It has been a momentous year for defender Subhasish Bose, both domestically and with the national team. Bose started last season being drafted by two-time I-League champions and ISL newbies Bengaluru FC, and debuted for the national team in the Intercontinental Cup.

Bose, who moved from Mohun Bagan, became a key member of Albert Roca’s line-up, sometimes playing as a left-back and also playing as a member of the back three for Bengaluru.

Ultimately, it was his suspension that forced the Spaniard to change his system versus Chennaiyin in the ISL final. Bose was understandably distraught about losing the final, even though he didn’t play in it.

“When we lost, I cried a lot. It had been a fantastic year and the league, which we had dominated, was lost. It took me some time to get over it,” said Bose on the sidelines of the SAFF Championships camp currently underway in New Delhi.

‘Guddu’ as he is known, was born in Subhasgram, Kolkata and his father was also a footballer. “My father was a footballer himself and he played for teams such as Kolkata Police and other teams in the Calcutta Football League,” says Bose.

The senior Bose was also a left-sided defender and watched his son make his national debut in Mumbai, “He watched me playing and sometimes praises or criticises me. His main criticism is when I miss my tackle when going for the ball or I am out of position.”

While Bose started playing by himself at the age of seven, he applied to play in the Pune FC academy when he was 13. “I was told by Ranjan Chowdhury that I was too small to play for the under-19’s after the trials. Ranjan sir told me to come back when I was older,” he reminisces.

The childhood Bagan fan went for a trial once again in 2012 where he would link up with Naushad Moosa, future assistant coach at Bengaluru, who was at the time, Head of Youth Development at Pune FC academy.

Playing for Bagan was dream come true

Joining Churchill Brothers on loan, the youngster who started off as a left winger had turned into a left-back. Bose, in his first full season in the I-League, scored two goals for Sporting Goa, leading them to a fourth-placed finish.

“I moved to Bagan after that. It was a childhood dream coming true. I made my debut earlier but it was at Bagan that people started noticing me, told me that I was good,” recollects Bose. At Bagan, the 22-year-old played next to Anas Edathodika and Pritam Kotal, also in the national team alongside Bose.

A runners-up medal in the I-League and the Federation Cup was enough for Stephen Constantine to take note of his performances and he was called up to the Under-23 team for the AFC U-23 qualifiers.

Moving to Mumbai City this year, Bose says that joining a new team is always a challenge. “It’s good if you play next to players you know. It takes some time to get used to playing alongside newer team-mates,” says Bose about moving to the Mumbai-based outfit.

For Bose, the next target is solidifying his spot in the team to get into the Asian Cup squad. “We communicate well, all of us in the defence. I have played with some of them at the club level as well. It’s a new team, newer players after 2011, all matches are tough, we just have to do our best,” he signs off.