‘Arrows have shaped my career’

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National coach Wim Koevermans with Prathamesh Maulingker.

After a reasonably well year with the Pailan Arrows, Under-22 India stopper-back Prathamesh Maulingker aims to make the most of his stint with the Kolkata-based club as he moves to Dempo SC on loan.

In an interview with the federation website, Maulingker speaks his heart out about his stint with the Arrows, its impact, contribution of the Arrows to Indian football, his expectations from Dempo and much more. Excerpts:

How do you reflect back on your journey with the Arrows?
It’s about an initiative by the AIFF which invested in a rookie, trained, taught and guided him to mature and made him into a footballer. I am what I am today because of my stint with the Arrows.

What was your most memorable moment with the club?
Everything has been memorable. Like as it happens with all, I faced ups and lows in my career. But I was never dropped. The management could have easily dropped me from their plans but they didn’t. Rather, they invested and backed me to the hilt.

Which aspect of the Arrows will you carry with you?
Discipline. The Indian Arrows and the Pailan Arrows have been like an academy. It stays the perfect stage to groom a player.

There are a lot of ex-Arrows boys who are big names in Indian football. How do you describe that?
The Arrows were formed at a stage when we had nowhere to go. It was a transition phase, a stage which has killed the motivation of so many youngsters. Jeje Lalpekhlua, Lalrindika Ralte, Raju Gaikwad, Jewel Raja Shaikh, Manandeep Singh, Bikramjit Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, etc, we owe it to the Arrows. It helped shaped our careers.

What do you expect from defending champions Dempo SC?
The moment I received an offer from Dempo SC, the Arrows realised it will benefit me in the long run and responded fast and released me. From my side, I am ready for the next step. I will carry my experience and work culture and blend them with the Dempo philosophy.