Kolkata: Cavin Lobo, was once the next big thing in Indian football but hasn’t been able to make it big in the Indian football team.
Known for scoring long range goals, the attacking midfielder made his debut for the senior Indian national team in the year 2015, coming in as a substitute for Lenny Rodrigues. However, he has not been able to cement his place in the side as he has been mainly used as a substitution in the very few matches that he has played in the India colours.
For the former ISL star winning the Calcutta Football League and the I-League this season with East Bengal is the top most priority.
Speaking to SportsCrunch, the attacking midfielder did not sound at all concerned about the ISL. But rather looked keen on participating in the CFL. He said, “Not ISL but East Bengal club and I-League is on my on mind. I am happy playing here and I have to think about my team and not the ISL.”
The former ATK and Kerala Blasters player chose to stay away from the ISL draft for the last two years and has instead chosen the I-League as a platform to stage a comeback into the national team. “I am trying hard everday to get back into the national team. I have been training hard,” said Lobo.
Perhaps, Lobo has made the right decision as playing for East Bengal gives him not only the I-League but also the CFL, Federation cup and various other tournaments to perform which would help him gain match practice and help him in his path of making a comeback.
While he had his fair share of bright moments in the ISL, it cannot guarantee him game time as was seen in the past seasons where he managed to play just 10 games in two seasons scoring three goals.
With the Champions Cup and AFC Asian Cup qualifiers drawing near, game time, fitness and form are the essential things needed to make it to the national team squad and only East Bengal, a club he’s been part of for the last five years can give him that.
He accepts that the ISL has helped him grow as a footballer and he has learnt a thing or two from playing with and against some of the greatest players of the game.” I enjoyed playing the ISL, I got to learn so may things from some of the big players like Luis Garcia, it was a good experience,” says the former ISL star.
His brace for ATK against FC Goa in the inaugural season made him a well-known figure. “How can I forget that!” added Cavin recalling that incident.
But, he knows that while playing for East Bengal, he can gain more experience than in the entire ISL campaign. Having lost two prime years in the bench during the course of the ISL, the former Dempo player wants to leave a mark in Indian football and it is only through breaking into the national team that he can achieve his goal.
Lobo who has has been in the club since 2012 also had his say on Khalid Jamil, the new East Bengal coach who has been tasked to lead the Red and Gold brigade to victory this season. He said, “Jamil is a champion coach. It is always a benefit to have an Indian coach as the communication is easier and he knows the way we play. The younger boys can learn from this coach.”
Fondly called ‘Lobo daa’ by the younger players in the East Bengal setup, he does not wish to differentiate between the junior and senior members of the team.
“See in football there is no junior and senior. Everybody plays the same. We have tried to make it comfortable for the new comers. They have joined in and we have played together and are good friends now,” said the 30 year old footballer.
Calling the red and gold brigade jersy as an ‘honour’ Cavin concluded that the “club is slowly focused on the CFL at the moment, however the club has always aimed to win the I-League. It is a priority and it has always been the same.”
Meanwhile, the seven time CFL champions kick-started their Calcutta football league 2017-18 campaign in style, defeating the newly promoted side NBP Rainbow AC side 4-1, courtesy a brilliant hat-trick by VP Suhair and a goal by debutant Brandon Vanlalremdika.