Mumbai City FC are one of the most successful teams in the Indian Super League (ISL) with two Cup triumphs and one League Shield victory to their name.

The team also have the honour of being the only Indian side to record a victory in the AFC Champions League.

The Islanders’ success has largely been attributed to the takeover of the team by the City Football Group (CFG), a move that transformed the team from top to bottom and rightly so as all the success that they have achieved has come after the takeover.

But a football club is often a far deeper institution than the players, the coaching staff and the ownership. A prime example of this is Sandeep Kurale, the Head of Rehabilitation and Medical Services, who has been at the club since its inception.

Kurale is Mumbai City FC through and through and there are very few at the club that can claim to be as attached to the football club as the man who has been keeping everyone from Nicolas Anelka to Vikram Partap Singh fit and running.

Kurale has never kicked a ball for Mumbai City FC but has played a hand in every kick of the ball by a Mumbai City FC player so far. Players have come and gone but Kurale has stayed and continued to imprint his excellence on the football club through his knowledge of physiotherapy and sports science and has put his sweat and blood in the very fabric of the football club. Mumbai City FC, albeit in a small part is a reflection of the work that Kurale has put in.

Living a dream

A man who always wanted to make a name for himself on the sports didn't quite make it into any team as a player but has managed to live his dreams through the many stars that he has nursed, nourished and strengthened over the years.

“I was always passionate about sports and even though I didn't make it as a sportsman, I wanted to be around sports and help sportsmen perform at the highest level,” Kurale said in an interview with indiansuperleague.com.

A resident of Kandivali in Mumbai, Kurale was introduced to Mahindra United FC who trained near his house and got the chance to work under their Portuguese physiotherapist and he started his career as a physiotherapist. After spending three years with the Mumbai-based I-League team, he developed interest in football physiotherapy and decided to pursue further studies at Rome University of Sports and Movement Sciences, affiliated with AS Roma. Returning to Mumbai, he rejoined Mahindra United before moving to Air India, where he worked across football, cricket, and kabaddi. But his close affinity to football meant he was always working closely with their football team.

This opened doors for Kurale to work with IMG-Reliance who were setting up the foundations of the ISL as one of the many experts in various disciplines around football.

Eventually, Mumbai City FC came calling in 2014 and roped him in as a physiotherapist for their team. Since then, the Mumbai native has been a key part of the team’s medical department which has grown and advanced with him.

Having witnessed this growth first hand, Kurale believes Mumbai City FC, ISL and Indian football have come a long way when it comes to incorporating sports science.

Impact of City Football Group

Since the City Football Group's acquisition in 2020, the club has embraced heightened professionalism across all aspects. The medical department, in particular, has benefited significantly, gaining expertise, understanding, and access to diverse specialities from Manchester. Kurale views this development as “the turning point for the club”.

“With the City Football Group coming in there is always a lot of emphasis on performance and sports and so there is a lot of in-depth knowledge which goes about in-depth assessment and evaluation before the player comes to us. And also we work internally with various departments across the medical team,” Kurale stated.

Dealing with player injuries

Managing player fitness amidst fixture congestion poses the medical team's greatest challenge, often shaping the season's outcome. Kurale, who has guided legends like Sunil Chhetri, Freddie Ljungberg, Anelka, and Diego Forlan to success while prioritising player well-being shared insights into the clinical measures implemented by the club to ensure optimal care for its athletes that he has gained during his journey.

“We understand the athlete, if we understand that these are the demands of an athlete and these are the demands of the head coach so now we are sandwiched in between understanding the player and understanding the coach and then we can work accordingly after every training after every game what are the clinical presentations coming up by the athlete and accordingly we work towards it,” he explained.

Kurale emphasised the critical need for transparent communication with players when deadling with injuries, ensuring they fully understand the severity and implications, along with the projected recovery timeline. This level of clarity not only aids in managing expectations but also encourages active engagement from players in their rehabilitation process.

He also delved into the psychological role coaches play in the player rehabilitation process.

“Once a player gets injured it's about how you let him know about the injury is very important. The player needs to understand the injury that he has sustained he needs to also understand the amount of time he's gonna take to recover and how we are going to support him in the entire process,” he said.

“If needed we take some psychological support from a sports psychologist, which we have only done in the past on one occasion. We have noticed at Mumbai City FC that the coach is the first guy to reach out to the player in case of an injury when the player is going to miss a larger number of games it's about the psychological support coming from the coach I think that does most of the job for us,” Kurale added further.

Working closely with coaches

Since the CFG takeover, Kurale has collaborated closely with respected coaches like Sergio Lobera, Des Buckingham, and currently Petr Kratky, all of whom emphasize the importance of sports science. The communication between the head coach and the rehab staff has always been transparent at Mumbai City FC.

“Every coach who has come up after the CFG have respected the decisions of the medical staff and we have always been very transparent in communication and explaining them. I think it's very important from the coach's point of view to plan and understand when an injury is there and we can set and define the timelines of a player rather than pushing the player and having a relapse of injuries,” he said.

Addressing the mental aspects of an injured player is crucial for their recovery. Prioritising their happiness aids in both physical and mental healing, a principle consistently upheld at Mumbai City FC.

“We travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Champions League and I remember Amey Ranawade and Rowllin Borges were injured. Any other club would have kept them back in Mumbai and asked them to do a rehab here in Mumbai. But the club ensured that even though they were not registered, we travelled with them with the squad because, at that time, the Champions League was also in a bubble. We worked with them extra to ensure that they were not kept away and didn't feel isolated,” said Kurale.

Change in players’ attitude

Having spent over a decade with the Islanders, Kurale has observed a shift in the league with players who prioritise their physical and mental health, crucial factors that shape their attitude towards the game. Players like Lallianzuala Chhangte are setting high fitness standards, inspiring younger players to follow suit.

“Chhangte is one of the best examples one can ever look at like how he's so particular about what he eats when he sleeps and the way he prepares him for training. Let it be physical or mental these are certain changes that we are seeing in athletes and when the senior athletes start doing this way immediately they set an example for the young budding athletes to do,” he stated.

Kurale recently visited Manchester to gain insights into how the City Football Group monitors and prepares their players physically to minimize injuries. He believes that the ISL has evolved, with processes similar to those in foreign leagues, though differing in infrastructure and footballing culture compared to Europe.

“There were a lot of things that we do and they are almost the same. Yes, there are some things which are different but that's with the culture is concerned they have a footballing culture, they have a better infrastructure, and they have a better physical appearance because that's how their genes are all around,” he explained.

Sunil Chhetri, the ultimate role model

Current Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri played for Mumbai City FC during the ISL 2015 and ISL 2016 seasons. Kurale, who has worked closely with the Indian icon for over two years, shared how Chhetri consistently set an exemplary standard for the team and continues to demonstrate the same level of commitment and leadership at the age of 39.

“There are no two doubts that Chhetri is one of the best players here in India. I think he lays an example for everyone who is in the national team. I think he is the flag bearer for Indian football.

“He has had exposure to European football where he has been exposed to some of the football players he played in Portugal, that's the number one factor. Secondly, his level of dedication.”

In the heart of Mumbai City FC beats the dedication and expertise of Kurale, a man whose journey from local physiotherapist to integral club figure mirrors the growth in Indian football. His story is a fine reminder that behind every successful team are individuals like Kurale, quietly shaping the dreams and destinies of those who grace the pitch.