Debjit Ghosh

Monday, 01. June 2009 - Pit Ruddy

He retired at a time when he could have gone on for two more years. Former Indian captain Debjit Ghosh allowed his head, not his heart to rule when it came to make such an important decision.

But when IndianFootball.Com approached him for his comments about the recent Mohun Bagan fracas regarding Baichung he poured his heart out to our Pit Ruddy.


Here follows the interview:

Pit Ruddy: Mohun Bagan AC has questioned Baichung's commitment to football. How do you react?

Debjit: I will not get into the Mohun Bagan part as because it is their internal matter. But if you are looking for my comments about Baichung's commitment then I would say, it is utter nonsense. For 17 years this man has worked day-in day-out to be what he is today. Even today you find him to be the only goal-getter in an international friendly against Hong Kong. It is absolutely his credit and no one else's as to where he has perched himself. If there are 5 foreigners in a team and Baichung along with it you will find officials, coaches, supporters expecting the maximum from the superstar. Why? Because he has over the years earned this expectation. You don't earn expectation without 100% commitment.


Pit Ruddy: In that case people like Baichung are unquestionable?

Debjit: Who says so! Firstly, as much I have known him, Baichung is not such a person who will venture into something other than football without informing the top bosses of the club or the federation. I have learnt from the media that he did inform the Mohun Bagan officials. If so be the case, then why did the officials didn't stop him then?  Even after that if you were finding something faulty with the man then you could have done it taking him totally into confidence, keeping his stature intact. Now if the person you are show causing comes to know about the entire matter from the media, even before he has received the letter, then he is bound to react very strongly. That is exactly what has happened.


Pit Ruddy: From Baichung to your taking up coaching assignment? You see yourself as a fulltime coach in the future?

Debjit: As far as football is concerned, whatever I have done involving the game has been totally out of love for the game. I have been associated with the century old Bhowanipore Club since last year. In the first year itself we became runners-up and have got promoted to 1st division group 'B'. We are just 2 years away from getting into the Premier Division of the Calcutta Football League. I am having a ball-of-a time as because the officials are very progressive minded and give you a freehand to work. I consider this to be my preparatory years in coaching. I have already applied for a 'C' licence coaching course and will definitely follow it up to 'A' licence.


Pit Ruddy: As a footballer you were on the ground, a direct determining factor. As a coach you are not. Have you sunk into this feeling?

Debjit: I don't adhere to this. I believe both footballers and coach have very important roles to play to be successful. Infact, I believe a lot can be done particularly as a coach and I am preparing myself just for that.


Pit Ruddy: In your long playing career you must have been influenced by many a coach?

Debjit: Kajal Guha was my first coach. He didn't know much about coaching but from him I have picked up the point of inspiring footballers. A few of us would practice for long even after the official practice got over. Kajalda would wait patiently and leave with us. Not for a day did he leave early.

P.K. Banerjee was such a coach who had the power to convince his footballers to play as he wanted them in a particular situation. Maybe that is what our senior footballers termed as 'PK's famous vocal tonic'.

Amal Datta refined me as a footballer. He taught me that a defender can also play a positive role for creating goals.

Syed Nayeemuddin was totally for dedication. He believed and preached that a footballer should go on practicing as much as that only can get you perfection.

Subrata Bhattacharya taught me how a defender can terrorise a forward and what is defence orientation.

But the person who has inspired me the maximum to become a coach is Subhas Bhowmick. He is more a manager than a coach. He is one such person who can make you dream. The ASEAN Club Cup success was more for him. He dreamt it first and then passed it on to everyone of us. He is somebody who creates team spirit.


Pit Ruddy: Any foreign coach who has cast a spell on you?

Debjit: Stephen Constantine. I would term him as a round-the-clock coach. He was always by our side. Stephen had a very clear footballing knowledge. Infact, he introduced us to the modernized version of 3-5-2 formation. He created a good bunch and worked on it. But he too had his drawbacks. Stephen was short tempered. He would at times let himself loose and scare the youngsters. He was not open to criticism and so the media picked easily on him.


Pit Ruddy: Your take on Bob Houghton?

Debjit: Well he is giving success so we better bear with him. He seems a patient man. But I would like to see how he creates the reserve force. Keep it in mind; Bob is working with the batch which surfaced during Stephen's time. So that's a test for the man.


Pit Ruddy: You are talking about Bob creating the 2nd line but is there at all any supply line for Indian football?

Debjit: The Tata Football Academy after so many years of existence is still the only backbone of Indian football. It has supplied countless footballers to the national team. The federation till date doesn't have an academy. It has failed to inspire the affiliated associations, clubs to do so. Thank god TFA existed and are still producing the Gouramangi Singh's. I just dread to dream what would have happened to Indian football without that cradle.
 

Pit Ruddy: Thank you for talking to us!