ISL 2022-23: Souvik Chakrabarti speaks about his national team ambitions, Hyderabad FC’s support, and the East Bengal link-up
Hailing from a family of doctors, Souvik Chakrabarti decided to turn his passion for football into a profession when he was just 14 years old.
Chakrabarti has won almost every major trophy in Indian football, be it the Durand Cup, the Federation Cup, the I-League or the Indian Super League (ISL), and is one of the most versatile players of his generation.
Although primarily a central midfielder, Chakrabarti successfully adapted to the full-back position under Brazil and Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos during his Delhi Dynamos FC stint in 2015. Having excelled in his new role, Chakrabarti was deployed as a right-back in his subsequent stints with Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC.
It wasn’t until last season that Hyderabad head coach Manolo Marquez moved Chakrabarti back into midfield, and the 31-year-old proved to be a cornerstone in the Nizams’ maiden ISL triumph. Playing alongside captain Joao Victor in a midfield double-pivot, Chakrabarti registered two assists, 363 passes, 56 tackles, nine clearances and 20 interceptions in 16 matches. He also bagged two 'Hero of the Match' awards against Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC.
Born in West Bengal’s Baranagar, Chakrabarti learnt the basics of the game from current Bengal head coach Ranjan Bhattacharya before joining the Mohun Bagan SAIL Football Academy in 2006. After graduating to Mohun Bagan’s senior team, he made his professional debut against Dempo Sports Club in November 2011.
Chakrabarti grew in confidence while featuring in the I-League for Air India and United Sports Club between 2012 and 2014. He returned to the Green and Maroon brigade in 2014 and starred in their maiden I-League triumph under Sanjoy Sen’s tutelage.
Chakrabarti, who has 104 ISL appearances under his belt, has been part of the lucrative league since its inception in 2014. His humility, dedication and discipline have endeared him to international greats like Roberto Carlos, Alessandro Del Piero, Florent Malouda and Gianluca Zambrotta, who’ve all testified to his improvement over the years.
With his stocks having risen post the 2021-2022 ISL, Chakrabarti knows that a lot of clubs are battling for his signature. He now aims to work harder and earn a spot in the national squad ahead of next year’s AFC Asian Cup. Representing a club from Kolkata again is another thing on his bucket list and it remains to be seen if the journeyman footballer ends up joining East Bengal or ATK Mohun Bagan for the upcoming season.
In a recent chat with Sportskeeda, Chakrabarti got candid about his career and expressed his gratitude to all his coaches and Hyderabad FC. He also played a rapid-fire round with us.
Here are the excerpts:
Q: Your family is full of doctors, but you chose to become a professional footballer. How much support have you received from your family?
Chakrabarti: It’s very important to have family support if you want to do something unconventional. Initially, there were a few problems, but my father has encouraged me throughout my football journey.
He’s a doctor, but he never pressured me to follow his path. Since my siblings were quite good in academics, I was allowed to make a career in sports.
Q: Current Bengal head coach Ranjan Bhattacharya has contributed immensely to your growth as a footballer. Tell us about your bonding with him.
Chakrabarti: Somebody from my neighborhood referred me to Ranjan sir while I used to play at a local ground in my childhood. My father then asked Ranjan sir to take me under his wing and groom me.
Ranjan da is my first coach and I don’t make any decisions without consulting him.
Q: Who is your football idol?
Chakrabarti: I used to admire Basudeb Mondal a lot in my formative years. Once I started following world football, I became a huge fan of Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.
I was heartbroken when Messi left Barcelona and joined PSG.
Q: When Barcelona face PSG, which club do you support?
Chakrabarti: I’ll always be loyal to Barca. Hopefully, Robert Lewandowski will keep his scoring form intact for us (grins).
Q: Which Kolkata club does your family support more – Mohun Bagan or East Bengal?
Chakrabarti: My family supports football and whichever team I play for. Right now they are supporting Hyderabad FC. Let’s see what happens next season (laughs).
Q: You’ve played many matches for Mohun Bagan in the past. When was the first time that you went to the Mohun Bagan ground?
Chakrabarti: I first visited the Mohun Bagan ground when I started playing for their U-15 team. We were all ball-boys at the time and that’s my first memory of seeing Mohun Bagan play on their home turf.
Q: Playing for such a big club at a young age must have been a big confidence booster for you…
Chakrabarti: Of course! Signing for a big club and winning trophies is very prestigious. I had a great time at Mohun Bagan. Winning the I-League in 2015 was very special.
I grew up playing with Pritam Kotal, Pronay Halder, Prabir Das and Debjit Majumder, so we had a great understanding while playing for Bagan.
Q: You got more playing time and won two 'Hero of the Match' awards last season. Is it fair to say that among all the coaches you’ve played under so far, Manolo Marquez has brought the best out of you?
Chakrabarti: Coach Manolo has unearthed plenty of young talent, so most people think he’s only good with youngsters. But trust me, he manages senior players like me equally well.
He’s a great human being and always stands by his players. On the field, he’s very serious but off it, he loves to have fun with us. I haven’t seen many coaches in the ISL who are tactically as strong.
I had been deployed as a full-back since 2015, but coach Manolo moved me back into midfield. He deserves full credit for my success.
Q: How does the Hyderabad FC management look after their players?
Chakrabarti: They are very supportive. When I joined Hyderabad FC in January 2020, the club were in a very bad situation. They showed faith in me and offered me a long-term contract. It was a big thing for me at the time.
Midway through the 2020-21 season, I had to return to Kolkata as my father had fallen seriously ill. I missed nearly 10 matches, yet the club supported me a lot during that period.
I have played for many ISL teams so far, but I haven’t seen this kind of support. I shall always be grateful to Hyderabad FC and coach Manolo for that.
Q: Hyderabad FC came back from behind to earn memorable victories against ATK Mohun Bagan in the semi-final first leg and Kerala Blasters FC in the final of ISL 2021-22. How did the team imbibe this never-say-die attitude?
Chakrabarti: It depends on a team’s mindset. The best thing about Hyderabad is that nobody panics after conceding a goal. The team doesn’t rely on just one individual, we play a team game.
Coach Manolo has complete control over the team and he’s a master tactician. His half-time speeches were very inspiring and he made us work very hard in training to capitalize on set-pieces.
Q: You also run an NGO called Pratit International. Tell us about its operations.
Chakrabarti: The NGO is run by my father and my elder brother, who’s also a doctor. I’m generally busy playing outside Kolkata, but I try to be involved with the NGO whenever I return home.
We provide medical facilities to people living in the slums. We organize eight health camps every month. I’m also a part of Players for Humanity, an NGO that involves several noted Indian footballers.
Q: You’ve won almost every major trophy on the Indian domestic circuit. How would you rate your ISL triumph as compared to the other trophies in your cabinet?
Chakrabarti: The ISL win was very special as I won it outside Bengal. Winning trophies with Kolkata clubs can put you under the spotlight, but winning outside your comfort zone is more challenging.
Since I was the only Bengali player on my team, I was determined to give my best and return home victorious.
Q: You still have a year left on your contract with Hyderabad FC. Can we expect Souvik Chakrabarti to turn up for some other club next season?
Chakrabarti: It’s up to my club and agent to decide. That said, I would love to return to Kolkata. I’m a Bengali and my family lives in Kolkata, so I’ll always be interested in playing for a Kolkata club.
Q: Is it true that you are in advanced talks with East Bengal?
Chakrabarti: I can’t reveal anything now. You’ll get to know when the time comes. Let’s see what happens (laughs).
Q: Many former players are calling for your selection in the Indian team. How far do you think you are from getting your maiden national call-up?
Chakrabarti: I don’t want to look too far ahead. I’ll keep working hard to earn an India call-up.
Rapid-fire round
Q: Your favorite holiday destination?
Wherever my fiancee accompanies me.
Q: A dish you can cook well?
Fried rice.
Q: Midfield will be your preferred position from now on – yes or no?
Yes, of course.
Q: Joining Hyderabad FC has been the best decision of your life – yes or no?
Yes.
Q: Your closest friends in Indian football?
Debjit Majumder, Prabir Das and Pronay Halder.
Q: The best foreigner you’ve played with?
Florent Malouda and Joao Victor.
Q: Have you ever been mobbed?
No. I’m very homesick (guffaws)!
Q: Do you think you are in peak form at the moment?
Maybe.
Q: Is Manolo Marquez the best coach you’ve played under so far?
Every coach teaches you something different. I started my ISL career under legends like Roberto Carlos and Gianluca Zambrotta. They encouraged me to play as a full-back.
Eelco Schattorie helped me become more mature while I was playing for United Sports Club. Winning the I-League under Sanjoy Sen and the ISL under coach Manolo will always occupy a special place in my heart. We thrived in pressure situations to win both these titles.
Q: Best compliment you received after winning the ISL?
A lot of people congratulated me via WhatsApp, so it’s difficult to pick one. I was delighted when Ranjan sir and Sanjoy sir called me up.
Q: If you were not a footballer, what would you have become?
I can’t imagine my life without football.