#TFGinterview - Kean Lewis glad to be at another 'Dynamo' in his debut stint at ISL

IT COULD HAVE BEEN the biggest strike of his career, yet. He had got the ball on the right flank, run right up past a defender, cut into the box, and let fly with the keeper convincingly beaten.

But the curling ball, to the dismay of Kean Lewis, hit the woodwork and shot straight back into the field.

That was the closest Mohun Bagan came to scoring against Shandong Luneng Taishan, away amidst the freezing conditions of Jinan, China, in the second round of AFC Champions League qualifiers. The Mariners lost the match 6-0.

Not nailing that goal, Kean Lewis admits, is the biggest regret he has from a season that has seen him emerge as one of the promising young talent in Indian football,

"Striking the post against Shandong Luneng in the ACL was the down side, it could've just gone in you know."

Since the versatile winger-striker from Thane last spoke to TFG, his world has changed. Although not a regular in the Mohun Bagan squad, Lewis got to play some significant games in the I-League, and sweated it out in Asia's biggest club tournaments, ACL and AFC Cup, 

"My best game was of course my second game against Bengaluru FC, not because of the Hero of the Match award I won there but because it was a crucial and big away game for us which we won. I also enjoyed the AFC cup ties against Maziya and Tampine Rovers."

And his efforts did not go unnoticed. In a quick loan move, ISL franchise Delhi Dynamos have picked up two young players from Mohun Bagan. Kean Lewis is one of them. For Kean, this is nothing short of a dream come true,

"I've been waiting for this opportunity for a while so I am very pleased to finally get the chance to play in the ISL with Delhi Dynamos. I especially want to thank my agency, Libero Sports, for helping me get this opportunity. Moreover, since I've played at MLS club Houston Dynamo's U-23 side in USA, I'm even more thrilled to be part of another 'Dynamo' in India."

His first foray into the private tournament will see him play alongside fellow Mohun Bagan teammate Souvik Chakraborty. Kean says he's happy to have Souvik - who was loaned to Delhi Dynamos during the previous two editions of ISL as well - next to him at his new team,

"I've played alongside Souvik in the CFL and I-league as well, he's very versatile and creative. He's a good friend off the pitch as well. I'm glad to have him in Delhi Dynamos with me, his experience with the Dynamos will help me settle in sooner." 

Coming from a fairly different background as far as Indian footballers go, Kean's experience abroad and playing style sets him apart from most other players in the country, and also has been making him something of an outsider to the Indian football circuit. Initially, this was a problem, but now that he has played top division football and is about to play in ISL, there's little doubt he has finally established himself among the select crop of professional footballers.

Getting here has been a long journey for Kean, and by no means is this a destination for him. He says,

"As always, the next step is to do well at Delhi Dynamos, and win the trophy. A national team call-up is always in the back of my mind... when that will come I don't know but the hard work and strive to do well at the team I'm serving will always continue."

Getting some game time won't be easy, but fighting against high odds is nothing new for Kean. That's what he did in USA, Mexico and even in Mohun Bagan where he, as a winger, has been in direct competition with Sony Norde and Katsumi Yusa for a place in the starting eleven. 

Whatever challenges he comes across at Delhi Dynamos, they are unlikely to surprise him.