Anirudh Thapa, Mohun Bagan Super Giant‘s midfield generalissimo, is one of the most skillful Indian footballers in the circuit and backs this status of his up with consistent performances. In the Mariners’ most recent 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC, Thapa was at his exquisite best when setting up Manvir Singh for their first goal in the 37th minute.
Picking up the ball lost by Abdul Rabeeh on Hyderabad’s right wing, Thapa controlled it before turning almost 180 degrees and then laying out a through ball for Singh, who was running in from their right wing, to latch onto. Greg Stewart, who was on the course of the pass, deftly pulled the Nawabs’ center-half Stefan Sapic with him while letting the ball go to Singh.
The latter picked it up, evaded goalkeeper Lalbiakhlua Jongte, who had rushed out of his goal-line and then swiftly took it onto his left to tap it into the empty net. While Singh went off to celebrate and hush the raucous home crowd that had gone over the top in their distaste for his poor showings for the Indian national team, Thapa retained a joyous look at the centre of the park with a big smile.
Sitting down with IFTWC for an exclusive interaction later, Thapa was modest enough to admit that it had been a team goal although the pride that he had felt in setting up the through ball for Singh was palpable. Like all men destined for greatness are wont to, the 26-year-old mentioned that had a lot of other factors not come together, the goal would not have been possible.
“It was something that you work hard in training, and when it comes off, you are naturally delighted. Everything worked for us in that goal, be it Manvir’s run or Greg (Stewart) leaving the ball for him (while drawing Stefan Sapic away) and then eventually the former’s finish. It was a team goal, I would say. If Greg had not let it go, or Manvir had not made the run, it would not have happened,” said Thapa.
“You know, it was quite a tough game. From the right side, Rabeeh was threatening us, as was Chhunga. They have fast wingers and they threatened us a lot at times. They are a good side and they are coming up the ranks very well. But we have now won three matches in a row and most importantly, achieved three clean sheets in a row as well. We are in a good position at the moment,” he added.
“We cannot rest on our laurels” – Anirudh Thapa
Mohun Bagan rose up to the second position of the ISL table with this win, and now have 13 points inside their kitty. Sitting astride are Bengaluru FC, who have been nigh on unbeatable this season, winning five and drawing one. However, the Mariners are not known to give in easily, and one can expect them to fight in the title race till the final whistle of this campaign is blown.
“On paper, we know that there are a lot of good teams and that others are also doing well. The fight (for the title) will heat up, as will the league towards the business end. So we need to step up and be on the game at all times and keep pushing our limits. We cannot rest on our laurels – things will heat up and we have to be ready for every challenge that comes our way,” Thapa elaborated.
With Bagan not participating in the AFC Champions League 2 anymore, a lot of time has opened up for them in between ISL games. They next take on Odisha FC on 10 November, just ahead of the international break. The Juggernauts will be keen on taking the Mariners down a peg or two, and Thapa knows that fact all too well. In fact, the two clubs have shared some tasty encounters over the years.
“We need to forget this game now and start preparing afresh for the match against Odisha FC. Sergio Lobera is the known one – we know how dangerous his teams can be and the way he makes them work. We know that they will approach the game against us with full seriousness, and we have to be prepared for that kind of challenge. It will be a tough game but we have to be ready,” said Thapa.
When asked about how he keeps himself fit and sharp for the kind of work he does for the team in midfield, the Indian national team star did not waste a moment to thank his coaches at Mohun Bagan. Thapa is known to do the dirty work for the Mariners in midfield, picking up stray balls and often converting them into accurate and pinpoint passes for his more attack-minded colleagues.
While his box-to-box play has often been appreciated by spectators over the years, Thapa’s creativity has risen a notch over the last year or so. He mentioned that the fitness coach and assistant coach put in a lot of hard yards behind the scenes but do not get the recognition they deserve. He also felt that the work put in by these men has helped him become more effective as a creative player.
“It’s all about the work the technical staff is doing in the background. Be it our fitness coach or assistant coach Igor Tasevski, they are all putting in the hard yards to make sure that we are ready and prepared for every challenge and difficult situation coming our way. I think they deserve a lot of credit for the hard work they are putting in. They are the ones who are pushing us to become more creative and contribute to the team’s cause,” he signed off.
Follow IFTWC for more updates on Indian Football.
