISL 7 and made the semi-finals last season.
Every professional team shuffles its players and I’m sure the new boys who’ve come in like Asish [Rai], Ashique [Kuruniyan] and [Lalrinliana] Hnamte will prove their mettle.
As senior players, it’s our duty to help the youngsters settle into the team culture. I wish Roy, Prabir, Willo, Sandesh and Ashu all the best for the road ahead.
Q: ATK Mohun Bagan have beaten East Bengal in all Indian Super League (ISL) derbies so far. Do you think the new-look East Bengal team will throw a tougher challenge this time round?
Kotal: Derbies are never easy. The rivalry goes beyond the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams. Winning or losing depends on how the teams perform on a given day. It’s a battle between emotions, so it doesn’t matter if you’re ranked No. 1 or No. 6. The derby is more of a mind game.
Q: Has Stephen Constantine spoken to you since taking charge of East Bengal?
Kotal: I wouldn't want to divulge that. I made my international debut under Stephen in 2015 and I respect him immensely. East Bengal have found a good man for the job and I’m happy that he’s back in India, this time as the head coach of a big club. I wish him all the best for his new role.
Q: We have a longer football calendar now with the Durand Cup and the Super Cup becoming mandatory for the ISL clubs. How necessary was this?
Kotal: A lot! If you look at European football, there are so many tournaments throughout the year. The Premier League, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga have already started and the clubs also play in several other competitions like the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup et cetera.
Similarly, if we get more matches in Indian football, our fitness levels will go up. The more we play, the fitter we become. It will not only benefit the clubs but also the national team.
At the moment, we’re getting a month-long holiday break. I think that’s enough for us. You need to play more matches to gain insights into your own performance as well as the sport in general. We’ve started following the European model and I’m sure more matches will be added to the domestic calendar as time goes by.
Q: You got very little game time in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Are you concerned about your place in the Indian starting XI? How crucial will the upcoming season be for you from the national team’s perspective?
Kotal: See, the national team gets shuffled up quite often. The coach [Igor Stimac] has been rotating the players and trying out various combinations. I’m not insecure about my place in the team.
Like every other national team, there’s healthy competition among the players. I try to give my hundred per cent effort whenever I get an opportunity. It’s up to the coach to decide whether I should start or not. My job is to deliver my best in every training session and utilize the chances that come my way at the international level.
