Subhasish Bose will settle for nothing less than the ISL title with Mumbai City FC

Mumbai, October 1: Subhasish Bose knows a thing or two about being so close yet so far. The Mumbai City FC full-back was an integral part of the Bengaluru FC setup that went on to reach the final of the Indian Super League (ISL) last season.

ISL: Preview, Timings, Live Streaming, Where to Watch: Fresh start awaits Mumbai, Jamshedpur

For a team that dominated the league, it was disappointing that they failed to lift the trophy last season. “It was heartbreaking to say the least. It felt really bad. I even cried a lot after that. It was that bad,” says Bose recalling the incidences from early this year.

Six months on, the 23-year-old has moved on in search of greener pastures, and his hunger to win still remains the same. So, when asked about his goal with his new club — Mumbai City FC — the answer is spontaneous. “The ISL title,” he says. “There’s nothing more that a player or the club or the fans demand. We have a really good team. The coach is very supportive and helpful. The atmosphere in the dressing room is also good.”

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Jorge Costa, the new head coach at Mumbai City, is known to shape his side on the solidity of its defence. So, it was no surprise when Mumbai went on to sign a handful of top-quality defenders ahead of the season. Apart from Bose, the Islanders have roped in Sauvik Chakrabarti, Shouvik Ghosh and Congolese full-back Arnold Issko, making the fight for a place in the starting XI an interesting one. “I think it’s good that we have such top-quality players in the side,” says Bose who is eager to play alongside his new team-mates.

“You need a healthy competition and a fight for a place in the starting XI. Unless you have that kind of pressure, you never improve and can never give your best. I am happy that I have these guys in the team who can push me to be at my best all the time.”

Having played under Albert Roca, a coach who prides himself in the Barcelona way of football, at Bengaluru last season, playing under Costa can be a testing prospect for Subhasish. Costa is known to be a pragmatic coach who believes in winning at any cost, a man for whom the style of play more often than not takes the back seat. But Bose seems to be happy with what he has seen so far. “Ball possession was the hallmark of Roca’s philosophy. I don’t think it’s much different here. Costa is no different. He wants us to have most of the ball and not try some bold moves. Simple football, effective football is what we are trying to achieve.

“Moreover, he was a defender, so that is continuing now as well. He is very particular about how his defence shapes up. There are times when he demonstrates certain things. Be it how one should approach an attacker or be it how one’s body position should be in a 1v1 position and so on. There’s a lot to learn from this man. I think, I can be a better player if I get to spend a lot more time with him,” signed off Bose.