Love for football makes 'Midfield General' Mehtab Hossain return to the pitch

The much loved ‘Midfield General’ of Kolkata maidans, Mehtab Hossain is set to make a return to the football pitch after bringing down the curtains on his storied career in 2019. His last professional match was for Mohun Bagan in the I-League at the Mecca of India football —  Salt Lake stadium. Now after a two-and-a-half-year break, the hard-tackling defensive midfielder has decided to return, to add to his career that has spanned over two decades. In the I-League Qualifiers that begin from 4 October in Bengaluru, Mehtab will be seen donning the role of mentor-cum-player for Madhya Pradesh-based Madan Maharaj FC, the first team from the state to take part in the tournament. After hanging up his boots, Mehtab had already set his sights on getting into the management side of the game but the offer to once again experience the action first-hand proved too tempting for the Kolkata footballer. “I still feel I am fit for playing. First of all, they (Subrata Jha, Director, Madan Maharaja FC) approached me to take up the mentor’s role but later also asked if I can play. So I said I will be first a mentor and then a player. If the team needs me then I will contribute as a player also,” Mehtab said. “My role is to share my experiences with them. The discussion for joining went on for a long time and only after 15-20 days of discussions I agreed. Now also I train and play, so I decided to join them and I told them I will mainly mentor and if required, I will play.” As a player, Mehtab has won several Federation Cup and Calcutta Football League titles. He holds the special distinction of captaining both the Kolkata giants — East Bengal and Mohun Bagan — and also played 33 times for India. Still, at 36, it’s going to be one of the biggest challenges for the former Kerala Blasters and Jamshedpur FC player to compete with the young footballers in the Qualifiers, but it’s a challenge he doesn’t mind having. “Even after retiring, football never took a backseat. We have an office team at the metro railway in Kolkata, so I play and train with them. So it’s not that football took a full stop. Even now if I don’t play or train for a single day, I can’t have a good sleep,” he says. “I am working on my fitness. I am going to the gym and following the instructions of my trainer. I hope I will do well, maybe not 90 minutes but I can put in a shift of 45 minutes.” [caption id=“attachment_10020651” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Mehtab Hossain (L) played 33 matches for India. Image: AIFF[/caption] The I-League Qualifiers consist of two groups with Group A having four teams and five sides in B. Madan Maharaj are part of Group A alongside Rajasthan United FC, Ryntih SC and FC Bengaluru United. Their first match was supposed to take place on 4 October against Hyderya Sports Kashmir FC but the ouster of the Kashmiri club from the tournament means they will have to wait till 8 October, when they are set to take on Bengaluru. The top two teams from the groups will qualify for the Final Round where they will play against each other in a round-robin format and the team finishing at the summit will qualify for I-League 2021-22. Madan Maharaj held a preparatory camp in Kolkata ahead of the tournament with Mehtab playing the role of the mentor. The club has also made some crucial recruitments recently to give their best shot for the I-League spot. “Amit Jaiswal is the coach. He is a bright and young guy. Wherever he will need my support or advice I will pitch in. He is a very good coach and so I feel we have a very good combination at the club. We don’t have any ego battles at the club. We discuss and make plans. Everyone is ready to listen to each other and that is how you do well. If we have the same mentality then there’s a chance to do well,” shares the former Indian footballer. “We have a very good squad, we have taken players from Chennaiyin FC, and also Abhishek Das and Abinash Ruidas are here. We also picked some players after holding a successful trial. More focus is on the combination at this moment. We didn’t have much time. We only started training in Kolkata from 7-8th of September. There were rains and CFL matches so getting a ground was a problem. Still, I am confident our young blood will do well in the qualifiers.” After retiring from the game in 2019, Mehtab spent some time at the CFL club Southern Samity as the Technical Director. A similar role in the future or coaching at the elite level of Indian football is the 36-year-old’s long-term plans, but if Madan Maharaj reaches the I-league, his plans would have to wait. “Time will only tell if I will play in I-League. But I will try to stay fit and have a word with Madan Maharaj team management that I want to continue,” he adds. “I was a Technical Director with Samiti. I will surely get a top-level coaching license and aim to stay in the football ecosystem. Because we are nothing without football, so to stay in the game it’s very important to get a license.” Mehtab began his career as an attacking midfielder but once he was asked to take up the defensive midfielder position, he owned the spot with 100 percent commitment on the pitch and a physically imposing game. Returning to the game at 36 is no child’s play, but his well-wishers and fans know Mehtab always gives his best, no matter how big the challenge.