I would love to stay here for a long time – Samik Mitra on his stint with Chennaiyin FC

Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Samik Mitra has expressed his desire to stay with Marina Machans for the upcoming seasons of the Hero Indian Super League. Mitra, 22, who hails from West Bengal, played 10 matches for Chennaiyin FC in ISL 2022-23 season and made a total of 27 saves. Moreover, he was able to keep two clean sheets for the club.

In fact, Mitra joined Chennaiyin FC’s reserve team back in 2017 and since then he has risen through the ranks. According transfermarkt, the youngster has a contract until the summer of 2024.

“Obviously, I love Chennaiyin FC. I joined here at a very young age. They taught me and I learnt how to be, not just a professional football player, but a good person,” Samik Mitra said while talking to Sportskeeda.

“I joined here when I was 16 or 17, as a teenager. They taught me how to treat others and everything. This was a second family for me and I will always remember this club.

“It’s the club’s decision obviously at the end of the day, but I would love to stay here for a long time.”

The 22-year-old added that playing under the tutelage of Thomas Brdaric has been a good experience and the team’s environment is good under the German.

“It [working with Brdaric] has been a good experience. Being with Chennaiyin for a long time, the environment here is always nice. We are a family – no matter who comes and who’s here,” Samik Mitra said.

“From the day I joined here, it has been a second family for me and I really love Chennaiyin FC. As far as the environment is concerned, it has never been a problem for me. I know all the staff and they are like a family – big brothers and younger brothers – to me.”

The custodian added that the club is like a family to him as all the support staff are motivating.

“I have been here for a long time. No matter which coach or players are there, it’s a family, there’s a unity. That has been put into the team from the foundation. When I joined this team, I learnt that this is a family. How they treated me was how you treat everyone in the family.”