Kolkata: The excitement in Turku, the Finnish metropolis Joni Kauko calls residence, was that he would return to Inter Turku, his boyhood membership one the place he started his skilled profession in 2007. As an alternative, the central midfielder so influential in Mohun Bagan Tremendous Large’s revival final season finds himself down a division at Inter Kashi in I-League.
Joni Kauko is certainly one of Inter Kashi’s most essential signings this season. (Inter Kashi)
“Life’s like that,” mentioned Kauko. It was what Antonio Lopez Habas, Inter Kashi’s coach this time period, mentioned as effectively, talking individually.
Kauko and Habas shored up Mohun Bagan when all appeared misplaced. Final January, they’d a brand new coach in Habas after a run of poor ends in the Indian Tremendous League (ISL) bought Juan Ferrando the boot. One of many first issues, Habas, ISL’s most profitable coach with two titles, a league protect and two ultimate appearances, did was rehabilitate Kauko. For 11 months previous to that Kauko was recovering from harm. “I got back to first team football with little preparation,” mentioned the Finland worldwide who performed within the 2021 European championship.
Having ended 2023 with three successive defeats in ISL and begun the 12 months with an early exit from the Tremendous Cup, Mohun Bagan, beneath Habas, have been unbeaten in eight matches seven of them wins. Signed rather than Hugo Boumous, Kauko’s management qualities, clever runs and defensive talents have been essential to that. Mohun Bagan gained the league protect, their first, beating Mumbai Metropolis at residence however misplaced the cup ultimate to the identical group.
Each anticipated one other season at Mohun Bagan. “My last morning at Mohun Bagan (after ISL cup final), I had a promise to sign a new contract but after that during one month, no contact,” mentioned Habas. “You can say I was a little disappointed but that’s football for you. You shake hands and move on,” mentioned Kauko.
For Habas, there was additionally the frustration of not getting the India job. “There too in the last moment, no… I felt liked being killed two times… But no regrets.”
So Inter Kashi it was for each. A membership birthed in 2023 and which completed fourth in I-League final season. Given the form of roster they’ve constructed this time period, the percentages can be low on them profitable the I-League and making the ISL in 25-26. “We have a strong side, so have a fair chance,” mentioned Serbian central midfielder Nikola Stojanovic.
For Habas, who had spoken of eager to retire in India when he was at Mohun Bagan, that is an attention-grabbing mission. One he took up as a result of Prithvijit Das, an Inter Kashi official he knew from his time at ATK in 2014, reached out. “We have been friends a long time,” mentioned Habas, 67.
One of many first issues Habas did was get Kauko. Getting a participant who might have joined an ISL membership and has performed in Finland and Germany to play within the Indian second division was a coup. Equal to the form of coup Inter Kashi, a membership from Uttar Pradesh who will for the second successive season play in West Bengal due to the absence of infrastructure, pulled off in getting Habas.
“Maybe because we have one relationship which to him was more than the money. I had signed Kauko for another club,” mentioned Habas. “He convinced me of the project,” mentioned Kauko.
Kauko, 34, is a participant within the Borja Fernandez mould. In a profession that had him play 222 matches in La Liga, one which started at Actual Madrid, Fernandez helped ATK win two of the primary three ISL seasons. “For me, Borja was the best central mid in ISL history,” mentioned Habas, talking after the Inter Kashi media day right here on Saturday.
“All the time, I would talk to my staff and say we need a player similar to Borja. You remember one player, Agus (former ATK defender Agustine García Iniguez)? He told me, I know one player like that. He played with me in Denmark. That was Joni. Maybe you can talk with him. And Joni Kauko said “okay,” mentioned Habas. That’s how Kauko got here to India in 2021.
Kauko, Habas mentioned, will be an instance for Kashi’s younger gamers. “Joni has international experience, played European championship. The most important quality for Joni is his humility. He doesn’t have a big ego. He is like one of the lads. And this is very important for young players.”
By the point I-League begins, on November 22, when Inter Kashi hosts SC Bengaluru they might have been coaching for almost three months. For Habas, very best pre-season can be between 45-50 days however “you have to improvise and not give excuses.” For Kauko, it seems like a blessing in disguise, particularly after being parachuted into ISL final season. What unites them, coach and participant, is that each can not await the season to start.