The day I think I'm not enjoying the game and contributing the way I would like to, I'll hang up my boots.

When I signed up for BFC, then-coach Ashley Westwood wanted me to play on the left as an attacking midfielder. I was not sure initially but I believed in his vision. For the first six-seven games, I didn't really know what I was doing. I was like a headless chicken. But he kept backing me.

I've married somebody who I knew for 14 years. So, I'm just living with a friend. All through my ups and downs in football, from winning the I-League to losing the ISL final, she has been a source of great support.

I signed for Mohun Bagan and then I got the news that Bhaichung also joined the club. The first day he met me he told me that I have heard about you and you are doing well. I told everyone in my family and friends that Bhaichung told me that.

The influence of Bhaichung is immense. I remember when I was in the ninth or 10th standard we went to watch the Durand Cup in Delhi. Bhaichung was there. We just wanted to touch them.

I idolised IM Vijayan and Krisanu Dey when I started watching football. After that, it was Bhaichung Bhutia in India and Brazilian Ronaldo abroad.

Egos are never nice. I have been a victim of it a lot of times in my career. Whenever I have used it, I have failed.

I aspire my country eventually has a league where all players play 50 games.

All the top players in the world play 45-50-60 games. You need that many games, even the strikers need that many games.

The first two games for Churchill, I was so jittery that I didn't know what to do. I was running more but didn't know what to do. I've no bones accepting the fact that I didn't know what was happening in the game.