AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Blue Tigers defender Subhasish Bose spoke about a wide range of topics on Wednesday (April 15, 2020) in a free-wheeling live chat session on the official Indian Football Team Facebook page, which included how sporting icons like current Indian National team cricket captain Virat Kohli, current BCCI President and former Indian Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, and 20-time tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer inspire him.

"When it comes to cricket, my favourite player in the current team is Virat Kohli. However, my all-time favourite is Sourav Ganguly, Bose informed. "I vividly remember seeing him play since I was a small kid. I grew up watching Dada's batting and the matches he played. Not just for me, he is an inspiration for so many other people as well," he smiled.

Bose revealed that he is also a big-time fan of tennis legend Roger Federer, stating that he loves to watch the Swiss Maestro play at every opportunity he gets. "I love watching Roger Federer play. We keep travelling for matches but I follow his games at every chance I get. The way he has been at the top level for such a long time truly stands out for me and it is something I want to do in my career as well."

A versatile defender capable of playing as left-back or centre-back, Bose fielded a number of questions from budding players on how to improve their game. He delved into a number of aspects such as the important attributes required for a full-back and how to improve one's weaker foot, among others.

"In the modern game, endurance is the most important attribute in a full-back for both attacking and defending. The first priority is to defend, the second is to help the team maintain possession, and then, you must choose the right moments to attack. In the attacking half, you have to be quick, play one or two-touch passes and create space for your teammates," he explained.

Bose also spoke about the importance of being "mentally strong" during a match, even if the score line is not in one's favour.

"It is important to have a strong mindset during games. You have to be mentally strong and not get demotivated if you concede a goal -- no matter what time in the game it is. You have to keep playing well with confidence in order to fight and score on the other end."

With the country under lockdown as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation, Bose stressed on the importance of maintaining one's fitness while staying at home.

"It is important to keep ourselves fit at home in these times. We should keep doing exercises every day and you can find a number of exercises that you can do at home in the Fit With Indian Football videos on the Indian Football Team social media pages."

"Stay home, stay safe, stay healthy. Take care of yourself and your loved ones," he added.