Deepak Mondal
Deepak Kumar Mondal (born 12 October 1979) is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. A graduate of the Tata Football Academy, An Arjuna Award winner, he was one of India's most prominent right backs for over a decade, earning 47 caps with the India national team. Mondal also played with both the Kolkata giants, East Bengal[3] and Mohun Bagan, spending five years at each club, captaining both of them.
| Mondal in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Deepak Kumar Mandal | ||
| Date of birth | 12 October 1979[1][2] | ||
| Place of birth | Noamundi, Jharkhand, India | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1998 | Tata FA | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2000 | JCT Mills Phagwara | ||
| 2000–2005 | East Bengal | ||
| 2005–2006 | Mahindra United | ||
| 2006–2011 | Mohun Bagan | ||
| 2011–2014 | United | ||
| 2014 | Mumbai City | 12 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | East Bengal | 25 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Kerala Blasters (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2016 | Southern Samity | ||
| 2016–17 | Ozone | ||
| 2018 | FCI | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | India U23 | ||
| 1999–2011 | India | 47 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 July 2016 | |||
Club career edit
Born in Noamundi, Jharkhand, Mondal began playing football from a young age in his district. He was spotted by Tata Football Academy coach, Ranjan Chowdhury, at the age of sixteen who invited Mondal to join the academy.[4] Mondol graduated from the Tata Football Academy in 1998.[5] After graduating from the academy, Mondal signed with National Football League side, JCT Mills Phagwara.[6] He stayed at the club for two seasons before joining Kolkata side, East Bengal. It was at East Bengal that Mondal began to impress and even earn himself caps for India. On 30 December 2002, after impressing the All India Football Federation and national team head coach, Stephen Constantine, with his performances in the Asian Games and the ASEAN Club Championship for East Bengal, Mondal was named the AIFF Player of the Year.[7] On winning the award, AIFF president at the time, Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, said that Mondal "infused a new confidence in the deep defense".[7] Overall, while with East Bengal, Mondal won the National Football League title three times, two Durand Cup's, and four Calcutta Football League titles.[8] While at East Bengal, Mondal was part of a strong backline with Surkumar Singh and Mahesh Gawli.
Mondal stayed with East Bengal until 2005, when he signed for Mumbai side Mahindra United.[9] While with Mahindra United Mondal won another NFL title.[8] He also won a Federation Cup while with the side.[10] After a season with Mahindra United, Mondal moved back to Kolkata to sign with East Bengal rivals, Mohun Bagan. On 22 December 2008, Mondal helped Mohun Bagan win their only national title while with the club, the Federation Cup. The club defeated Dempo to win their thirteenth Federation Cup title and Mondal's second.[11] In September 2010, Mondal was awarded the Arjuna Award.[4]
After representing India at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Mondal saw out his contract with Mohun Bagan and was released by the club. On 17 August 2011 it was announced that Mondal had signed with newly rebranded Kolkata side, Prayag United, with them being based in Kolkata a main reason for him signing.[12] Despite the club going through financial troubles, Mondal remained with the side, soon renamed to just United, till 2014. On 9 May 2014 it was announced Mondal had re-signed with East Bengal.[13] While with East Bengal, Mondal also represented Mumbai City and Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League.[14]
After two years with East Bengal again, Mondal signed for Calcutta Football League side Southern Samity.[14] After the season concluded, Mondal signed with Ozone FC for the DSK Cup.[15]
International career edit
Mondal represented India 47 times. He won two Nehru Cup's with India, first in 2007 and then 2009. He also helped India win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup and thus qualify for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, their first in 27 years.[16] Like at club level, Mondal thrived under his partnership with Mahesh Gawli with India.[16]
Honours edit
East Bengal
India
- AFC Challenge Cup: 2008
- SAFF Championship: 1999; runner-up: 2008
- Nehru Cup: 2007, 2009
- South Asian Games Bronze medal: 1999
India U23
Individual
- AIFF Player of the Year: 2002[19][20]
- He twice won the Nehru Cup: in 2007 and 2009, held in New Delhi, India where Syria, India, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, and Bangladesh were the participating countries.
- Mondal was instrumental in leading team India to win the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Challenge Cup, held in the year 2008 hosted by India. This success enabled team India to qualify for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
- Mondal was honored with the Arjuna Award in the year 2010.[21][22][23]
References edit
- ^ . PlaymakerStats.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ . FootballDatabase.eu. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Sengupta, Somnath (13 July 2011). . thehardtackle.com. Kolkata: The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ a b Bhose, Baidurjo (13 September 2010). "Footballer Deepak Mondal finally gets the Arjuna". India Today. from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (10 October 2010). "TFA felicitates Deepak Mondal". SportsKeeda. from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Mohun Bagan has it easy". The Hindu. 5 March 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2016.[dead link]
- ^ a b . The Hindu. 30 December 2002. Archived from the original on 10 September 2003. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Roll of Honour". All India Football Federation. from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Transfers 2005". IndianFootball. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Suryanarayan, SR (1 November 2005). "Brazilian key ignites Mahindra engine". Sports Taro Net. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Mohun Bagan bags Federation Cup". The Hindu. 22 December 2008. from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Ghoshal, Amoy (17 August 2011). "Prayag United Sports Club Sign Experienced Defender Deepak Mandal". Goal.com. from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Mitra, Atanu (9 May 2014). "Deepak Mandal parts ways with United, joins East Bengal". Goal.com. from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ a b Jitendran, Nikhil (9 July 2016). "Deepak Mandal joins Southern Samity for Calcutta Football League". Goal.com. from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Former India international Deepak Mondal joins Ozone, team to play in DSK Cup". GC Stars. 8 November 2016. from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ a b Shreekumar, SS (15 August 2010). . New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Making a mark in Asia: East Bengal's 2003 Asean Cup win – a defining moment for Indian club football". Scroll.in. from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
- ^ "Ho Chi Minh City Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ . the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
- ^ "All India Football Federation Awards: Sunil Chhetri and Bala Devi win Player of the Year Trophy". India Today. 14 February 2015. from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ . yas.nic.in. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
- ^ (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2000). . indianfootball.de. IndianFootball. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
Further reading edit
- Ghoshal, Amoy (23 November 2016). . sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
External links edit
- Indian Super League profile.
- Deepak Mondal at National-Football-Teams.com