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Indian Super League heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan have secured the services of Irish midfielder Carl McHugh on a two-year contract extension, the club announced on Tuesday.
He has been a cornerstone of the ATK Mohun Bagan (and Atletico de Kolkata) midfield for the past few seasons. McHugh was a crucial part of the Mariners setup under Antonio Lopez Habas and shouldered similar responsibilities under new boss Juan Ferrando.
In the first half of the 2021-22 season, with Tiri and Sandesh Jhinghan unavailable, McHugh also had a commendable shift in the center-back spot.
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However, the former Motherwell player thrives in the defensive midfield position. In 18 matches last season, McHugh registered 854 passes, averaging 47.44 passes per match with an accuracy of 81.26%. His prowess in the defensive zones allowed him to rack up 76 tackles, 21 interceptions, and 27 clearances.
The Mariners had a rough start to the season under Habas, but since Ferrando's takeover, they climbed up the charts to finish third in the league phase. In the knockout rounds, ATKMB suffered a 2-3 defeat on aggregate to eventual champions Hyderabad FC.
The Green and Maroon Brigade will be gunning to return to winning ways in the new season and land their hands on the silverware.
Carl McHugh and the story so far
The Lettermacaward-born started out his early career at English club Reading before moving to Bradford City in 2012. The versatile midfielder stayed at the West Yorkshire club for two years, playing 30 matches. In 2014, he signed for Plymouth Argyle before moving to Scotland to play for Motherwell FC.
He made his in-roads into Indian football, playing for Atletico de Kolkata in the ISL and has continued his association with the club even after the merger with Mohun Bagan.
Carl McHugh is equally efficient as a central defender, defensive midfielder and in the left-back position, which makes him a prized possession for the Mariners. Extending his contract might allow ATK Mohun Bagan to maintain that stability in the already stacked midfield.
