"If there is a chance and the coach calls me, why not?" - Mumbai City FC's Apuia remains hopeful of returning to the Indian national team setup

Six years down the line, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Lalengmawia Ralte, who we better know as Apuia, has emerged as one of the brightest prospects from India's U-17 World Cup batch of 2017.

Since jumping ship and joining Mumbai City FC in the summer of 2021, the 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength.

With every passing season, the midfielder has improved his clarity and quality in possession. Under Des Buckingham, Mumbai's head coach, Apuia has also ventured into more attacking zones and developed a habit of popping up with crucial strikes.

Most recently in ISL 2023-24 against Kerala Blasters, the Aizawl-born stabbed home the winner in a thrilling encounter.

A look at his performances match after match would be enough to suggest that Apuia is arguably the finest midfield asset in the country currently. However, since representing India in the Intercontinental Cup back in June, the Mumbai City midfielder has been sidelined in successive tournaments.

He missed out on the SAFF Championship and although he was in the list of probable for the King's Cup, he ultimately didn't make the cut.

Considering India's performances in the Merdeka Cup recently, where they slumped to a 4-2 defeat against host Malaysia, and most importantly, the midfield looked out of depth, Apuia's sudden omission has left the fans slightly bewildered. A TOI report, dated September 14, alleged that the relationship between Apuia and national team head coach Igor Stimac has been strained and attributed his exclusion to an off-field issue.

But during an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Apuia averred that he was unaware of the definite reason behind the banishment.

"I don’t know the exact reason behind it. It’s the decision of the coach and if he thinks that someone is better than me it’s his choice and I cannot say anything about that."

The 23-year-old refrained from demanding a call-up and asserted that the decision ultimately lied with the coach. However, as Apuia keeps refining his performances every passing day donning the Mumbai outfit, it might be difficult to continue ignoring him for the national setup.

For now, the midfielder is eager to keep his focus transfixed on the challenges that lie ahead of him with the Islanders, and the golden opportunity to share the pitch with one of his footballing idols - Neymar Jr.

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Excerpts from Sportskeeda's interview with Mumbai City FC midfielder Apui Ralte where the 23-year-old delved deep into the ongoing saga of his omission from the national team, his relationship with club head coach Des Buckingham, and the excitement of sharing the pitch with Neymar Jr.

Question: Firstly Apuia, you’ve now had your first taste of the new season with Mumbai City FC. So how do you assess the team’s performance so far in both ISL and the Champions League?

Apuia: I think it hasn’t been a bad start so far. Even last season, we had the same result in the first three games, with two wins and a draw. But in the AFC Champions League, which is a totally different level, we cannot express much from these matches as the teams we play are much higher than us. For us, it’s only the second time in the ACL and I think we played really well, especially in the first half of both matches. Unluckily, we conceded goals in the second half and let the team down.

Still, I would say we are playing quite well but aren’t able to convert the chances we created. In the end, the quality of the opponents really hit us.

Q: You mentioned the quality of the opponents so do you think the competition level has gone up compared to last season?

Apuia: Yeah, this season has been really tough as we all know Saudi is playing a lot of top players from Europe. Next, we are going to face Al Hilal and they have the likes of Neymar, Ruben Neves, and Kalidou Koulibaly, and it’s going to be a lot tougher than the last time. But it’s a great opportunity for us to play alongside all these players.

Q: Apuia, in the previous season, you partnered alongside Ahmed Jahouh in the middle of the park. Now, you have a new companion in the midfield in Yoell van Nieff. If you could talk about how has it been playing alongside the Dutchman and how different is it when compared to playing alongside someone like Jahouh?

Apuia: By the time I joined Mumbai City, Ahmed Jahouh was already an established player in the Indian Super League. Yoell is a newcomer in this league while Jahouh had plenty of understanding of the league and ISL experience. So Yoell will need some time to adapt and he has been adapting very fast. As the season goes forward, I think it will be a great partnership and we will do good things.

Q: You bagged the winner in the previous match against Kerala Blasters but not just that, you even looked to get in good attacking areas just outside the box or even inside it. So could you talk a little about the kind of role the head coach has designated for you this season?

Apuia: It’s almost the same but since we have some new recruits it has changed a little bit. Since Yoel came in, the coach wants me to play a little bit higher depending on the plan and the availability of the players. Now that he is suspended for the next game, I cannot play as a Number 10 because there is no other natural No. 6 in the squad. So it depends on how the team needs me and the plan of the coach. Luckily, I can play in both positions and that is an advantage for me.

Q: Apuia, you’ve been working with head coach Des Buckingham for three seasons now. How has that relationship grown over the years and how has he helped you develop as a player?

Apuia: The relationship is great and he is a young coach and very energetic. The best thing is that he trusts me and when someone trusts you, you don’t want to break their trust and pay them back. That’s a good thing but at the same time adds a bit of pressure. If I want to play then I’ve to continuously show him that I deserve to play and work really hard for that.

He developed me not just as a player but also helped me become a great person.

Q: Apuia, in the past few weeks a lot of questions have been raised about your professionalism, and then very recently Des Buckingham in a press conference backed you and talked about how you’ve been a top professional. How does it feel to have your club coach jump in for you and have your back?

Apuia: It’s important for me to have someone who trusts me and has my back. That’s what I have in this club and I really appreciate it. Also, I would like to believe they are not just saying this because I’m playing for the club but also because of what they’ve seen in me. I’m very thankful that they saw that in me.

Q: Talking about relationships with coaches, Apuia there’s been a lot written and said about your recent omission from the national team. I wanted you to shed some light on the situation before delving deeper into it.

Apuia: I don’t know the exact reason behind it. It’s the decision of the coach and if he thinks that someone is better than me it’s his choice and I cannot say anything about that. All of that depends on the coach.

If I have to give an example, in England, Harry Maguire hasn’t been performing for Manchester United, but still Gareth Southgate picks him for the national side. It’s all up to the coach and it’s nothing new in football.

Q: Have you had an opportunity to talk to head coach Igor Stimac since your omission from the King’s Cup squad?

Apuia: No, not yet. Because it’s not fair for me to call the head coach and ask why I’m not being called up. As I said previously, I have no right to say that I should be called up for the national team. It’s his game plan and if I’m not in it, what can I say?

Q: For a while now, you’ve been one of the first-choice midfielders for India. But to be all of a sudden sidelined from the national team setup, how has that affected you emotionally? Especially when you’re watching the team play from back home?

Apuia: Personally, for me, I want to be on the national team and want to help the team as much as possible. But I need to accept the coach’s decision. Even in Mumbai, there will be a time when they might not need me and I have to accept that.

Q: Are you hopeful of breaking into the national team once again in the near future?

Apuia: Yeah, of course, if there is a chance and the coach calls me, why not? This is my only country and not like I can play for another country. (Laughs)

Q: Obviously, it’s been a bit of a difficult period for you off the pitch, but you’ve ensured that you continue to perform on the pitch. How do manage to shut all the outside noise and focus on your performance?

Apuia: When you know that something is not true, all the rumors, you don’t need to listen to these all things and focus on your training, diet, and sleep. It’s all that matters. You don’t need to think about outside things, especially if it isn’t true. Right now, I am not with the national team, so my focus is on playing for Mumbai City FC. I give my best in the training and everything else doesn’t matter.

Q: Coming back to club football, Apuia, Mumbai City are gearing up to face Al Hilal soon, and that brings along the incredible opportunity to share the pitch with a modern-day great in Neymar. How are you looking at that opportunity?

Apuia: It’s going to be a very interesting match, I don’t know how many players will ask for his jersey (Bursts into laughter). I hope I’ll be the one. Sharing the pitch with Neymar is an amazing opportunity and I want to thank Saudi teams for buying these kinds of players. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to see Neymar playing, especially on Indian soil. It’s going to be historic and more importantly a good test for us to realize where we stand.

Neymar is one of my idols. Who will not like Neymar for the way he plays?

Q: Apuia, as we had all talked about previously, this was supposed to be a long season, especially for Mumbai with the Champions League commitments. It’s obviously hectic but how are you been enjoying this calendar where the matches have been coming thick and fast?

Apuia: Yeah, especially with a lot of travel, it’s been quite difficult because this is the first time we are playing so many matches in quick succession. It’s a bit of a headache. It’s also a headache for the staff who are managing the players and keeping us away from injuries. I want to praise the physios for the incredible job they have been doing and they deserve to be highlighted.

It’s going to be a long season and hard season with all ISL teams strengthening up quite a bit. For a few of the national team players, it will be a lot more difficult as they will be occupied with national duty even during the breaks. But the good thing is that if we play more games we’ll have a lot of experience and improve our game.

Q: Finally, Apuia, as we talked about, professionally, you’ve been experiencing a few ups and downs as we all know. But what has this period taught you?

Apuia: Doesn’t matter what happens, always focus on yourself and your goals. Try to be the best version of yourself, work hard, take care of your body, your family, and your friends, and be happy.

Q: You mentioned your goals Apuia, so I wanted to ask you what they are for the near future.

Apuia: Obviously trying to score more goals than last season and I’m yet to get an assist in the ISL, so that’s my biggest goal. And as a team, defend the ISL Shield and become the champions.