Q: Hi Shilton, congrats for the tremendous form that you are showing at the present moment.

Sh: Thanks a lot, I want to continue this form and see that Mohun Bagan wins NFL this year. I will try my level best to do my job, rest depends on luck. We have extremely balanced side and we have the potential to become champions this year.

Q: Your name suggests that your family wanted you to become goalkeeper.

Sh: Yes, absolutely correct. My father played football in Kolkata for Beniyatola club in First Division but after marriage due to some family problems he left football and started his own business, so he desperately wanted that I become goalkeeper and so he named me after famous England goalkeeper, Peter Shilton.

Q: When did you start playing? Did you find interest in goalkeeping?

Sh: In fact I had no interest in football, I used to play cricket. He used to beat me for playing cricket and forced me to play football. I did not much about football but slowly started liking football.

Q: Who was your first coach?

Sh: My father was my first coach. After that it was Manotosh Roy, who played in Mohun Bagan one season when Hemanta Dora was the first goalkeeper, unfortunately Manotosh Sir did not get chance in first team due to tremendous form of Hemanta. Today I am playing for Mohun Bagan as a goalkeeper and has played for India all is because of these two persons, firstly my father and secondly Manotosh Sir, both of whom are my constant guides. Everyday I talk with my father and before every match I talk with both of them.

Q: Don’t you get confused as you get instructions from three coaches, Hemanta Dora, goalkeeping coach of Mohun Bagan and your father and Manotosh Roy?

Sh: I always believe in one thing, I will listen to advice from everybody and I will take the points which I will like, I am confidence in myself, ultimately it is I who have to perform in the field; however, I listen to everybody’s advice.

Q: But you were so angry with Debasish Mukherjee’s advice? What happened?

Sh: No, he did not give me advice. He wrote in an article after the 4-3 match that I will not be able to shine as a goalkeeper, he just rebuked me, did not give advice. If he had pointed out my mistakes, I would have happily listened to it. Afterall advise from senior goalkeepers are more than welcome for junior goalkeepers like myself and Abhra. Pratap Ghosh also wrote an article, he praised me and pointed out my mistakes, I liked that. I know I have many faults in gripping high balls, my timing is not often correct when I come charge out of my position like the goal which I conceded against Peerless. I have to improve but negative articles I hate. I had kept that article until the last match, but now I have left it at my home in Maslandpur.

Q: Many players like Sachin do not read newspapers before important matches so that they can keep the focus on. What about you?

Sh: On the contrary, I read newspaper everyday. Positive as well as negative articles help me keep myself charged. You won’t believe before the last derby match when team was getting ready in dressing room, I was going through the article by sitting in one corner to further motivate myself. I do not get nervous usually.

Q: You weren’t nervous in your first match for Mohun Bagan?

Sh: Ohh yes, first match was versus Mahindra in last year’s Shield final. Sangram got injured and I came in suddenly, I was really nervous at that time. First 10 minutes I made 1-2 mistakes and I was about to concede a goal, but after that I gained confidence, my teammates helped me a lot.

Q: What about your mother, was she happy of your pursuing football?

Sh: I was then in Class V, I was studying in Rajballabhpur school when I started playing football. My mother wanted that I seriously do my studies, as I was performing well in school. I was quite serious in my studies and before that I was just playing cricket, but afterwards I started liking football due to my father. Now I am really grateful to him.

Q: Then you joined TFA?

Sh: No first I joined EB junior team in 1999 and then joined TFA in 2000. I learnt a lot while in TFA. Actually father watched a match of TFA vs East Bengal. He liked the performance of TFA so much that he found out the contact number, had a talk with the officials of TFA and then went there and saw the setup and then found out the trial date and took me for trial. I successfully passed trial and joined as subjunior recruit. Normally course in TFA was four years but for two subjunior recruits the course was of 6 years.

Q: Tell us something about TFA.

Sh: Ohh, it was a wonderful experience. At that time, I used to think, when I will go out and play for some team, but now I realize that, those years have helped me so much. I studied there, complete my schooling and learnt a lot about football which I did not know previously. The atmosphere there, the schedule, tight discipline was very much required and it helped me tremendously. Even we had to do our studies seriously, otherwise action would have been taken against us.

Q: Any memorable match for TFA?

Sh: Actually I keep all the records in my diary, yeah, I remember one, it was the final of a tournament against Mohammedan Sporting in Chakradharpur, I won the match for TFA in tie breaker. That was the first big success for me.

Q: Were you Mohun Bagan supporter from childhood?

Sh: No I was not supporter of any team. I told you I was more interested in playing cricket, then I went to TFA, so as such I had no special feeling for either Mohun Bagan or East Bengal, but yes my father is a die hard Mohun Bagan fan and also Manotosh Sir. In fact, after TFA, I wanted to join some team in Goa to play few seasons and then develop my goalkeeping skills and then come and play in Kolkata. But my father and Manotosh Sir thought otherwise, they pursued me to play for Mohun Bagan after Mohun Bagan officials contacted me. Between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, at that time I wanted to play for East Bengal because I was afraid that since Subrata Pal was there, I might not get chance in first team in Mohun Bagan, but then decided to play for Mohun Bagan but I am very lucky that I made this decision as playing with a good team with Baichung and Barreto in striking force is really a dream come true for me.

Q: So how do you rate Subrata Pal as a goalkeeper?

A: Definitely he is a great goalkeeper. I have good relationship with Sangram, Subrata and Abhra. Though Debasish Mukherjee is coach of Subrata, I do not have any problems with Subrata.

Q: If in future you have to play under Debasish’s coaching?

A: I have no probs, if he gives me chance, I will play to my ability and will not let him down.

Q: You are liking the atmosphere of the club? How do you compare it with TFA?

Sh: See, I cannot compare it with TFA, definitely TFA is better since it is a residential campus and I am sure infrastructure of Mohun Bagan will definitely improve and it is slowly improving as I have heard from other players. The atmosphere is extremely good, I like playing for this club.

Q: You want to stay in Mohun Bagan next year?

Sh: Definitely, I do not want to go anywhere now, Mohun Bagan has given me a huge break, I am grateful to the officials and coach, now is my time to pay them back.

Q: Do senior players motivate you?

Sh: Yes, they do eg. Before last derby in dressing room, our captain Baichung came to me and told me that “Shilton, play like No. 1 goalkeeper.” It was so much motivation for me, also the article of Debasish Mukherjee was there, thanks to Debasish da also for indirectly motivating me.

Q: Which was your best save in the match?

Sh: The save of Edmilson. At that time, East Bengal was attacking more, if we had conceded that goal, the match would have become more difficult for us to win. It was a 1:1 situation and I timed my run to perfection. Also I liked the save when Subhashish da made mistake and Dipankar Roy ran with the ball and I cut the angle short and he shot wide. Overall the match was very satisfying for me. I have to continue performing like this.

Q: After the 4-3 match, did coach scold you?

Sh: Yes he scolded me but did not shout at me. He pointed out my mistakes, especially I was scolded for the 2nd goal. Actually it was my mistake, I went to fist and shouted “leave it” to Habibur but he somehow did not hear my call and so I could not fist the ball properly and so the ball went straight to Alvito. However, my call was a little late and I should have called properly to Habibur.

Q: Any special advise you get from your father?

Sh: Yeah, he has told me two very important things. Firstly, before any derby match I should walk for few hours in my toes and not heels, this way I will feel relaxed and secondly, I should not have faith on my defenders and thus I will be prepared for every ball. Previously I used to believe the defenders and have faith in their ability and I thought they will clear the ball but suddenly if they make mistake I am not prepared. Now for all the balls which comes to my defence, I always keep in mind that they are human beings and they can mistake and so I am prepared for save on every attack. Before every match, I talk with Manotosh Sir and Baba 1 hour before match.

Q: What about our defence? Is it okay for I-league?

A: Actually few key players were injured, otherwise our defence is perfectly okay.

Q: Say something about Chima. What is difference in coaching between Carlos and Chima?

I am extremely grateful to Chima, he gave me first chance for Mohun Bagan. He had extremely faith in me and fielded me in AFC Cup match against Tampines Rovers first time for full 90 minutes and I made few saves in that match. Carlos is also very good coach. You cannot compare between two coaches in that way. Both are good in their way. When Robson was physical trainer, he looked after me but after he became coach he never was bothered about reserve bench players and he was not good motivator. I was becoming little depressed as I was not getting chance but it was Chima who first gave me the much needed break. I am also grateful to Carlos as after 4-3 match and also after 3-3 Port Trust match, he continued to have faith in me.

Q: What is your ambition?

Sh: My ambition is to play for India senior team and continue playing well for Mohun Bagan as well as India.

Q: Who is your favorite goalkeeper?

Sh: Out of the goalkeepers whom I have seen my favorite goalkeeper is Hemanta Dora.

Q: Thanks a lot for your time Shilton and best of luck for the I-league.

Sh: Thanks a lot.  I will try my level best to fulfill expectations of all supporters of Mohun Bagan. I will never forget that I got my first break in this club only.