Keen to improve defensive skills from Costa, says Subhasish Bose

Mumbai: Subhasish Bose made an impressive debut for the senior national football team against Chinese Taipei in the Intercontinental Cup in June here and later made the city his home by signing two-year contract with Mumbai City FC.

At Mumbai Football Arena, he was manning the Indian defence alongside seniors Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika. He later went on to captain India at the SAFF Suzuki Cup in Dhaka recently after coach Stephen Constantine decided to field U-23 team.

Suddenly Bose had the responsibility on his young shoulders to lead the Blues and also be key man in the defence.

“Playing for national team is always a proud moment and captaincy adds to it.  It is a further responsibility and I tried my best to stand on the (coach’s) expectations. I will try to do better in future if I get to wear arm band again and play more games for the national team,” Bose said.

The 23-year-old missed the Mumbai’s pre-season in Thailand due to his engagements with the national team but he is counting on new coach Jorge Costa’s credentials to improve his defensive qualities ahead of the Asian Cup.

Costa as defender earned 50 caps for Portugal and led FC Porto club to Champions League glory in 2004 under coach Jose Mourinho.

“I missed pre-season but I was already fit, playing for my country. I am trying to understand coach’s strategy and trying to adjust with the team. The more time I spend with the team the easier it will be for me.  I am sure we will do well. Our coach has been a quality defender himself so I am learning a lot from him and trying to improve by defensive qualities,” he said.

While giving his best in his first season for Mumbai in the ISL V alongside senior defenders Lucian Goian, Anwar Ali, Sehnaj Singh and Amrinder Singh in the goal, Bose will be aiming to stay injury free for Asian Cup. India have qualified for the quadrennial event after 2011 and he will be keen to part of that historic Indian squad in the UAE in January.

“Our aim is always to stay injury free. Yes Asian Cup is coming up and I want to play in it. It is a big tournament and focus will be to do well for my club and avoid injuries,” he said. Bose started playing in his village before representing Kodalia Prasanna Banga High School in the Subroto Cup in 2011.

He was picked by Pune FC academy and went on to play for I-League clubs Churchill Brothers, Sporting Clube De Goa and Mohun Bagan.