"I wanted to achieve for my dad what he couldn't" - Vikram Pratap Singh on losing his father, new-found hunger, and Mumbai City FC's aspirations
"Abhi jab mein goal karta hoon, kahi na kahi wo maza nahi aata (When I score goals now, somewhere I don't feel the same happiness)," Vikram Pratap Singh sighed, with quite an audible lump wrestling to silence his voice.
For someone who has undeniably been basking in a purple patch of success of late, his admission of emptiness even in the face of euphoria hinted at the emotional maelstrom the 22-year-old was amid.
When Sportskeeda sat down recently with the Mumbai City FC winger for an exclusive interview, in parts it felt like a character study of a young adult who was obligated to emulate multiple Shakespearean roles of life all at once.
As he spoke of the void gnawing at him post-scoring, a time when euphoria rather becomes the order of the day, Vikram echoed the emotions of a forlorn son, who had lost his father, his eternal friend in January this year.
Yet, in the same breath, when he reflected upon his new-found hunger, spurred by the intensifying competition for a spot in the starting lineup with Lallianzuala Chhangte and Bipin Singh, he donned the role of an utter professional who wears the pride of his club on his sleeve. Even as he navigates through a harrowing loss, Vikram remains a stubborn realist who denies being bogged down.
There is an enviable mental strength in the winger that has helped him take the ISL 2023-24 by storm since the restart. Returning from an uninspiring Asian Cup campaign, Vikram Pratap Singh responded with a clinical brace against Bengaluru FC and a point-earning strike against title contenders FC Goa. With five consecutive starts under his belt now, there's a fire ignited in his belly to cement his position on the starting lineup.
But there's also a more poignant motivation that drives the former Indian Arrows attacker - to achieve everything his father couldn't as a footballer.
"He was also a footballer so somehow I wanted to achieve for him what he couldn't," Vikram said, with a voice so self-assured that it would often be presumed to be a hyperbole.
Excerpts from Mumbai City winger Vikram Pratap Singh's exclusive interview with Sportskeeda:
Question: Firstly Vikram, congratulations on winning the Emerging Player award for February. This has been an incredible spell for you since the ISL 2023-24 restart. If you could reflect upon your and Mumbai’s form of late.
Vikram Pratap Singh: After returning from the national team duty my performance improved because I was training quite a bit back in Qatar. But the main reason, I feel, is the competition that has been brewing between Bipin [Singh], [Lallianzuala] Chhangte, and me. Because there’s always the pressure that unless you perform you won't have a spot in the starting starting lineup, and I think that has kept me motivated and helped me improve as a player.
When it comes to the team, the aspirations have been similar from the start of the season. Many teams have won the ISL Shield once, but winning it regularly is very difficult. Hence, everyone at Mumbai is unified with that one goal and we all know the importance of every game from here on.
Q: Since the arrival of Petr Kratky, you’ve looked sharp, especially inside the box. You seem to be playing a lot more direct. Could you talk a little about your conversation with the coach regarding your role in the team? And has he helped you grow as a player in certain ways?
Vikram: Since the new head coach has come in, I feel I have been playing with a lot more freedom. Now I have been playing more on the left wing while previously I was playing more on the right. And I have been getting more comfortable while playing from the left and it is letting me express my qualities better.
Q: Vikram, we all know about the enormous impact Des Buckingham has had on Mumbai City FC. When a figure like that departs the club, it’s difficult for the players. Could talk a little bit about what the team was going through during the transition period?
Vikram: It was a bit difficult for a while when the previous head coach left all of a sudden. But since Petr walked in and how he has taken the team forward, things have gotten easier for us. Our playing style has remained the same so it hasn't been very difficult (to adjust). I would say, he has taken care of us well.
Q: Vikram, I wanted to talk a little bit about the night you scored the brace against Bengaluru FC. You were visibly in tears after the match while dedicating your goals to your father. If you could talk a little about the emotions of that night and everything that was going through your head when those two goals went in.
Vikram: I dedicated those goals to my father because I had a lot of attachment to him. Every day I used to talk to him at least twice or thrice like a ritual. He was also a footballer so somehow I wanted to achieve for him what he couldn't.
Like I said during the interview that night too, after every goal when I used to call home, he used to tell me, ‘Bohot achha laga goal dekh ke.’ So somewhere I feel, abhi jab mein goal karta hoon, kahi na kahi wo maza nahi aata.
I would get more happiness not from scoring a goal, but rather from talking to my family, especially my father, after that. But yes, I’ll continue to dedicate my goals to him because I started playing because of him.
Q: Vikram, it’s evident that your father was your strongest support system in your footballing journey, so could you talk about the bond you two shared and the role he played in your career right from the youth days?
Vikram: You know, surprisingly, although my father was a footballer, it was my uncle who supported me the most during the initial part of my career. My uncle brought me to the Chandigarh Football Academy. Almost three or four years later, my father took notice that I was engrossed in the sport and somewhere he saw himself in me.
But he hadn’t ever attended the stadium for any of my professional matches and this time around I was thinking of bringing him to watch one of my games. [Sighs] But I couldn’t! My relationship with him was very different from how you usually expect a father and son to be.
I used to behave like a friend to him, talking about what happened on the pitch. As a footballer, we need someone like that in your life with whom you can openly talk about all that happens on the ground. It’s very difficult now without him, but yeah, kya kar sakte hain!
Q: When you got called for the senior national squad, what was your father’s reaction?
Vikram: My name was shortlisted for the past three or four camps. So I went for the first one, but after that, I would eventually end up in the reserves on the very last day. But my dad used to always assure me that one day you’ll play for the national team. I’m glad that he could see me making my debut before he breathed his last.
But still, there’s a regret that he couldn’t see me playing a lot more for the national team or scoring a goal in the All-Blue jersey.
Q: Vikram, talking about your national team stint, you debuted earlier this year in the Asian Cup. Talk a little about the experience of sharing a dressing room with the senior players.
Vikram: As an experience it was incredible. But honestly, I have played in the Asian Cup previously too at the youth level, so I knew what to expect. However, of course, the senior level is a lot more difficult. I walked away with a lot of experience, but maybe it was my fault that I didn’t end up playing a lot more. The next time I join the national, hopefully, I’ll play a lot better.
Q: Although you didn’t get much of an opportunity to make an impact in the Asian Cup, the World Cup Qualifiers are not very far away now. Could you share if anything has been discussed between you and head coach Igor Stimac going forward?
Vikram: No, I haven’t had such a conversation in particular, but if he calls up this time too, I will give all and attempt to make a lot more impact.
Q: Vikram, over the past few weeks, even beyond the goals, I have noticed you have looked hungry on the pitch. Is there a point you want to prove or are you just really enjoying the football you are playing?
Vikram: Not really, my point of view is that after I scored the brace against Bengaluru FC, people shouldn’t start thinking later that it was all I fluke. If I can score two goals in a single match, I should try to keep scoring in every match.
Before this season, I had never had the opportunity to continuously break into the starting lineup but now I don’t want to leave this spot. So maybe that’s where the hunger is coming from.
Q: Over the last few months, you have witnessed some incredible highs and lows of life. Is there something that you’ve learned or felt during this period that you would want to carry on with you for the rest of your life?
Vikram: There are a lot of things but my priority would be to bring my family together to the stadium and have them watch me play live. This is something I couldn’t do for my dad. And secondly, whatever happens, family comes first.
Q: Finally, it's been a very difficult period for you, Vikram. Who have been your biggest supporters during this stretch?
Vikram: First of all my close friends and my family have supported me immensely. Even at Mumbai, players like Gurkirat [Singh] with whom I am comfortable sharing, have been a huge help. I also cannot forget the club, the staff, the coach, and the players.
Whenever I wanted to return home, no one questioned me once. All of them understood what I was going through and their support is what has helped me perform even during this period.