Veteran defender Pritam Kotal is looking forward to playing for Kerala Blasters FC in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League. Kotal recently signed a three-year contract with the Yellow Army as he made a move from Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
Kotal, former skipper of MBSG, played a key role in taking the Kolkata giants to glory in the previous season of the Hero ISL. The 29-year-old played 24 matches in ISL 2022-23 edition of the tournament and he was a force in the defence for the club.
“Last season was difficult for us, but despite that, we (Mohun Bagan Super Giant) won the title. It was the first time that I won a trophy as a captain, and that too while wearing the Mohun Bagan Super Giant jersey. It was a big achievement for me,” he said in an interview with Suyash Upadhyaya on ‘In the Stands’ .
“But suddenly, there was a movement. At that time, my only thought was – this is a new challenge for me because I had already played in Kolkata for a long time,” Kotal revealed in the interview.
“I wanted to try new things, face new challenges, and experience a new atmosphere. And I’m feeling good being here. Let’s see what lies ahead of us!” he continued.
Kotal admitted it was difficult to play against Kerala Blasters FC as they were always backed by their fans and he is now excited to play for them.
“Whenever we entered, the atmosphere on the ground created by the drums and chants was very difficult for the opposition to contend with. The biggest problem used to be communicating with other players; it was so loud that we couldn’t hear each other. You’ve to shout to make yourself heard. Even when the coach tried to say something, we couldn’t hear anything,” he said.
“But now, I’ll be playing here wearing the yellow jersey! I’m very excited about that. I can’t wait for the first time I get to do it,” the defender added.
The veteran is looking forward to creating a good environment in Kerala Blasters FC’s dressing room like the way he did for Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
“If you were to ask anyone about how I was in the Mohun Bagan Super Giant dressing room, they would tell you that I used to be friendly and open, willing to speak to anyone about anything – their problems and more. This is because everyone has things going on in their lives, and I made an effort to listen and help solve them,” he said.
“However, now that I’m here, I’ll need to understand the (perspective of the) players first. Then, gradually, by bringing everyone together, I want to create a positive environment in the dressing room,” the defender added further.
Mohun Bagan will face Macchindra in the second preliminary round of AFC Cup at Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.
