Subha Ghosh is Kerala Blasters' dark horse

Twenty-year-old Subha Ghosh played for Mohun Bagan U-19 in the youth Premier League in 2019, and in the same year, he also won the coveted Golden Boot for leading the club to the finals of the tournament. As a striker, he's now raring to make his ISL debut with his new club Kerala Blasters under former Mariners coach Kibu Vicuna.

Hyderabad: Subha Ghosh is a young Indian forward. He is yet to make his Indian Super League (ISL) debut, but he has already been in the news since he joined Kerala Blasters in late last December from ATK Mohun Bagan on a swap deal.

Subha, who made his senior club debut with Mohun Bagan only in 2019-20 I-League and helped the club win the second division of Indian football with three last gasp goals as a super-substitute, now raring to make his ISL debut with his new club Kerala Blasters under former Mariners coach Kibu Vicuna.

A product of Mohun Bagan Youth Academy, Subha first came to limelight in 2019 when he left everyone captivated with his ability to score at demanding situations. Playing for Mohun Bagan U-19 team in the youth Premier League, that year he won the Golden Boot for leading the club to the finals of the tournament.

Followed by that sensational display, he was called upon by Vicuna, then coach of Mohun Bagan, for I-League. Subha didn't disappoint his boss either. As a striker, he made eight appearances and rescued his team with crucial goals when required. As expected he was included to the ATKMB for the 2020-21 ISL season, but he had found no place in Antonio Habas' star-studded team.

Desperate for match time, he made a plea to the club and made his way to the Blasters camp with a raised hope of playing under Vicuna again.

The 20-year-old striker spoke to ETV Bharat about his reintegration with coach Kibu Vicuna, his childhood, time with the Mariners, the experience of sharing the dressing room at the recently merged ATK Mohun Bagan, and his expectations from Kerala Blasters. The young forward has also shed light on the pressure of being rated as the next big name in the Indian forward line.

However, Subha declined to talk about the swap deal that saw a controversy sparking out after ATKMB refused to pay the transfer fee to Kerala for signing Nongdamba Naorem, who suffered a severe knee injury, and even rejected his transfer to the Kerala franchise.

Excerpts..

Q: How tough was it for you to leave ATK Mohun Bagan?

Subha Ghosh: I believe that game time is important for all the players. ATKMB is indeed a top team with top players from the national squad. For a young player like me, I need to come up the ranks and gain experience by playing.

Initially, I was pumped and hoping to make a mark, but I was unable to impress the management and they also felt the need for me to have some more game time and return stronger.

Subha Ghosh poses for a photograph at ATKMB's training before joining Kerala Blasters.

Mohun Bagan is the club I grew up with, and surely it was tough as I had a choice to make whether to keep training and wait for my opportunity or start playing.

Q: You are from Shyamnagar, a place which gifted Mohun Bagan and Indian national team legends like Keshto Pal and Subrata Bhattacharya. Is the football culture of Shyamnagar encouraged you to take up the sport?

SG: My passion for the game began when I was 5. My father used to take me to the matches and teach me the basics. Growing up in Kolkata, football is in your blood and the stories of the legendary players and great moments are sort of etched in my brain.

Q: You were with the Mariners since 2014. You have spent your childhood playing for various age group teams of Mohun Bagan. You have also written an emotional message on social media announcing your departure from the club. Tell me about your experience with the Green and Maroon?

SG: I owe my football career to Mohun Bagan. I have been trained and groomed by the club. The junior tournaments to the I-League, it has been a wonderful experience. I have scored goals and won matches and was fortunate to win many tournaments as well. The joy and support of the club and the fans have been immense and I have been fortunate to play for the legendary club.

It was a very emotional moment for me. When I had to make the decision, I called my baba and told him that I will be leaving and making the switch which was a tough one for him as well. As I have played here from my teens, I have developed a special bond and I know I have left but the bond will remain forever.

However, I also feel this was personally a good decision for me, as I need to grow as a player for which I need to play for matches. Now at KBFC, I feel I can achieve my dream.

Q: Joining Kerala Blasters is your reunion with former Mohun Bagan coach Kibu Vicuna. What does this reintegration mean to you?

SG: I am very delighted to work with him again. He was the one who gave me a chance to play in the first team last season. I am very fond of him as a coach and indeed last season I had much more to learn from him, and this year also I will continue the process and absorb as much as possible. Since I know him there is an established comfort zone but that doesn’t mean I will not work hard; I will still fight for my place and work relentlessly to better my last year's performances.

Q: What effect did coach Kibu Vicuna have on your career?

SG: I was a junior player till last season, I was really looking forward to playing for one more season in the junior team and then start shaping my senior career. But as soon as Kibu Sir landed for the first time in Kolkata, everything seemed to move differently and for better.

Along with my teammates, I had joined the Senior team training and kept working with them throughout the pre-season in Goa and then came back in Kolkata and that is when I was awarded the senior team contract which was a big deal for me.

Subha Ghosh celebrating after scoring one of his goals in I-League in 2020.

He always encouraged me, and pushed me to work hard and insisted to look at the game tactically. As the days progressed and I got my first goal for Mohun Bagan in the CFL, my confidence kept growing and now I am here (KBFC). He has helped me a lot over the season and a half. I am grateful to him.

Q: Do you feel you will get more opportunities at Kerala Blasters unlike ATK Mohun Bagan, where Antonio Habas didn’t use you much?

SG: ATKMB has a star-studded line-up with experienced players in all the positions. I knew it in the beginning that I would be 4/5 in the pecking order which is fair looking at the proven squad strength upfront. But Habas as well trained us all hard and I was learning and improving every day. Unfortunately, I picked up a niggling injury during training which further hampered my chances of making debut for ATKMB. So, it was a mix of everything.

Now I am here and I am fit and raring to go. I want to score and play and make a difference. I understand Kibu Sir’s game having some knowledge and experience from the previous season, and I look forward to learning more and improve, and I believe if I am successful in doing that I will get more opportunities.

Q: New destination Kerala Blasters, who are struggling at the 10th position this season. You have a new challenge, are you ready for it?

SG: I feel it’s not that bad and I guess the style of football we choose to play it takes time to adapt to it. I feel the team will pick up the momentum as the season progresses. It’s a challenge and I am up for it. I am mentally in a good space now and as soon as the coach calls upon me, I will perform and deliver.

Q: You have been rated highly as the future of Indian attack. Do you feel the pressure of expectations or you enjoy it?

SG: I would love to believe so, why not. I don’t want to feel pressure at all because I have to keep scoring and improving my scoring skill. The only pressure I feel is for the result, the team should win. That is the only form of pressure I believe which exists for me.

Q: How is ISL helping you develop your game and grow financially?

SG: ISL is a big platform the way it is marketed and compared to other leagues it is completely different. The management and the organization are also of a different level. The facilities are top-class, it encourages each and every player to give their best, also we as players feel a lot more appreciated here.

-- By Sudipta Biswas