Bengaluru was meant to be, says Erik Paartalu

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC’s Erik Paartalu has travelled much of Asia playing football, but couldn’t feel more at home than at the Fortress. The Australian, who signed a two-year extension on his deal with the two-time I-League champions, has revelled in the centre of the park with several key performances.

As BFC go toe-to-toe against Chennaiyin FC for their maiden ISL title on Saturday, there is an element of serendipity that brought Paartalu to these pastures.

The former Brisbane Roar star had a demoralising stint at South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, where his coach at the time ostracised him for a perceived lack of tempo. Paartalu was forced to train alone, and soon found himself exiled to Qatar’s bottom-placed team Al Kharaityat on loan before the end of his contract on January 1, 2017. But that was where he met BFC lynchpin John Johnson during the AFC Cup final in 2016, and his life changed for the better.

“I was at the pool in the hotel and I knew the game was on. My wife and I saw this English guy (Johnson) wearing a polo — a white and blue polo. My wife then got out Wikipedia and pointed him out. I texted (fellow Australian and former BFC midfielder) Cameron Watson. He recommended me and if not for him, I wouldn’t have come. Fast forward to this year, and we are sharing the same (dressing) room, playing the final. Some things are meant to be,” beamed the 31-year-old.

In the space of 18 months, Paartalu has gone from being a free agent to dominating the Indian Super League. Typically sitting in front of his good friend “John-O” in a holding midfield role, the two-time Australian A-League champion has clocked 1,257 minutes in 17 appearances — radiating composure and strength to those around him, aside from showing an uncanny penchant for goals.

Silverware doesn’t come by very often in a footballer’s career, but it’s been the contrary for Bengaluru, who’ve picked up a trophy in every season since their inception. A winning culture breeds strong characters, and Paartalu is stoked to get his hands on the ISL trophy to prove his detractors wrong.

“For me, it’s massive because it’s a chance for gaining silverware. I have not won in the last 5-6 years. Some go their whole careers without winning anything but I have been lucky to get 3-4 titles.”