Mondal raring to earn India jersey
Arnab Mondal had been one of the core members of the India Under-23 squad for the Olympic qualifiers, but a national team jersey at the senior level has eluded him so far. A string of injuries at crucial moments has seen him sidelined from national team selection and the East Bengal defender, now part of the India camp for the Tajikistan international friendly, says his ultimate goal remains to stay fit and make it to the squad.
In an interview with a website, Mondal speaks about his frustrations, getting mentally drained during his rehab and national coach Wim Koevermans’ influence on him as a player. Excerpts:
What does this call mean for you? Earlier, I have been part of the camp but was never able to make it to the senior squad. That was frustrating. Obviously, I have represented India in the U-23 Olympic qualifiers but representing the country at the senior level stays the ultimate dream.
You have been a seasoned pro at the club level. What’s so special about representing India? It’s all about the satisfaction which makes it special. The national jersey stays the motivation which drives every player. The satisfaction of my contemporaries who have donned it makes me all the more eager to get it. Sometimes, I even feel jealous of them.
There’s a feeling among most that you are a bit injury prone. Is it right? The irony stays that I have never sustained any injury during the I-League. It’s only when I come for the national camp, I pick up one. I call it destiny. Football is a body contact sport and you can never predict as to when one may get injured. It can happen to anyone, anytime. And it’s frustrating.
How did you cope up with it? I was devastated when I picked up the injury at the camp in Pune. It was just prior to the AFC Challenge Cup. It happened to me for the second time in succession and it was hard to cope up, at least mentally. I questioned myself and to the Almighty as to why it’s always me. But that’s life.
The worst part stays when you feel your confidence is sinking. That’s the most difficult phase of the rehab.
Apart from the injury, how was your experience in the Pune camp? I carry the lessons learnt in every step. National coach Wim Koevermans stresses on modern football. Koevermans stressed on team shape, agility, fitness, and various other technical aspects. It served as a lesson not only for me but for all to upgrade themselves in future.
Did Koevermans offer you any specific inputs? His inputs on positional sense were an education for me. Besides, he worked on how to react in certain situations, decision making, intercepting in one-on-one situations, etc.
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