MUMBAI: Manolo Marquez may not have been the national team coach at the time, but that evening in Margao, the Spaniard surely got a good look at just what Jayesh Rane is capable of with the ball at his feet.
It was the first leg of the 2023-24 ISL semifinal between Marquez’s FC Goa and Mumbai City. The Gaurs were 2-0 up. Fatorda Stadium was abuzz. The final was in sight. That’s until Mumbai City coach Petr Kratky decided to send in Rane for Mehtab Singh in the 64th minute.
The attacking midfielder seized his moment, and how, capping a splendid final half hour with two vital assists that saw the visitors turn the tie on its head with a dramatic 3-2 win. In the home leg, Mumbai completed the job, overcoming Goa 2-0 to advance to the ISL final where they then rallied to beat Mohun Bagan 3-1 in Kolkata.
That triumph made Rane the only Indian footballer to lift the ISL trophy with three different teams. But for all the success he’s enjoyed at club level, Rane is still waiting to fulfil his dream of playing for the national team. On Monday, Marquez, who was recently appointed the new India coach, announced his list of 26 probables for the tri-nation friendly tournament beginning in Vietnam next week. Rane’s name wasn’t on it.
At 31, is time running out for the Mumbai City man? “It’s obviously frustrating, but it’s ok, you have to keep your cool and you have to do what you do,” Rane told TOI ahead of Mumbai City’s home clash with Bengaluru. “There may be something I’m lacking so I’ll just work on it and give my best in the coming games. That’s all I think I should do.”
At City, there’s no doubt he feels valued, and he owes nights like the one in Fatorda in a large part to previous Islanders boss Des Buckingham and Kratky for identifying his true role on the pitch. “It has helped a lot because most of the coaches I’ve played under before, they have not used me as an attacking midfielder. But Des looked at me as an attacking midfielder, that’s why I came in. Petr as well, I love playing in the system which Des and Petr both have in common.
“They like to keep the ball. It’s fun when you have the ball rather than just running around. I feel very comfortable playing under them,” Rane said.
