Deepak Kumar Mandal
Mondal in 2011
Personal information
Full name Deepak Kumar Mandal
Date of birth (1979-10-12) 12 October 1979 (age 44)[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

Deepak Kumar Mondal (born 12 October 1979) is an Indian former footballer who last played as a centre-back for FCI FC. 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.

Club career

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

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

East Bengal

India

India U23

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Player profile: Deepak Mondal". PlaymakerStats.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Player profile: Deepak Mondal". FootballDatabase.eu. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  3. ^ Sengupta, Somnath (13 July 2011). "Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football: Part Four – Modern Era (1999—2011)". thehardtackle.com. Kolkata: The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Bhose, Baidurjo (13 September 2010). "Footballer Deepak Mondal finally gets the Arjuna". India Today. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  5. ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (10 October 2010). "TFA felicitates Deepak Mondal". SportsKeeda. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Mohun Bagan has it easy". The Hindu. 5 March 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2016.[dead link]
  7. ^ a b "Mondal chosen 'Player of the year'". The Hindu. 30 December 2002. Archived from the original on 10 September 2003. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Roll of Honour". All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Transfers 2005". IndianFootball. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  10. ^ Suryanarayan, SR (1 November 2005). "Brazilian key ignites Mahindra engine". Sports Taro Net. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Mohun Bagan bags Federation Cup". The Hindu. 22 December 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  12. ^ Ghoshal, Amoy (17 August 2011). "Prayag United Sports Club Sign Experienced Defender Deepak Mandal". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  13. ^ Mitra, Atanu (9 May 2014). "Deepak Mandal parts ways with United, joins East Bengal". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  14. ^ a b Jitendran, Nikhil (9 July 2016). "Deepak Mandal joins Southern Samity for Calcutta Football League". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Former India international Deepak Mondal joins Ozone, team to play in DSK Cup". GC Stars. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  16. ^ a b Shreekumar, SS (15 August 2010). "Deepak Kumar Mondal: In defence of honest effort". New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  17. ^ "Making a mark in Asia: East Bengal's 2003 Asean Cup win – a defining moment for Indian club football". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Ho Chi Minh City Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Jeje Lalpekhlua is 2016 AIFF Player of the Year". the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  20. ^ "All India Football Federation Awards: Sunil Chhetri and Bala Devi win Player of the Year Trophy". India Today. 14 February 2015. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  21. ^ "LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS - Football | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports". yas.nic.in. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  22. ^ "List of Arjuna Awardees (1961–2018)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  23. ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2000). "National Award winning Footballers". indianfootball.de. IndianFootball. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.

Further reading

External links

India squad – 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011–12 FPAI Team of the Year
Categories