CHENNAI: Mehtab Hossain spent 10 years with East Bengal but his dream of winning the I-League never became a reality. Now as his beloved red-and-golds stutter in another title-chase, the midfielder, who plays for Jamshedpur FC in the more lucrative Indian Super League , feels the pain.

Just after East Bengal’s heart-breaking loss to Gokulam FC on Saturday, an old team-mate of his called and Mehtab said: “You guys are probably failing to win it this time too. It hurts.” The 33-year-old had a game against Chennaiyin FC in the ISL on Sunday, but somehow East Bengal, playing in a different league, never left his mind.

Mehtab became a favourite of the East Bengal fans after the 2009 Federation Cup semis when he scored in the side’s 2-0 win against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan. Since then, he had been an integral part of East Bengal, winning all tournaments barring the I-League. “It will remain my life’s biggest disappointment and regret. When I analyse where we went wrong, I cannot find any significant fault. It just seems we ran out of gas in the end,” Mehtab, who was adjudged the best Indian player in 2011-12 season, told TOI here on Saturday.

Mehtab had promised last season that he would leave the club if he failed to win the 2016-17 I-League. And he kept his word after the team finished third after Aizawl FC and Mohun Bagan. But Mehtab says he misses the ‘Kolkata-kind’ of adulation at ISL. “The ISL is a well-structured league and you get good money, but I can never forget the love which the East Bengal fans gave me. They had criticised me too but a footballer lives for those moments. I will never get that anywhere else. East Bengal runs in my blood,” said Mehtab.

The midfielder, though, is now well-settled at Jamshedpur but says he wants to go back to East Bengal before retirement. “Had I played in this East Bengal team, I would have given them the I-League. The foreigners were in form and there wasn’t much competition due to lack of quality Goa teams, absence of Bengaluru FC and an inconsistent Mohun Bagan. But I have no complaints. I am now focused on winning the ISL with Jamshedpur. However, even if I win ISL, it won’t take away the pain of not winning I-League. So I might return to East Bengal and help them win I-League,” said Mehtab.

