shutosh Mehta is only the second Mumbai footballer to have a poster featuring him in a Mumbai City FC promo pasted on the outside of a local train. Teammate Keegan Pereira was also seen in the visual campaign by the Indian Super League franchise last year. Nicolas Anelka, Sunil Chhetri and Subrata Paul were other famous faces.
No other football club or corporate team from the city is known to have used the local train, Mumbai’s lifeline, to advertise. Mehta and Keegan (now with Bengaluru FC) also travelled by train to reach football venues for training and matches. “The road traffic in Mumbai is so difficult that I prefer commuting by train sometimes,” said Mehta.
The 24-year-old’s football journey took him from Yashodham High School (Goregaon) to Thakur College (Kandivli) where his football education involved inter-collegiate matches and winning two titles. Mumbai FC recruited him as one of the promising city talents worth a second look.
Offer from BaganMohun Bagan, the defending I-League champion, made an offer to the Mumbai teenager earlier when Subhas Bhowmick was in charge. “I cannot explain why I thanked them for the offer and refused. I am too attached to the city and Mumbai FC to think about playing elsewhere,” he said.
Mehta is playing his eighth year for MFC, coached by Khalid Jamil. “I began training with them when in college and must have played in every position, except goalkeeper,” said the Mumbai player, for whom inter-collegiate matches for Thakur at the University Stadium and other venues were exciting for the goals he scored.
He started out as forward for his college and, later, amateur for Goregaon SC. He is now a reliable wing back in I-League and ISL. “I am able to adjust my game to different positions. Maybe that is why coaches feel I am useful,” said this city player, who has worked his way up into the pro ranks via inter-school, inter-collegiate, club football at St Xavier’s Ground, Parel.
After two ISL seasons, every Indian footballer is identified by the franchise he plays for. “ISL made me more confident when I returned to playing in the I-League. Sharing the dressing room with Nicolas Anelka and Sunil Chhetri, you pick up many things. I learnt about being professional watching them train, prepare for matches, what they eat.”
MFC loaned him to FC Pune City in ISL 2014. MFC pad Rs 20 lakh in ISL 2015 (on loan from MFC). Listed as midfielder in MCFC line-up, he was used as a wing-back, incidentally also his position in MFC. The amateur forward has the coach’s permission to join the attack. “I am more effective in the offensive game. I am also aware that I have a role as team member, as per the coach’s decision.”
Mehta has two assists and one shot at goal in 11 ISL appearances under Anelka as captain-coach. He held on to his place despite change in personnel (assistant coach Oscar Bruzon left), controversies (Brazilian Andre Moritz walked out) due to strong differences with Anelka. “I admit the situation got tense in the dressing room, but we adjusted.”
Mumbai FC is a calmer set-up, coach Jamil is firmly in charge of technical matters, supported by the management in player recruitment. The victory over Bengaluru FC at the Cooperage has resulted in a buzz about the city team in Indian club football. Mehta is happy to be pursuing his passion for the game, without thinking about tomorrow.
As the only football-playing member in a Gujarati family in the printing business, he does not know if he will exchange his tracksuit for formal wear. “I completed my graduation and feel football is my career.” Asked about family support, he says: “From indifference to discussing football at home.” His parents watch I-League and ISL live telecast.
Mehta gets his kick from football. Value additions include encounters with celebrity owners (Ranbir Kapoor at MCFC, Hrithik Roshan at Pune City) at player auctions, apart from novelties like train posters during ISL months on Western, Central and Harbour Line. As he walks out on the football turf, cheered by Mumbai FC fans, the journey seems exciting.
