Nawaz – It was an easy decision for me to sign for Chennaiyin FC

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Mohammad Nawaz sat down for an exclusive chat with IFTWC ahead of Chennaiyin’s game against Bengaluru FC, highlighting his reasons for joining the club, Coyle’s mentality, and his goal to win trophies with Chennaiyin FC, among various other topics.

“Just because of the coach, I signed”, Nawaz on the reason behind joining Chennaiyin FC

When his contract with Mumbai City FC expired this summer, Nawaz, who had not played much over the previous two seasons, decided to leave. The young custodian attracted interest from several clubs, but he chose to sign with Chennaiyin FC.

Mohammad Nawaz
Mohammad Nawaz spoke about the influence of Coyle in his move to Chennaiyin FC.

Regarding the rationale behind the move, Nawaz added, “Yeah, there were a few clubs who were interested in me, but I was talking with a few clubs and my agent just asked me to speak with Owen first and they connected me with Owen Coyle. So, just for five minutes, I spoke with him, and the way he spoke to me, impressed me. He gave me confidence that he wanted to bring me back like before. So, it was an easy decision for me to sign for Chennaiyin FC. Just because of the coach, I signed.”

“Coyle’s never giving up attitude, and mentality impressed me”, Nawaz on what differs Owen Coyle from other coaches he worked with

During his tenure at FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, Nawaz had the good fortune to work under renowned coaches like Sergio Lobera, Juan Fernando, Des Buckingham, and Petr Kratky. When asked what sets Owen Coyle apart from the others, Nawaz added, “First of all, I have to mention the mentality of Owen Coyle, our head coach. So, his never giving up attitude, and mentality impressed me. I find it different from other coaches and the hard work of our coach, that’s the different thing from other coaches.”

“It was a good time competing with Phurba”, Nawaz on the competition with Phurba at Mumbai City

When Nawaz joined Mumbai City, he took over as first-choice goalkeeper from Amrinder Singh, who had departed to join Mohun Bagan. The following season, he made a few mistakes which resulted in goals and Phurba Lachenpa took his spot. Nawaz talked about how he dealt with those moments mentally and how Phurba’s competition helped him enhance his own game.

“I would say that’s a tough phase for me. I have learned many things in that phase like ups and downs happen in players’ lives. In that phase, I have learned good things about myself as a player. I have learned many things in the last two, or three years. So, it wasn’t a tough one. But yeah, of course, for my family, it was tough.”

Phurba Lachenpa and Mohammad Nawaz
Nawaz insisted the competition with Phurba improves his game.

“It was a good time competing with Phurba. As everyone knows, he’s my good friend. So, we were competing, we had a very good, healthy competition. So, I had a good time. Even though I didn’t play, I have improved in training with them. I wouldn’t say a bad phase for me because I learned many things in that phase as a person and as an athlete.”

“It was difficult for me in the pre-season”, Nawaz on the pre-season injury

Nawaz missed the majority of the preseason owing to an ankle injury and did not play in the 2024 Bandodkar Trophy. Eventually, Samik started the season as the Marina Machans’ first-choice goalie in the league. However, after a few games and some poor results, Coyle trusted Nawaz and gave him the opportunity. Everyone has been impressed by Nawaz’s performance thus far, and he has appeared confident at the back ever since.

Mohammad Nawaz and Samik Mitra along with other Chennaiyin FC goalkeepers.
Samik Mitra started the season as first-choice goalkeeper, but Nawaz has established himself now.

Speaking on the scenario, Nawaz commented, “When I came, I started training for a few days, and around three days I trained with the team. And then, I got an injury on my ankle. So, it was very bad for me. Like, I couldn’t train, even couldn’t walk. So, it was a difficult phase because when you join a new club and when you get injured, it’s a very bad thing that can happen to players. When you come to a new club, you want to show to the clubs, to the coaches that you are able to play in the 11 and all, but I couldn’t do that.”

“But I was patient and I was waiting for my chance. I was improving day by day. I was working with the physio well. So, I was just waiting for my time as I did in Mumbai as well. So, yeah, it was difficult for me in the pre-season. But by God’s grace, I got my chance and I am doing well. And yeah, I want to keep improving day by day.”

When it goes well, everyone loves to see that”, Nawaz on taking risks against opposition forwards

Even though he plays as a goalkeeper, Nawaz has excellent footwork for both passing and playing out from the back. He is never hesitant to take a chance on audacious cuts against opposing forwards. Every Chennaiyin supporter would recall his cutback against Chhangte in 2019 as one such instance. Even in the last game versus Mumbai, Nawaz did something similar to Karelis. Talking about it, Nawaz remarked, “I can’t say I don’t have pressure at all because I do have pressure. But when it goes well, everyone loves to see that. But when it doesn’t go well, everyone keeps an eye on that mistake only.”

“So, for me, good things, and bad things always happen. There is no pressure when I do that because I make sure that the mistake doesn’t happen. Yes, a mistake will happen, but it doesn’t mean that I will stop doing that. I’ll keep improving and I will try not to do any mistakes because taking risks is not good for the team. So, yeah, I’ll try my best not to do any mistakes and not to give any pressure to the team.”

“It was an accident”, Nawaz said on why he chose goalkeeping

Not everyone would be interested in being a goalie. And for someone like Nawaz, who lacks height (but compensates with other traits) in comparison to other keepers in the league, there must be a reason for the player to pursue the role. Speaking on that and his journey to being a professional footballer, Nawaz said, ” I have said many times that because of my cousin brother, Yasir (FC Goa), I started playing football, and because of my grandpa who supported me playing football. My parents didn’t support me till I was selected for the youth team of India.”

Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Yasir
Nawaz spoke about how Yasir inspired him to become a professional footballer.

“About the goalkeeper, I didn’t choose myself. It was a mistake. I went for a trial and there was not much keeper in that trial. So, Yasir’s father told me to go as a keeper because, before that trial, I started playing football anywhere. Not in the keeper but anywhere. Midfield, striker, defender, whatever. But I didn’t start as a keeper.”

“From that trial, I started playing keeper and I got selected for our district, and from that district trial, I got selected for the Manipur team and I represented Manipur as a keeper in 2012 and I got selected in 2013 for the Indian national youth team, the World Cup beds. So, from there, I started as a goalkeeper. Now, professionally, I’m a goalkeeper. It was an accident”

“We will not give up until we win something”, Nawaz on what he wants to achieve with Chennaiyin FC

During his tenure with FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, Nawaz has won numerous trophies in the ISL in just five or six years. Nawaz’s accomplishments range from the Super Cup to the ISL Shield to playing for Mumbai City in the AFC Champions League. Discussing his goals of winning trophies with Chennaiyin FC, the young custodian added, “Winning silverware is what every athlete wants. So, I have achieved with FC Goa a few and with Mumbai as well. So, it’s our time now. Everyone knows it’s not going well right now. It’s ups and downs for Chennaiyin FC. But in ISL, you never know until the last match.”

Mohammad Nawaz lifting the ISL trophy with Mumbai City FC
Nawaz has previously won the ISL Shield, ISL Cup, and Super Cup and wants to replicate them at Chennaiyin FC.

“In ISL, it’s not over until it’s the last match. Of course, we play for the clubs. We play for the trophy. So, we will not give up until we win something. Of course, I want to win. It’s difficult to be on the top of the table but at least we can fight and win for a trophy. So, let’s hope for the best.”

“When you give your 100 percent, you can win any team in the ISL”, Nawaz said on competing against big spenders in the league

Nawaz formerly played for Mumbai City, a team known for spending a lot of money on player acquisition, where they go out and sign the top players from other teams. Using a totally different approach, Chennaiyin FC signs young players who don’t get much playing time and develops them into first-team regulars. Nawaz discussed these two clubs’ budgets and how hard it is for other teams to compete with teams like Mumbai City and Mohun Bagan.

“I don’t have much idea about the budget but competing with the big teams in ISL like Mumbai, Mohun Bagan, and all like East Bengal, when you’re on a match day, when you give your 100 percent, when you are on the best day, you can beat anyone in ISL. So, competing with big teams in ISL is not like competing with a very, very big team. So, every team is very similar. The players’ quality, most of the players’ quality are the same.”

“Last match against Mumbai, they had better luck than us, like the goal. I think I will take this as their luck. We had a bad luck. We created more chances than them, There is not much difference when you compete with a big team. So, when you give your 100 percent in these kinds of matches, you can win any team in the ISL.”

“We will fight till the end and try to be in the top six”, Nawaz on Chennaiyin’s playoffs hopes

Chennaiyin FC
Nawaz assured the fans that the club would fight till the end to reach the playoffs.

Even though they defeated Odisha in the first game of the season, Chennaiyin has only won four of their 13 games this year and has been extremely inconsistent. They have lost four of their last five games, including a 3-0 defeat to rivals Kerala Blasters FC. Addressing the team’s efforts to overcome the difficult run of games and make it to the playoffs, Nawaz insisted, “As I told you, in ISL, it’s not over until it’s our last match. So, we will keep fighting till the last match. And you never know, we can turn over. Our head coach, he doesn’t give up that easily. We will fight till the end and try to be in the top six.”

“I haven’t thought yet because there is a long way to go”, Nawaz said on representing the National team

Several young goalkeepers, including Gurmeet, Prabhsukhan, and Phurba, have been called up to the national squad in recent years. Nawaz, who was once on the National team’s radar, has fallen far down the pecking order after a difficult 18-24 months. When asked about his desire to return to the national squad, Nawaz stated, “I haven’t thought yet because there is a long way to go for me. I want to do well right now for the club first. If I do well here, of course, for the national team call-up, it will come by itself.”

“My focus right now is to do well for the club and win a trophy for the club. That’s the first aim for me right now. I haven’t thought or dreamed of playing in the national team right now because I want to do really well in the club first. That’s my first aim. And national team, if I do well here, the national team, by itself, it will come.”


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Shyam Sundar
Shyam Sundar
A youthful, diehard supporter of the Indian Football Team and Chennaiyin FC. Before the Lockdown, I didn't often watch Indian football! I occasionally kept up with the Blue Tigers, but not consistently. But ever since the lockdown, I've become really interested in Indian football. I may not have a background in journalism, but Indian football is something I am really passionate about.

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