Kolkata: Ashutosh Mehta is a hotshot in Indian football currently, not only because of his looks and social media presence but also his works on the field. A coach’s trust and a saviour in difficult times, the Mumbai-born lad has already attracted one and everyone with his play. Even a two-liner has come up from his fans which go, “Kaun Bachaye, Hamari Naaiya; Ashu Bhaaiya, Ashu Bhaaiya.” A two-time I-League champion, Sportslight Media caught up with the man himself where he spoke about I-League, ISL, the role of Kibu Vicuna in his career and much more. Excerpts..
Congratulations on winning the I-League with Mohun Bagan. What impact did Kibu Vicuna had on you?
You know he is a type of coach a player would want to give his life for. He is not only a top coach but a great person as well, for me which is more important. He used to say small things, small details which were so important on the field and off the field as well. I just want to wish him all the luck for his next challenge in Kerala.
You have played with so many foreign players over the years. If you have to choose one name who would it be and why?
It’s very difficult to choose one name because I have played with top players who have played football at the highest level. So one name would be difficult, but still, I would say Diego Forlan and Robbie Keane. Diego Forlan because of course, is a great human being, a top player, a leader and the same goes with Robbie Keane.
You have played in both Indian Super League and the I-League. Which one Ashutosh Mehta prefers?
I prefer playing football, you know because you see I-league is very challenging because of the weather, because of travelling and because of the ground conditions it becomes very challenging. And ISL is competitive because of the quality of the league and professionalism.
How difficult will be football in India post COVID-19?
It is gonna be difficult. Football is gonna be difficult after the pandemic. But as a professional, you have to be ready to accept the challenges upfront.
AIFF has already declared that I-League will be in Kolkata and ISL in Goa. What do you think about the teams not getting the home crowd and will the climate be a problem?
Look, I think all the teams and all the players are gonna face the same situation. It’s not that one team has a disadvantage or the other team has the advantage. Its gonna be the same for everyone. And if the AIFF has already decided what is gonna happen, I think all the teams and all the players have to respect it.
It hasn’t been revealed yet whether Asutosh Mehta will be signing for ATKMB or not. Your thoughts?
To be honest I don’t know what is gonna happen. It’s a green signal from my side, now it’s really up to ATKMB. But I really don’t know what is gonna happen in the future.
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